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Origin and history

The Dolmenic Necropolis of Les Prés à Acon, located in the Avre Valley in Acon (Eure, Normandy), is a set of six megalithic burials dating from the Middle Neolithic period. These funeral monuments, consisting of large horizontal slabs and vertical blocks, extend over 110 meters. Four of them are aligned east-west, while the other two are separated. Each structure consists of a cluster of flint covered with a slab, with traces of fire after their construction.

The excavations revealed a prolonged occupation of the site, with remains dating back to Mesolithic in the deep layers. The monuments appear to have been built in three phases: use of flint kidneys, addition of pebbles, and laying of slabs. A tison of Cerny's culture and coals dated around 3800 B.C. confirms his belonging to the Middle Neolithic. Traces of fire, dated at the end of the bronze age, indicate subsequent reuse or degradation.

Rediscovered in 1972 by François Carrière, then studied in the 1980-1990s by Régis Dodin, the necropolis was the subject of archaeological explorations in 1993, 1995 and 1996. This research has highlighted its remarkable state of conservation and its similarities with other neolithic sites, such as Changé (42 km away). These elements led to its inscription in historical monuments on 24 February 1998.

Notable discoveries include a partially destroyed funeral chamber, marked by four megalithic blocks (three in silicate, one in sandstone), and an individual oval burial containing a skeleton buried directly in the earth, accompanied by flint tools (a scraper and a blade). Archaeological furniture, notably carbon 14-dated coals, links the site to Middle Neolithic II, giving a rare testimony in the Paris Basin.

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