Construction of tumulus Âge du bronze (≈ 1500 av. J.-C.)
Estimated period of its construction.
14 mai 1930
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 14 mai 1930 (≈ 1930)
Official protection by decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Tumulus du Roc'hellou (Box D 362): Order of 14 May 1930
Origin and history
The mound of Roc'hellou is a funerary monument located in the municipality of Loperhet, Finistère (Bretagne). This archaeological site dates back to the Bronze Age, a period marked by the development of collective funeral practices and the construction of monumental burials. Ranked Historic Monument by decree of 14 May 1930, it bears witness to the cultural and symbolic importance of these buildings to local prehistoric societies.
In the Bronze Age, Brittany was populated by agro-pastoral communities organized into clans or tribes. The tumulus, like that of Roc'hellou, served as places of collective burial, often associated with funeral rites and an emerging social hierarchy. These monuments, visible in the landscape, also marked territorial appropriation and collective memory, strengthening the cohesion of the human groups of the time.
The location of the tumulus, reported at the approximate address 5610 Roc'Hellou in Loperhet, has a geographical accuracy considered "passable" (note 5/10). This ranking reflects the limitations of the available data, while confirming its anchoring in the Finisterian territory. Official sources, such as the Mérimée and Monumentum base, attest to its protected status, without providing further details on its current state or accessibility to the public.
No information is available on any historical characters related to this tumulus or on specific archaeological excavations carried out on the site. Its classification in 1930, however, highlights the early heritage interest in prehistoric remains in Brittany, in a context where the preservation of megalithic monuments became a national priority.
Current data do not indicate whether the Roc'hellou tumulus is open to visitors or whether it offers tourist services. Its status as a Historic Monument nevertheless implies legal protection, limiting modifications of the site and framing any future scientific studies.
The Breton region, rich in remains of the Bronze Age, offers a framework for understanding these ancient societies. The Roc'hellou tumulus is thus part of a wider network of funeral sites, illustrating the cultural and spiritual practices of the people of the time.
