Archaeological excavations 1904 (≈ 1904)
Discovery of a skeleton and funerary objects.
8 février 1984
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 8 février 1984 (≈ 1984)
Official protection of dolmen by decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Dolmen dit La Pierre Levée de Soubise (Box BP 31): entry by order of 8 February 1984
Key figures
Marcel Baudouin - Archaeologist
Excavated the dolmen in 1904.
G. Lacouloumère - Archaeologist
Baudouin collaborator during the excavations.
Origin and history
La Pierre Levée de Soubise, also known as the Devil's Stone or Démon Stone, is a dolmen located in Bretigolles-sur-Mer, in the department of Vendée (Pays de la Loire). This megalithic monument consists of three orthostats (two granite and one quartzite) supporting a quartzite cover table, measuring 2.55 m long and 0.45 m thick. The remains of a dolmenic cairn still surround the structure, testifying to its original funeral use.
In May 1904, archaeologists Marcel Baudouin and G. Lacouloumère searched the site and discovered a small skeleton, facing head to west and covered with a slab. Funeral furniture included pottery and flint and sandstone tools. These elements suggest a use as a collective burial, typical of the dolmens of the Neolithic period, although its precise dating is not mentioned in the sources.
Dolmen is associated with local legends, especially as a Sabbath place, a common belief for megaliths in Europe. Since 8 February 1984, it has been a historical monument, illustrating the heritage importance of prehistoric sites in Vendée. Bibliographical references, such as Bertrand Poissonnier (1997), confirm his archaeological and historical interest.
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