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Origin and history

The Stones Closes de Charras, located in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Prée in Charente-Maritime, are two megalithic monuments of an original architectural type, endemic to the department. Although often compared with dolmens or funeral chests, their exact function and dating remain uncertain. These structures, consisting of limestone dams covered with monumental slabs, were reported in 1812 by Louis-Benjamin Fleuriau de Bellevue. Until the early 20th century, they were in a swampy area, now drained.

The best preserved monument includes an ovoid sepulchral chamber (1.75 m x 1 m x 0.80 m) covered with a 3.20 m long slab. A lateral opening results from subsequent looting. The second monument, located 200 m north-west, is very damaged: its age is broken and its triangular lid (2.80 m x 2.30 m) is said to have been moved to a nearby farm. These buildings, classified as historical monuments in 1889, illustrate a local megalithic tradition still poorly understood.

The Stones Closes de Charras testify to a neolithic occupation in the region, marked by still debated funeral or ritual practices. Their architectural singularity, unique to Charente-Maritime, makes it major archaeological remains. Their discovery and study, initiated in the 19th century, underline the importance of the work of Louis-Benjamin Fleuriau de Bellevue in the inventory of the French megalithic heritage.

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