Construction period Néolithique (≈ 4100 av. J.-C.)
Estimated dating of megalithic burials.
1893
First scientific documentation
First scientific documentation 1893 (≈ 1893)
Mention in the catalogue of Lombard-Dumas.
24 décembre 1913
Classification of historical monuments
Classification of historical monuments 24 décembre 1913 (≈ 1913)
Order to protect the archaeological site.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Neolithic burials of Cante-Perdrix : classification by decree of 24 December 1913
Key figures
A. Lombard-Dumas - Archaeologist and author
Documented the site in 1893.
Origin and history
The neolithic burials of Cante-Perdrix constitute a major archaeological site of the Neolithic, located in the commune of Calvisson, in the department of Gard. This funerary monument, characteristic of the sepulchral practices of the time, bears witness to the social organization and beliefs of local people several millennia ago. Its classification as historical monuments by decree of 24 December 1913 underlines its heritage importance and its scientific value for the understanding of the Regional Prehistory.
The site was documented in the late 19th century, notably by A. Lombard-Dumas in his Descriptive Catalogue of Megalithic Monuments of the Gard (1893), where it is mentioned as a representative example of the megalithic constructions of the territory. Today integrated into heritage databases such as Merimée, there is still a reference point for studies on Neolithic in Occitanie, although its precise location is considered poor (level 5/10) according to current criteria.
Calvisson, like other communes of the Gard, was in the Neolithic era a territory marked by increasing sedentarization, nascent agriculture and collective practices around death. The megalithic burials, often associated with elaborate funeral rites, probably reflected the social status of the deceased or human groups. These monuments also served as territorial and symbolic landmarks for prehistoric communities, although their exact functions remain partially interpretive in the absence of written sources.
The site's inclusion in historical monuments in 1913 was part of a period of heritage awareness in France, where prehistoric remains began to be systematically protected. This has helped to preserve the burials of Cante-Perdrix from destruction or looting, while facilitating their study by archaeologists. Today, the site remains a tangible testimony of the first peasant companies in Occitanie, although its access and visibility may be limited due to its approximate location.
