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Origin and history

The menhir dit la Pierre-aux-Couteaux is a 4.20 m high sandstone block located in the municipality of Diant in the Seine-et-Marne department. It dates from Neolithic and features engravings, including seven cups on its southern face and a triangle engraved on its eastern face, probably more recent. This megalithic monument illustrates the cultural and ritual practices of prehistoric societies in the region.

Ranked as historical monuments in 1889, the Pierre-aux-Couteaux is a rare testimony of megalithic architecture in Île-de-France. According to a local legend, it would mark the tomb of a general or king Thierry I, although no archaeological evidence confirms this hypothesis. The menhir is now owned by the municipality of Diant and remains accessible to the public.

Archaeological studies, such as those conducted by Edmond Hue in 1908, have helped document this site. Menhir is part of a wider set of megaliths in Seine-et-Marne, reflecting the importance of this region during Neolithic times. Its conservation allows to study the size techniques and symbols engraved by prehistoric populations.

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