Megalithic sites of Charente

The Megalithic sites of Charente, France consist mainly of dolmens, while menhirs are rare and few are still standing.

Geographical distribution

The north-western quarter of the department (the Ruffécois) has a rich concentration of megalithic monuments. Tumuli and dolmens are often grouped in veritable necropolises (Tusson, Ligné, Fontenille, Luxé, Chenon), and it is well known that almost a third of the monuments recorded in this area were destroyed between the mid-19th and late 20th centuries, mainly as a result of the land consolidation that took place in the 1960s and 1970s. On the other hand, the persistence of large wooded areas has locally contributed to the preservation of several concentrations of burial mounds.^[1]

In the west of the department, several remarkable dolmens are located on the left bank of the Charente (Châteaubernard, Cognac, Saint-Même-les-Carrières, la Boucharderie). In the south-west, several megaliths that were once reported have now disappeared, victims of the boom in wine-growing; in the south-east, several dolmens are well preserved (Ronsenac, Édon necropolis); as for the north-east of the department, it concentrates the department's main menhirs.^[2]^[3]

Characteristics

There are several types of dolmen:^[4]

corridor dolmens, the oldest;
Angoumoisin-type dolmens, the most numerous;
dolmens similar to Anjou dolmens in their monumentality;
simple dolmens and chests, the most recent (late 4th and 3rd millennia).

The Angoumois-type dolmen features a quadrangular chamber covered with a monumental slab in its raw state, with a slightly off-center corridor. The walls are made of carefully assembled, bush-hammered orthostats. The corridor is made up of slabs or low dry-stone walls (Les Pérottes, Motte de la Jacquille). But there are also variants with a round or square chamber where the walls are made entirely of small, stacked dry stones, and the roof must have been a corbelled vault or made of perishable materials.^[5]

Several dolmens in the Cognaçais region have been considered to be Angevin dolmens due to their characteristics (massive roof slabs, high bush-hammered pillars, rectangular chambers), but none have a portico that is still visible. The simple dolmens in the southeastern part of the department, made of sandstone blocks, reflect the proximity of the neighboring dolmens of the Perigord Causses,^[6] with their trapezoidal chambers delimited by just three orthostats.^[5]

Some monuments stand out for their originality (dolmen A4 de la Pièce Grande) or unique architectural features (Motte de la Jacquille).^[7]

Megalithic art

Engraved representations on the walls of dolmens are fairly common, mainly crossbows (Roc dolmen, A and B de la Boixe dolmens), axes (Grosse Pérotte), hooks (Motte de la Garde).^[8]

