First traces of occupation VIIIe siècle (≈ 850)
Possible start of habitat on site.
Xe–XIVe siècle
Period of main occupation
Period of main occupation Xe–XIVe siècle (≈ 1450)
Medieval village in operation.
1902
Rediscovered site
Rediscovered site 1902 (≈ 1902)
Identification of archaeological remains.
1977–1992
Search campaigns
Search campaigns 1977–1992 (≈ 1985)
Exploration and study of the ruins.
1985
Opening of the museum space
Opening of the museum space 1985 (≈ 1985)
Start of reconstitutions and experiments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Origin and history
The village of An Mil is an archaeological site and an archeosite located in Lann Gouh, in the commune of Melrand (Morbihan, Brittany). It is a medieval settlement of the 11th century, based on the remains of a deserted village surrounded by a protective slope. The excavations revealed 17 granite buildings, organized around a central square with a collective bread oven. The houses, mixed (men and cattle), had central fireplaces and lightly sloping soils to optimize heat and hygiene.
The remains, well preserved, show low walls (80 cm) in local granite, with fireplaces bounded by stone blocks. Few objects have been found, but millstones, spindles and "unctuous" ceramics (typical of Western Brittany) attest to agricultural and artisanal activities: grain farming, sheep farming, and wool spinning. A wooden shelter and a bread oven, whose torchi vault collapsed, complete the discoveries.
The site, occupied between the tenth and fourteenth centuries (with traces dating back to the eighth century), was rediscovered in 1902 and searched from 1977 to 1992. An adjacent experimental archaeological farm cultivates medieval plants (medicinals, pottery) and reconstructs ancient techniques, such as metal work or grain threshing. The reconstructions of the buildings are based on the remains: thatched roofs, granite walls, and local wood frames.
The reconstruction campaigns, which began in 1985, include experimental programmes (furnace stove, area to beat) to study medieval practices. The site, maintained to avoid plant proliferation, offers a route on a historical South-North road, covered with granite arena. The objective is to preserve the remains while offering an immersion in the rural life of the Middle Ages.
The village illustrates a typical community organization: shared spaces (oven, central square), independent but interconnected family homes, and collective resource management. The "gate of the dead", systematically blocked after a death, reflects beliefs related to the separation between living and deceased, still attested locally until recently.
