Carnac stones

Alignments

There are three major groups of stone rowsMénec, Kermario and Kerlescan. They may have once formed a single group but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes. Together they trace a contour line, around 20 meters above sea level.

The standing stones are made of weathered granite from local outcroppings that once extensively covered the area.

''Ménec'' alignments

Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1165 by. There are what Alexander Thom considered to be the remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a "cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end. The largest stones, around 4 m high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 m high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward the extreme eastern end.

''Kermario'' alignment

This fan-like layout recurs a little further along to the east in the Kermario (House of the Dead) alignment. It consists of 1029 stones in ten columns, about 1300 m in length. A stone circle to the east end, where the stones are shorter, was revealed by aerial photography.

''Kerlescan'' alignments

A smaller group of 555 stones, further to the east of the other two sites. It is composed of 13 lines with a total length of about 800 m, ranging in height from 80 cm to 4 m. At the extreme west, where the stones are tallest, there is a stone circle which has 39 stones. There may also be another stone circle to the north.

''Petit-Ménec'' alignments

A much smaller group, further east again of Kerlescan, falling within the commune of La Trinité-sur-Mer. These are now set in woods, and most are covered with moss and ivy.

Gallery

File:Kermario.JPG|Model of the Kermario alignment File:Kerlescan.JPG|Model of the Kerlescan alignment

Tumuli

There are several tumuli, mounds of earth built up over a grave. In this area, they generally feature a passage leading to a central chamber which once held neolithic artifacts.

Three exceptionally large burial mounds are known from the Carnac and Morbihan area, dating from the mid-5th millennium BC and known collectively as 'Carnacéen tumuli': Saint-Michel, Tumiac and Mané-er-Hroëk. Each of these tumuli contained a megalithic burial chamber, containing the burial of only one individual, along with numerous large polished stone axeheads, stone arm-rings, and jewellery made from callaïs (variscite and turquoise). Scientific analyses have shown that many of the axeheads are made of jade from the Italian Alps, whilst the callaïs was imported from south-western Iberia. Archaeological evidence indicates that the callaïs was brought from Iberia by boat, across the Bay of Biscay, rather than along the coast or overland. Some of the Carnacéen jade axeheads are up to 46 cm in length and may have taken over a thousand hours to produce, on top of the time required to quarry the material and transport it to Carnac. The extraordinary nature of these burials, the scale of the tumuli, the logistics and effort involved, all indicate that these were the burials of extremely important elite individuals, that some researchers have described as "divine kings". The large-scale effort and organisation involved in the construction of megalithic monuments, such as the 20.6 m Grand Menhir of Er Grah, further suggests the existence of rulers or kings in the Carnac and Morbihan region. A similar situation has been described for the later megalithic culture in Ireland, which shows some close similarities to the megalithic culture in Brittany. Based on archaeological, DNA and ethnographic evidence it has been suggested that an elite male buried in the Newgrange passage grave, c. 3200 BC, may have been a "god-king" and part of a "dynastic elite". Similarities have also been noted with the Michelsberg culture in northeastern France and Germany (c. 4200 BC), which featured large tumulus burials within fortified settlements and the use of Alpine jade axes, all associated with the emergence of "high-ranking elites". Engravings on megalithic monuments in Carnac also feature numerous depictions of objects interpreted as symbols of authority and power, such as curved throwing weapons, axes and sceptres.

The Carnacéen tumuli were contemporary with the rich burials of the Varna culture in Bulgaria (c. 4500 BC), which contained more gold than all excavated sites from the rest of the world combined in the 5th millennium BC. The Varna burials attest to the existence of powerful elites in southeastern Europe at the same time as they appear in Carnac. Grave 43 of the Varna necropolis, which contained a single male buried with a sceptre and numerous gold ornaments, also contained an Alpine jade axehead.

Saint-Michel

Main article: Saint-Michel tumulus

The tumulus of Saint-Michel was constructed between 5000 BCE and 3400 BCE. At its base it is 125 by, and is 12 m high. It required 35000 m3 of stone and earth. Its function was a tomb for the members of the ruling class. It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, large jade axes, pottery, and callaïs jewellery, most of which are currently held by the Museum of Prehistory of Carnac. It was excavated in 1862 by René Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 m. Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907, discovering the tomb and the stone chests.

A chapel was built on top in 1663 and was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926.

Tumiac

Main article: :fr:Tumulus de Tumiac

The tumulus of Tumiac is located in Arzon, in the Rhuys peninsula, south of the Gulf of Morbihan. It is also known as 'Caesar's mound' because, according to local legend, it served as an observatory for Julius Caesar during his war against the Veneti in 56 BC.

The site was excavated in 1853. The crater visible at the top of the tumulus corresponds to the vertical hole made at the time for its exploration. It was the subject of new excavations and work in 1934, which brought to light several secondary burials.

The tumulus, circular/elliptical in shape, is made up of layers of clay. It measures 50 m in diameter and 15 m in height. It contains a central rectangular burial chamber 4.40 m long, 2.40 m wide and 1.75 m high. This chamber is made up of three monolithic supports and is covered with a quartz slab 4.80 m long. It had a wooden floor and two engraved side slabs. The funerary chamber contained rich furniture consisting of 11 jadeite axes, 26 fibrolite axes and 249 callaïs beads. These objects are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Vannes. According to carbon-14 dating, the tumulus of Tumiac was erected between 4790 and 4530 BC.

The tumulus of Tumiac has been classified as a historical monument since 1923.

Mané-er-Hroëk

Main article: :fr:Tumulus du Ruyk

The Tumulus of Mané-er-Hroëk (also known as the Tumulus du Ruyk) is located in Locmariaquer, Morbihan, immediately west of the hamlet of Er-Hroueg and about 1 km northeast of the Pierres Plates dolmen.

The tumulus comprises a rectangular burial vault of about 5 m by 3 m, covered with two roofing slabs, supporting a mound about 100 m long and 60 m wide. The tumulus rises to approximately 15 m above sea level, or almost 8 m above the natural ground. The current entrance, with a staircase, is a modern addition. An engraved stele, found broken into three pieces, stands next to the entrance.

The tumulus was excavated in 1863 by the Polymathic Society of Morbihan. These excavations led to the discovery of the vault and stele and brought to light 106 precious stone axes (the largest of which measures 46 cm), 49 callaïs beads and 9 callaïs pendants. These objects were subsequently deposited in the Archeological Museum of Vannes. The tumulus has been classified as a historical monument since 1889.

Moustoir

In June 2023, 39 menhirs still outside the UNESCO protected site were destroyed to construct a DIY store of the Mr. Bricolage franchise, which obtained a building permit from the local town hall in August 2022. The affected stones were located in the town of Montaubin, separate from the primary tourist locations of Ménec and Kermario, which are situated a little over 1.5 km (1 mile) away. The town's mayor, Olivier Lepick, told AFP that he had "followed the law" and pointed to the "low archaeological value" of objects found during checks before the construction process began. He also admitted to being unaware that the site was listed on the Heritage Atlas, despite reportedly presiding over the group that applied for UNESCO status for the prehistoric sites. While Lepick blamed the region's complex zoning situation, the researcher Christian Obeltz claimed that "elected officials in the area and the department are in a hurry to build up anything because once it is classified with UNESCO, it won't be possible anymore". The local Koun Breizh association lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor of Vannes for willful destruction of sites that relate to archaeological heritage.

In 2025, the stones, along with 550 monuments across 28 towns and villages in Morbihan, were designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

References

Notes

General references

• Carnac: Guide pratique 2006 (provided by Carnac tourist office)

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