Inventory

Name	Municipality	Remarks		Coordinates
Dolmen of Montvallier^[9]	Ansac-sur-Vienne		destroyed^[10]
The Bouguignon tomb^[11]	Balzac		destroyed^[11]
Dolmen of Cuchet^[12]	Barro		destroyed^[13]
Dolmen of Gragonne^[14]	Bessé		ruined^[14]	45°56′45″N 0°05′36″E
Dolmen of the Pierre Blanche	Bessé		National heritage (1930)^[15]	45°56′49″N 0°05′35″E
Pierres Brunes de Chavenat^[16]	Boisné-La Tude		ruined^[16]
Dolmen of Chez Rolland	Bourg-Charente		destroyed^[17]
Pierre Levade	Bouteville		destroyed^[18]
Pierre Levée of Douvesse	Bouteville		destroyed^[18]
Pierre Levée de la Combe^[19]	Brie		destroyed^[20]
Tumulus de la Braconne	Brie	2 burial mounds	1 ruined, 1 destroyed^[21]
Pierres Bleues de la Vallade	Brigueuil	2 possible menhirs (standing stones)^[22]		45°56′06″N 0°49′40″E
Pierre du sacrifice	Cellettes	another name: Dolmen A de la Boixe		45°50′40″N 0°08′57″E
Dolmen of the Bois du Soulier	Charras	another name: Dolmen de Grosbot^[23]		45°33′20″N 0°24′22″E
Menhirs of Font Pouzat	Charras	2 menhirs (standing stones)^[24]		200 m south of the Bois du Soulier dolmen^[25]
Dolmen at Combe des Dames^[26]	Châteaubernard			45°40′31″N 0°19′46″W
Tumulus of the Pierre Folle	Chenommet	dolmen^[27]	National heritage (2012)^[28]	45°55′48″N 0°15′44″E
Dolmen de la Grelaudière	Chenon		destroyed
Dolmens de l'Echalette	Chenon	2 dolmens		45°57′17″N 0°12′56″E
Dolmens de la Pièce Grande	Chenon	4 dolmens		45°57′37″N 0°12′43″E 45°57′29″N 0°12′54″E 45°57′28″N 0°12′56″E 45°57′37″N 0°12′57″E
Le Gros Chail	La Chèvrerie	polisher^[29]^[30]^[31]		preserved in the Musée de la Société archéologique et historique de la Charente
Dolmen of Séchebec	Cognac		National heritage (1930)^[32]	45°41′33″N 0°18′35″W
Dolmen de la Mouline^[33]	Combiers		disappeared^[33]
Dolmen of Périssac	Confolens and Esse		dismantled and reused	46°01′17″N 0°40′00″E
Dolmen de la Pierre-Pèse^[34]	Courcôme		destroyed^[35]
Dolmens of Magnez	Courcôme	another name: Dolmens de la Garenne de Magné^[35]	National heritage (1930)^[36]	45°58′44″N 0°06′19″E
Dolmen du Gros-Caillou	Criteuil-la-Magdeleine	another name: Dolmen du Grand Fief^[37]	ruined^[37]	45°32′07″N 0°12′08″W
Dolmen of the Etang^[37]	Dignac
Dolmen de la Brande	Dirac	another name: Pierre Levade de la Brande^[38]		45°34′27″N 0°14′58″E
Necropolis of Édon	Édon	Dolmen de la Gélie Dolmen de la Lombertie or Pierre Rouge Menhir de la Pierre Debout	National heritage (1989)^[39]	45°30′13″N 0°21′21″E 45°30′06″N 0°21′32″E 45°29′46″N 0°21′47″E
Dolmen of Pierre Brune	Empuré		destroyed around 1912^[40]
Dolmen du Repaire	Esse		destroyed^[41]
Dolmen of the Curé's Tomb^[42]	Esse		ruined^[42]
Menhir du Repaire	Esse	another name: Menhir des Boisselées		46°00′31″N 0°41′49″E
Dolmen de la Forêt^[43]	Étagnac
Menhir de la Forêt^[44]	Étagnac
Dolmen known as Gagnère-Prat^[45]	Fontenille		destroyed in 1964^[45]	was located 300 m east of Grosse Pérotte^[45]
Dolmen du Roc de la Fade^[46]	Fontenille		destroyed in the mid-19th century^[46]
Dolmens des Pérottes	Fontenille	Petite Pérotte Grande Pérotte	National heritage (1900)^[47]	45°54′45″N 0°08′35″E
Motte de la Jacquille	Fontenille	dolmen	National heritage (1991)^[48]	45°54′27″N 0°10′05″E
Grosse Pierre des Deffends^[49]	Fontenille		destroyed around 1955^[49]
