Construction of menhir Néolithique (≈ 4100 av. J.-C.)
Estimated period of erection of the megalith.
1224
First written entry
First written entry 1224 (≈ 1224)
Certificate under *Petra levata* in Latin.
12 avril 1951
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 12 avril 1951 (≈ 1951)
Official protection by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Menhir de Pierrelaye or Pierre Lée (cad. AO 540): by order of 12 April 1951
Origin and history
The menhir de Pierrelaye, also known as Pierre Lée, is an imposing block of shale measuring about 3 meters high and 2 meters wide, located near the hamlet of Pierrelaye, on the commune of Villy-Bocage, in the department of Calvados. Its reduced thickness gives it the appearance of a needle when seen from a profile. It stands in a small wooded valley, a few meters from a stream, in a preserved natural setting.
The name Pierrelaye comes from the Gallo-Roman LEVATA, meaning "lifted stone", or LATA, "large stone". This toponym, certified as Petra Levata from 1224, is shared by other megalithic sites in France, such as Pierrelatte or Peyrelade. Menhir, typical of neolithic constructions, bears witness to the cultural and religious practices of the prehistoric societies of Normandy.
Ranked as historical monuments by order of 12 April 1951, the Pierrelaye Menhir is a protected example of the megalithic heritage of Calvados. Its precise location, 1 Chemin de Pierrelaye, and its Insee code (14760) confirm its anchoring in the communal territory of Villy-Bocage, in the Normandy region. No information is available on any local rites or legends specific to this monument.
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