Mané-er-Hroëk Tumulus — Locmariaquer
Mané-er-Hroëck · Hroëk mound · Hroëk tumulus
Middle Neolithic (c.4500–3900 BCE)·Carnac–Morbihan Atlantic Neolithic·🇫🇷 Brittany, Morbihan, Locmariaquer, Mané-er-Hroëk hilltop, France
About
About Mané-er-Hroëk Tumulus — Locmariaquer
Mané-er-Hroëk (Neolithic c.4500–3900 BCE) crowns the Mané-er-Hroëk hill 800 m northeast of Locmariaquer village, a 100-m long trapezoidal passage grave under a 25-m high? Actually mound 60 × 40 m with 8-m passage to a 4-m chamber yielding polished jadeite axes, Iberian variscite and Grand Pressigny flint — long-distance imports marking elite exchange. Excavated by Le Rouzic 1908 and later Le Roux, it produced one of 110 treasure jadeite axes from the Alps found in Brittany. The mound is the second of Locmariaquer's three great tumuli (Er Grah, Mané-er-Hroëk, Mané Lud) framing the Golfe du Morbihan entrance.
Why it mattersRichest jadeite concentration in Armorica; Locmariaquer elite horizon marker.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01110 jadeite axes — alpine quarry control by Carnac elite?
Theories
- 01Mané-er-Hroëk as Carnac chieftain burial dominating Morbihan imports
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.4300 BCE
- Period
- Middle Neolithic (c.4500–3900 BCE)
- Culture
- Carnac–Morbihan Atlantic Neolithic
- Purpose
- Elite passage grave with long-distance jadeite/ variscite deposits
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.4300 BCE
Hilltop passage grave erected on Mané-er-Hroëk crest
c.3900 BCE
Elite deposits of jadeite and Grand Pressigny; closure
1908
Z. Le Rouzic excavates chamber, finds jadeite hoard
1985
C.-T. Le Roux restores passage; table interpretation
On the ground
Structures & features
47.5710° N · 2.9450° W · 25 m · 2 mapped features
Mané-er-Hroëk Chamber — Jadeite Cache
chamber4-m granite chamber where 110 Alpine jadeite axes and variscite beads deposited
47.5712° N · 2.9455° WMané-er-Hroëk Mound — Trapezoidal Cairn
tumulus60-m trapezoidal cairn mound 8 m high with summit viewpoint over Golfe du Morbihan
47.5708° N · 2.9445° W
Gallery