Dolmen du Pech (St-Antonin-Noble-Val)
The Dolmen du Pech (also called Dolmen du Pech von Cazals) is located in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val near Caussade next to the D75B between Bourdoncle and Doumerc in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in France . The name occurs several times in France for dolmen (Dolmen du Pech Bruniquel, Dolmen du Pech d'Agaïo , Dolmen du Pech (Grammont) , Dolmen du Pech de Jouan, Dolmens du Pech de la Crabe, Dolmen von Pech Laglaire , Dolmen Pech- Lapeyre ). The complex known locally as the Tombeau de geants (giant grave) is known as a nested (emboité) dolmen or double dolmen, as an original smaller megalithic complex , which was located in a D-shaped hill, was built over. In France, dolmen is the generic term for megalithic structures of all kinds (see: French nomenclature ).
The Dolmen du Pech was the subject of an excavation by B. Pajot in 1989 and a restoration in 1992 and is now fenced. The excavation also consisted of the demolition of the hill. What is strange about the reconstruction is the exactly rectangular stone mound. There are rectangular plants in the area, but this one seems too regular. The dimensions of the stone mound are about 25 × 10 meters. The west side (back) is curved apsidal.
According to Bernard Pajot, the history of the complex can be reconstructed as follows:
In the late Neolithic or early Copper Age , the first dolmen was built from limestone slabs . The hill made of layers of dry stone was still preserved at a height of 1.15 m. This D-shaped mound had a straight facade about 5.9 m long and 5.5 m deep. The narrow chamber of about 2.2 × 0.9 m was oriented east-west and was not completely preserved in the front area. Five stones including two cap stones are partially preserved.
The second dolmen was built at the end of the Copper Age. The larger chamber of about 4.5 × 2.0 m has the same orientation and is covered in the rear area by a ceiling plate, which also covers part of the original chamber. There are two large lateral supporting stones that connect to the old front by means of two smaller slanted panels. The chamber floor seems to have been paved. The elongated hill ends, like the original, in an apse. The first chamber was emptied of its contents and reused in the Early Bronze Age .
According to an anthropological study, the remains of about 20 people were found only in the later chamber. The additions including 1000 pieces and a copper sheet according to the different phases of use.
See also
literature
- François Briois, Bernard Pajot: Les dolmens du pech et le megalithisme de saint antonin noble val (Tarn-et-Garonne). 1996
Web links
- Description in English and plan
- Description in English and pictures
- image
- Description in French and plan and pictures
Coordinates: 44 ° 8 ′ 2 ″ N , 1 ° 40 ′ 25 ″ E