Dolmen du Lamalou
The Dolmen du Lamalou (also called Le Crès ) near Rouet on the Causse de l'Hortus , a limestone plateau on the southern edge of the Cevennes in the Hérault department in southern France , is enclosed in a 3.0 m high cairn and is considered one of the most important monuments from the time of the megalithic cultures in southern France. In France, dolmen is the generic term for Neolithic megalithic structures of all kinds (see: French nomenclature ).
description
The large stone grave from the end of the Neolithic Age (4th millennium BC) consists of a nearly 2.0 m high and almost square chamber, a lower, also square, but smaller anteroom ( French antichambre ) and the initially equally high, slightly sloping chamber Corridor oriented in a south-westerly direction; the latter were built entirely from dry masonry on the sides . The chamber, covered by a capstone protruding on all sides, is located in the middle of the round hill. It consists of five slightly inwardly inclined supporting stones ( orthostats ), two of which form the front wall with a narrow passage to the antechamber. The antechamber consists of axially arranged orthostats, two of which in turn form the aisle side with a narrow passage. The antechamber and passage are each covered by two capstones. The outer corridor area was apparently never covered; the dolmen was not closed in historical times.
Finds
During the excavation and restoration work led by Jean Arnal in the 1990s, several small finds ( hand axes , predator teeth, jewelry chains, etc.) were discovered in the burial chamber , which can be seen today in the Musée Henri Prades in Lattes (photos → web links). It is unclear whether these are original grave goods from the construction period or whether they were deposited there at a later date.
Surroundings
Architecturally very similar (all with an antechamber and corridor), but with a trapezoidal main chamber floor plan , are the Dolmen des Feuilles I (photos → web links) and Dolmen du Capucin, only 2.5 km to the east . There are other dolmens in the area, but without capstones and antechamber.
See also
literature
- N. Bec Drelon: Les dolmens à antichambre du Causse de l'Hortus (Hérault): architecture et mobilier. Mémoire de Master II, Vol 1 ( online )
Web links
- Dolmen de Lamalou in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
- Dolmen du Lamalou - photos + information (French)
- Dolmens des Feuilles - photos
Coordinates: 43 ° 49 ′ 26.5 ″ N , 3 ° 47 ′ 58.6 ″ E