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Origin and history

The Poulguen tumulus, located in Penmarch in Finistère, is a Neolithic "T"-shaped dolmen. Ranked a historic monument in 1921, it was originally 40 metres in diameter for 8 metres in height, but was subjected to stone and earth samples that damaged the three-quarters of its circumference. Its corridor, partially dismantled, leads to a rectangular chamber divided into two parts, one of which collapsed due to an open career in the tumulus.

In the 19th century, the tumulus served as a bitter for sailors because of its proximity to the coast and was surmounted by a calvary. Found several times (1861 by Armand René du Châtellier, 1902 by A. Martin, and 1927 by the prehistoric Finisterian museum), he revealed funeral remains, including incinerated bones, ashes, and archaeological furniture (potteries, flint tools, polished axes). Radiocarbon dating indicates a main occupation around 1600 BC, with re-use in Gallo-Roman times.

The excavations highlighted complex funeral practices, such as the use of a wooden floor to deposit the deceased incinerated. The site is interpreted as an architectural compromise between corridor dolmens and covered aisles, typical of the megalithic tombs of the Armomeric Republic. Despite the deterioration, there remains a major evidence of neolithic cultures and their persistence until Bronze Age.

Notable discoveries include a flint blade from Grand-Pressigny, coarse pottery studs, and a terracotta fusaïole. Pierre-Roland Giot's explorations in 1948 were interrupted due to the risk of collapse. The tumulus, owned by the department, illustrates the evolution of funeral practices and the adaptation of megalithic sites over several millennia.

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