Tumulus des Bourriges	Fouqueure	2 dolmens^[50]		45°53′17″N 0°05′30″E
Pierre Ceinturée	Jauldes	possible menhir^[51]
Dolmen de la Madeleine	Lessac		National heritage (1900)^[52]	46°02′42″N 0°40′52″E
Dolmen of Gros-Dognon^[53]^[54]	Ligné		ruined	45°55′01″N 0°05′53″E
Dolmen de Bel Air	Luxé		destroyed
Dolmen de la Folatière	Luxé		National heritage (1957)^[55]	45°54′04″N 0°09′03″E
Dolmen du Roc	Luxé		destroyed
Maison de la Vieille	Luxé		National heritage (1956)^[55]	45°54′35″N 0°08′24″E
Motte de la Garde	Luxé	dolmen	National heritage (1889)^[56]	45°54′28″N 0°08′13″E
Tumulus de la Folatière	Luxé		National heritage (1957)^[57]	45°54′02″N 0°08′58″E
Polissoir^[58]	Magnac-sur-Touvre			45°39′37″N 0°14′37″E
Dolmen de Montardy^[59]	Maine-de-Boixe		destroyed in 1972^[59]
Dolmen de la Gare	Manot		destroyed^[60]
Dolmen de Montvallier^[61]	Manot		destroyed
Dolmen des Cabournes	Manot		ruined^[62]
Dolmen and menhir at La Couchadie	Manot		ruined dolmen vanished menhir^[63]
Mégalithe de la Goutrie	Manot		destroyed around 1945
Pierre Oiseau	Manot	undetermined megalith^[61]	destroyed around 1945^[61]
Pierre Paize	Manot	dolmen^[61]	destroyed^[61]
Pierres de Saint-Martial	Manot	undetermined megaliths^[64]
Dolmen de Tauzat	Massignac		National heritage (1929)^[65]	45°46′33″N 0°37′26″E
Gros Caillou	Montmérac	dolmen^[66]		destroyed^[66]
Grosse Borne du Perret	Oradour	possible menhir^[67]		45°54′33″N 0°02′52″E
Roc des Sorciers^[68]	Pleuville	menhir^[68]
Dolmen des Fontiaux	Raix		destroyed in 1962^[69]
Dolmen de Chez Vinaigre	Ronsenac	another name: Dolmen de Bernac		45°26′58″N 0°16′17″E
Dolmen of Boucharderie	Roullet-Saint-Estèphe		National heritage (1927)^[70]	45°33′30″N 0°01′32″E
Dolmen of Garde-Épée	Saint-Brice		National heritage (1926)^[71]	45°41′24″N 0°15′05″W
Menhir of Champ du Roc^[72]	Saint-Christophe			relocated 46°00′11″N 0°50′57″E
Menhirs of Grosse Pierre de la Fourgeodie^[72]	Saint-Christophe	3 menhirs^[72]
Dolmen of Bois des Chailles	Saint-Ciers-sur-Bonnieure	another name: Dolmen des Grouges	National heritage (1912)^[73]	45°52′20″N 0°14′15″E
Dolmen of Pierre Levée de Saint-Fort	Saint-Fort-sur-le-Né		National heritage (1983)^[74]	45°34′21″N 0°17′39″W
Dolmen of Pierrefite^[75]	Saint-Georges
Dolmen of Rochepine^[75]	Saint-Germain-de-Montbron
Dolmen of Perradet^[76]	Saint-Groux		destroyed^[76]
Dolmens of Brunie	Saint-Maurice-des-Lions	2 dolmens^[77]	ruined^[77]
Dolmen des Courades	Saint-Même-les-Carrières	another name: Pierre Levée	National heritage (1926)^[78]	45°37′58″N 0°09′29″W
Pierre levée de la Folatière^[79]	Salles-de-Villefagnan	dolmen^[79]	ruined^[79]
Dolmen de Lage^[80]^[9]	Saulgond
Dolmen de Grapillet^[81]	Soyaux		destroyed in 1836^[81]
Dolmen de la Pierre Martine^[82]	Suris		destroyed in the 19th century^[82]
Tumuli of Tusson	Tusson	4 tumuli: Le Vieux Breuil La Justice Le Gros Dognon Le Petit Dognon	National heritage (1962)^[83] National heritage (1960)^[84] National heritage (1960)^[85]	45°55′54″N 0°04′53″E 45°56′19″N 0°05′13″E 45°56′01″N 0°04′59″E
Necropolis of La Boixe	Vervant		National heritage (1889)^[86] National heritage (1971)^[86] National heritage (1991)^[87]	45°50′34″N 0°08′55″E
Dolmens of Plantier de Montieret^[88]	Villefagnan	2 dolmens^[88]	destroyed^[88]
Dolmen of Rocs de Laine^[89]	Voulgézac

