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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The megalithic burials of the Butte aux Corzeaux, located on an island of the Brière marsh in Saint-Joachim (Loire-Atlantique), were initially interpreted as slabs of a dolmen. According to Pitre de Lisle du Dreneuc, the four visible granite slabs correspond to roof tables. These vestiges, typical of Neolithic, illustrate the funeral practices of the period in this marshy region.

Archaeological excavations carried out in 1964 revealed that they were actually four tombs, a type of collective megalithic burial. This site, a private property, was classified as historic monuments by order of 16 July 1981, stressing its heritage importance. Sources, such as the Archaeological Dictionary of the Loire-Inferior (1882), have documented his study since the 19th century.

The Corzeaux Butt in the Brière Marsh offers a rare example of island burials, reflecting the adaptation of neolithic communities to a humid environment. These tombs, often associated with collective funeral rites, bear witness to the social and spiritual organization of the people of the time. Their preservation allows us to study construction techniques and beliefs related to Neolithic death.

The site is now referenced in the Mérimée database and remains a subject of study for archaeologists, thanks in particular to the work published in the Monthly Sheets of the Nantaise Section of Prehistory (1965). Its access, although limited by its private status, makes it a key element of the megalithic heritage of the Loire-Atlantique.

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