Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Menhir de Voillé is a megalithic monument erected during the Neolithic period, marked by the emergence of agriculture and livestock in Europe. This type of structure, often associated with funeral or ritual practices, illustrates the first forms of social and religious organization of sedentary communities. Menhirs, erect stones isolated or in alignment, are characteristic of this period and are found in several regions of France, notably in Brittany and in the West.

Located in Vouillé, in the current region of New Aquitaine (formerly Poitou-Charentes), this menhir was classified as Historic Monument by order of 20 February 1969. This official protection underscores its heritage and archaeological importance. Although the precise details of its construction and use remain partially unknown, its current location, near the rue du Menhir, makes it possible to envisage integration into the local landscape for several millennia.

Menhirs, in general, were probably used as territorial landmarks, places of worship or memorials for neolithic populations.

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