Gavrinis Passage Tomb
Cairn de Gavrinis · Gavriniz
Middle Neolithic·Morbihan megalithic / Chassey-Cerny·🇫🇷 Brittany, Morbihan, France
About
About Gavrinis Passage Tomb
Neolithic passage tomb on small island of Gavrinis in Gulf of Morbihan, Brittany, 50 m diameter cairn with 14 m passage lined with 29 orthostats entirely covered in elaborate geometric and axe-pattern megalithic art. One of Europe's most decorated megaliths, dated c.4200–4000 BCE, related to Locmariaquer complex. Cairn underlies Renaissance-era navigation beacon. Declared Monument historique 1901.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Full meaning of abstract motifs — axe, crook symbols
Theories
- 01Art encodes lineage and cosmological beliefs
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. 4200–4000 BCE
- Period
- Middle Neolithic
- Culture
- Morbihan megalithic / Chassey-Cerny
- Purpose
- Elite burial with megalithic art sanctuary
- Abandoned
- c.3400 BCE (entrance sealed)
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1835, restored 1982-84 Le Roux
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 4200–4000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1479 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
47.5710° N · 2.8920° W · 12 m · 2 mapped features
Passage Orthostats
decorated passage29 decorated slabs with relief art
47.5710° N · 2.8920° WChamber
chamberSmall polygonal chamber at passage end
47.5711° N · 2.8918° W