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Origin and history

The tumulus of Puy Taillé, also known as Mothe or Puytaillé, is a funerary monument located in the municipality of Assais-les-Jumeaux, in the Deux-Sèvres department. Although its dating remains uncertain, it is generally associated with Neolithic. With a length of 140 metres and a maximum width of 55 metres, it could actually combine three tumuli aligned from east to west, with heights ranging from 9 to 13 metres. Composed of piers and local limestone blocks, its volume is estimated at 30,000 m3 by Georges Germond. Excavations carried out between 1894 and 1896 by J. Vernaux, banker at Airvault, revealed human bones, charcoals, flint objects, fragments of pottery, and a "car cart nail". Vernales also mentions the presence of a circular dry stone wall and transverse walls, although these structures are no longer visible today.

The exact nature of the tumulus remains debated: it could be a dolmenic cairn re-used at the age of iron, or even a feudal motte, but the absence of rigorous searches prevents any definitive conclusion. According to local tradition, the Duke of Anjou had observed the battle of Moncontour (1569) since its summit, although this anecdote was not verified. The site was classified as historical monuments by decree of 27 July 1970, thus recognizing its heritage importance despite the uncertainties surrounding it.

The materials used for its construction come from nearby limestone outcrops, exploited as quarries. Eugene Proust evokes a low kidney wall surrounding the tumulus, but it has now disappeared. The long form and composition of the monument suggest an evolution of its functions over the centuries, perhaps moving from neolithic funeral use to subsequent military or symbolic reuse. The objects discovered by Vernaux, such as flint and pottery, bear witness to an ancient human occupation, but their precise context remains unclear in the absence of modern archaeological studies.

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