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Origin and history

La Pierre Levée de Neuville-de-Poitou, also known as Pierre-levée de Mavaux, is a dolmen located in the commune of Neuville-de-Poitou in the Vienne department. This megalithic monument, built in Neolithic, consists of massive sandstone slabs, including a blanket table measuring 7.50 meters long by 4 meters wide. The inner chamber is bounded by nine orthostats, and other blocks visible to the west may correspond to the remains of a portico, suggesting an angeline dolmen.

Ranked as historical monuments by 1900, this dolmen was reportedly searched around 1755 by Poitevin Thibaudeau, although no associated archaeological material is known today. The building subsequently underwent numerous clandestine excavations, compromising its integrity. In 1839 Mangon de la Lande reported a second dolmen nearby, where he claimed to have discovered bones of animals, a statement deemed doubtful and associated with fanciful interpretations of ritual sacrifices.

Several other megaliths were reported around the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century, but it is possible that these are simple natural blocks, reused later in the manufacture of pavements. The site remains an important testimony of Neolithic funeral and architectural practices in the region, despite the uncertainties surrounding some historical discoveries and interpretations.

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