References

^ Laporte, Lopez-Romero & Bernard (2016)
^ "Archaeological sites - Guide de la Charente". www.guide-de-la-charente.com. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
^ Past, The (March 16, 2023). "Home of Neolithic monument makers discovered in France | The Past". the-past.com. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
^ Combes, Jean & Luc, Michel (1986). La Charente de la Préhistoire à nos jours [Charente from Prehistory to the Present Day] (in French). St-Jean-d'Y: Imprimerie Bordessoules. p. 32-33. ISBN 9782903504212.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 44)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 35)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 39)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 37–38)
^ Dominique, Michel & Crédot, Roger (1972). Le dolmen de Périssac, commune de Esse (Charente) [The dolmen of Périssac, commune of Esse (Charente)] (in French). Vol. 9. Supplément au Bulletin mensuel de la société Archéologique et Historique de la Charente. p. 9.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 72)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 75)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 76–77)
^ Chauvet, Gustave (1899). Bulletin et mémoires de la Société archéologique et historique de la Charente [Bulletin and memoirs of the Archaeological and Historical Society of Charente] (in French). Société archéologique et historique de la Charente. p. 64.
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 78–80)
^ "Dolmen - Notice no PA00104248". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 82–83)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 84–85)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 85)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 85–86)
^ Michon (1844, p. 146)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 86–87)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 89)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 96–97)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 97–98)
^ Association Charras d'hier et d'aujourd'hui (2016). "Dolmen, menhirs et alignements" [Dolmen, menhirs and alignments] (in French). charras16.jimdofree. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 98–99)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 100)
^ "Dolmen de la Pierre Folle - Notice no PA16000050". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Lièvre, Auguste-François (1882). "Les polissoirs préhistoriques de la Charente" [The prehistoric polishers of Charente] (in French). Mémoire de la Société Archéologique et historique de la Charente. 5: 131. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Mortillet (1896)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 172)
^ "Dolmen de Séchebec - Notice no. PA00104308" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 123)
^ "Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société archéologique et historique de la Charente, 1889" [Bulletins and Memoirs of the Archaeological and Historical Society of Charente, 1889] (in French). charente.ruffec.free.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 127)
^ "Dolmens de Magnez - Notice no. PA00104344". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 135)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 137)
^ "Nécropole d'Edon - Notice no. PA00104553". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 141)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 144)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 149)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 155–156)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 156)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 163)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 166)
^ "Deux dolmens dits La Grosse Pérotte et La Petite Pérotte - Notice no. PA00104371" [Two dolmens called La Grosse Pérotte and La Petite Pérotte - Notice no. PA00104371] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen ou tumulus de la Motte de la Jacquille - Notice no PA00104575" [Dolmen or tumulus of the Motte de la Jacquille - Notice no PA00104575] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 167)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 167–168)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 170–171)
^ "Dolmen converti en chapelle dite de la Madeleine - Notice no PA00104389" [Dolmen converted into a chapel called Madeleine - Notice no PA00104389] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Joussaume (2016, p. 238)
^ Joussaume (2016, pp. 180–181)
^ "Dolmen de la Folatière - Notice no PA00104400" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen dans le tumulus dit La Motte-de-la-Garde - Notice no PA00104402" [Dolmen in the tumulus called La Motte-de-la-Garde - Notice no PA00104402] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Tumulus de la Folatière - Notice no. PA00104403" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 190–191)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 192)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 196)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 194)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 195–196)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 195)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 197)
^ "Dolmen de Tauzat - Notice no. PA00104417" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 203)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 210)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 212–213)
^ Burnez, Claude (1966). "La destruction du dolmen des Fontiaux à Raix (Charente)" [The destruction of the Fontiaux dolmen in Raix (Charente)] (in French). Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française. 63 (9): 307-312. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen de la Boucharderie - Notice no PA00104475" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen dit de Garde Epée - Notice no. PA00104491" [Dolmen called Garde Epée - Notice no. PA00104491] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 226)
^ "Dolmen 1 des Grouges - Notice no. PA16000051" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen - Notice no. PA00104499" (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 232)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 233)
^ Pourtaud (2021, pp. 233–235)
^ "Dolmen dit la Pierre Levée - Notice no. PA00104507" [Dolmen called the Raised Stone - Notice no. PA00104507] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 241)
^ Michon (1844, p. 147)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 242)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 243)
^ "Tumulus dit le Vieux Breuil - Notice no. PA00104530" [Tumulus called Vieux Breuil - Notice no. PA00104530] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Tumulus dit de La Justice - Notice no. PA00104529" [Tumulus known as Justice - Notice no. PA00104529] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Tumulus dit Le Gros Dognon - Notice no. PA00104528" [Tumulus called Le Gros Dognon - Notice no. PA00104528] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Dolmen dit de la Boixe - Notice no. PA00104537" [Dolmen known as de la Boixe - Notice no. PA00104537] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ "Nécropole de la Boixe - Notice no. PA00104576" [Necropolis of La Boixe - Notice no. PA00104576] (in French). pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 265)
^ Pourtaud (2021, p. 267)

Bibliography

Laporte, Luc; Lopez-Romero, Elias; Bernard, Régis (2016). "Les tumulus allongés du Centre-Ouest de la France - Nécropoles, espaces, paysages" [The elongated tumuli of Central-West France - Necropolises, spaces, landscapes]. Fonctions, utilisations et représentations de l'espace dans les sépultures monumentales du Néolithique européen (in French). Aix-en-Provence: Presses Universitaires de Provence. p. 265-281. ISBN 979-10-320-0048-9.
Lièvre, Auguste-François (1883). "Exploration archéologique du département de la Charente" [Archaeological exploration of the Charente department] (in French). Mémoire de la Société Archéologique et historique de la Charente. 6: 91-135. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
Michon, Jean-Hippolyte (1844). Statistique monumentale de la Charente [Monumental statistics of Charente] (in French). Paris: Derache. p. 137-148.
Mortillet, Gabriel de (1896). "Les monuments mégalithiques classés de la Charente et de la Charente-Inférieure" [The listed megalithic monuments of Charente and Charente-Inférieure] (in French). Bulletins de la Société d'anthropologie de Paris. 7: 91-135. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
Joussaume, Roger (2016). "Palets et minches de Gargantua : Mégalithisme dans le Centre-Ouest de la France" [Gargantua's Palets and Minches: Megalithism in Central-West France] (in French). Association des Publications Chauvinoises. ISBN 979-1090534391. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
Pourtaud, Jean-Sébastien (2021). Dolmens, menhirs, tumulus et pierres à légendes en Charente [Dolmens, menhirs, tumuli and legendary stones in Charente] (in French). Les Indes savantes. p. 280. ISBN 978-2-84654-581-5.