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Origin and history

The pierced stone of Aroz is a major archaeological vestige located in the village of Aroz, Haute-Saône. This monument, classified as historical monuments since 18 January 1921, corresponds to the separation slab of an ancient dolmen, now disappeared. It dates from the Middle to Final Neolithic, a period marked by the development of agriculture and the first collective funeral structures. The stone, 1.68 m high and 1.90 m wide at the base, has an oval hole (0.39 m x 0.30 m) that allowed body passage during burials.

In 1862, the stone was moved during archaeological excavations, revealing artifacts such as flints, a polished axe, and pottery coats. These objects, found in the surrounding fields, confirm the funeral use of the site and its membership in the megalithic culture of the region. The stone, covered on its faces, is the only remaining vestige of a set probably composed of a vestibule and a funeral chamber.

The pierced Stone of Aroz shares similarities with other local megaliths, such as that of Traves, located a few kilometers away. These monuments illustrate the ritual and social practices of the Neolithic communities of Franche-Comté, where collective burials played a central role in the memory of human groups. Their study, notably by archaeologists such as Pierre Petrequin and Jean-François Piningre, allowed us to better understand the spatial and symbolic organization of these sites.

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