Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Pierre Folle de Montguyon is an exceptional megalithic site, composed of an angoumoisin-type dolmen and an aquitain-type covered driveway, built in two distinct periods of Neolithic history. The ensemble, 16 meters long, is built of local sandstone slabs, some engraved with serpentiform motifs or cupules. Covered lane, east-west facing, measures 9.50 meters and retains two cover tables, one of which is 30 tons. The dolmen, the oldest of at least 500 years, has a funeral chamber and an atypical access corridor, open to the north.

The site was saved from destruction in the 19th century thanks to the intervention of Louis-Benjamin Fleuriau de Bellevue, which allowed its classification as historical monuments in 1889. Found in 1840 by Camille Duteil, then in 1874 by Gassier and François Daleau, he delivered funeral remains (bones, flint tools, polished axes, pottery) and a cinematic urn. Most of these artifacts disappeared, with the exception of a green polished axe. The troughs dug in some slabs, compared to the benign ones, and the recent graffiti add to its mystery.

According to local legends, Pierre Folle would make three towers on herself at midnight on Christmas evening, or would have been assembled by the Blessed Virgin, or even built by Charlemagne to bomb Montlieu. These folk stories reflect the symbolic importance of the site, erected around 3500 BC by the Roquefort group. Covered alley, reused at different times, bears witness to complex funeral and ritual practices, while engravings and cups suggest symbolic or practical uses related to its construction.

The slabs, coming from a radius of 2.5 km, highlight a collective organization for their transport and their setting up. The limestone pavement of the aisle ground, bound by a mortar, and the cuts on the northern orthostats evoke sophisticated construction techniques. The cupules, visible on several slabs, could date before or after the destruction of the tumulus, while the serpentiform motifs, engraved on the outer side, remain enigmatic. The site, now protected, offers a rare testimony of regional megalithic architecture.

The 19th-century excavations revealed rich funerary furniture, including serpentine arrow tips discovered in the barges. These objects, now lost, suggest rites or offerings associated with the deceased. The covered walkway dating to the Middle Neolithic (circa 3500 B.C.), while the older dolmen illustrates an evolution of architectural practices. The re-use of the site throughout the ages underlines its sustainable role in local cultures, well beyond its original function.

External links