First mapping 1786 (≈ 1786)
Mention on Pichot's plan.
28 novembre 1952
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 28 novembre 1952 (≈ 1952)
Official registration by order.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Menhir (IS 41): entry by order of 28 November 1952
Key figures
Pichot - Royal Surveyor
Cartographed the menhir in 1786.
Origin and history
The Menhir de Montacher-Villegardin, nicknamed Pierre Pointe, is a block of cliquart sandstone measuring 2.60 meters in height and 1.80 meters in width. Its top, in blunt tip, is tilted to the northwest. This megalith appeared on a map of the village erected in 1786 by the Royal Surveyor Pichot, but was absent from the 1840 cadastre, suggesting late recognition or local modifications.
The Pointe Stone was officially listed in the inventory of historical monuments by order of 28 November 1952, under the Menhir reference (IS 41). Its exact location, in the commune of Montacher-Villegardin (département de l'Yonne, région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), is documented in the Mérimée base, although the accuracy of its location is considered fair (note 5/10).
This menhir illustrates the megalithic heritage of the Yonne, a region where erect stones, often linked to prehistoric funeral or ritual practices, remain rare and poorly dated. Its material, cliquart sandstone, is typical of local geological formations. No detailed archaeological excavation is mentioned in the available sources, limiting the understanding of its original use or its cultural context.
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