Dolmen de Bagneux
La Pierre Couverte de Bagneux
Middle Neolithic·Loire Neolithic / Chambon group·🇫🇷 Pays de la Loire, Maine-et-Loire, France
About
About Dolmen de Bagneux
Largest dolmen in France and one of largest in Europe, 23 m long x 7 m wide x 3 m high with 4 capstones supported by 8 orthostats within former tumulus now gone. Grande Pierre Couverte. Massive Tuffeau limestone slabs up to 40 tonnes. Dated c.4000–3000 BCE, Loire valley collective tomb with later reuse. Costières de Saumur site under heritage protection.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Logistics of moving 40t slabs from 2 km quarry
Theories
- 01Valley-side cemetery for Loire fertile plain farmers
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 4000–3000 BCE
- Period
- Middle Neolithic
- Culture
- Loire Neolithic / Chambon group
- Purpose
- Collective dolmen burial passage
- Abandoned
- Bronze Age
- Rediscovered
- Early antiquarian 18th century; surveyed 19th century
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 4000–3000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1025 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
47.2425° N · 0.0972° W · 65 m · 1 mapped feature
Chamber
chamber23 m chamber with four capstones
47.2425° N · 0.0972° W
Gallery