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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The menhir dit La Haute-Borne, also known as La Borne-Percée, is located in Noé, in the department of l'Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Although its official period is classified as Neolithic, its megalithic origin remains uncertain: it is more likely to be a medieval seigneurial pillar. The stone, about 1 m high for 0.30 m wide, is mentioned as early as 1514 in a report delimiting the borders between Noah and the neighbouring commune of Mâlay-le-Vicomte. She also appeared on Noah's cadastral plan in 1825, confirming her former role as a territorial landmark.

In 1883, the construction of a vicinal road led to its displacement into a ditch, where it remained until 1935. Ranked historic monument by decree of 19 April 1939 under the name "menhir", it was overthrown in 1975. To prevent her from disappearing, the mayor of Noah had her then transported and sealed near the church, before she was resettled to her current location on 27 August 1996. These movements reflect the growing concerns for its preservation in the twentieth century.

According to a local tradition reported in 1937, stone was associated with healing rites for sterile cows. The owners turned the animal around the terminal and placed a room in the pierced hole at its top, illustrating its symbolic importance in popular beliefs. This practice, although late documented, shows the persistence of customs related to erect stones, even for objects whose megalithic origin is discussed.

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