Saint-Michel tumulus

Saint-Michel tumulus
Location in Brittany, France
General information
Location	Carnac, Brittany, France
Coordinates	47°35′16″N3°04′25″W / 47.5879°N 3.0735°W / 47.5879; -3.0735
Year(s) built	c. 4500 BC
Height	10 meters
Dimensions
Diameter	125 meters
Technical details
Material	Stone

The Saint-Michel tumulus (Breton : tumulus Sant-Mikael) is a megalithic grave mound, located east of Carnac in Brittany, France. ^[1] It is the largest grave mound in continental Europe.

History

See also: Carnac Stones

View of the Le Menec stone alignments with the Saint-Michel tumulus in the distance (top right)

The tumulus was built during the fifth millennium BC. It consists of a mound of earth and stones 125 metres (410 ft) long, 50 metres (160 ft) wide and 10 metres (33 ft) high. ^[1] Explored in 1862, researchers found a central vault containing fairly prestigious funerary furniture: axes, pearls, flint tools, and sillimanite.

On 27 June 1795, the site served as the setting for the Battle of Saint-Michel Tumulus  [ fr ] between the French and the British during the Great French War.

It has been classified as a "Monument historique" (National heritage site) since 1889.

Around 1900, the archaeologist Zacharie Le Rouzic again excavated the Saint-Michel tumulus and discovered a second dolmen and fifteen small stone chests, thus revealing the complexity of this monument.

Gallery

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  Saint-Michel tumulus plan by Zacharie Le Rouzic
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  Excavation entrance to the tumulus
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  Finds from the Saint-Michel tumulus
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  Jade axes from the tumulus
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  Callais necklace from the tumulus
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  Broken stone axes from the tumulus

References

1. "Saint-Michel tumulus". www.megalithes-morbihan.com. Retrieved 6 November 2014.