Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Menhir de la Tiemblais, located in Saint-Samson-sur-Rance in the Côtes-d'Armor, is an imposing monolith of local granite, measuring 8.50 m in height, with an estimated weight of between 50 and 60 tons. It is distinguished by its truncated pyramidal shape, inclined 45° eastward, and a white quartz vein. Its regular appearance, obtained by bouncing, and its relatively flat faces suggest careful work of size. This menhir was mentioned in 1636 as Pierre Longue and appears on the coat of arms of the commune. It was classified as a historical monument on 2 March 1977.

The menhir has a dense decor of twelve engraved cartridges, representing butts, armhole axes and animal silhouettes, spread over three sides. These engravings, discovered in 1972 by Pierre-Roland Giot, are visible only in razing light, suggesting that they were initially enhanced by coloured pigments. The inclination of the menhir would result from clandestine searches. Several legends are associated with him, such as that of the Bonde de l'Enfer, where he would close the entrance of the underworld, or that of a slipstone linked to Breton nuptial traditions.

Dated from Neolithic (between 3000 and 2500 B.C.), the menhir was also interpreted as a key to the sea in local accounts: turning it would cause a flood. Another legend links the monument to Saint Samson, who allegedly faced the Devil nearby. The latter, defeated, would have scratched the stone of his quartz filaments in spite. These accounts illustrate the symbolic importance of Menhir in Breton culture, mixing pagan and Christian beliefs.

The site, also known as the Russian rock, was at the heart of a traditional ritual: the young girls to be married had to slide along the stone in baptism panties without squeaking to ensure a wedding in the year. This practice reflects popular customs related to fertility and the transition to adulthood, common in the neolithic and protohistoric societies of the region.

External links