For the first time, with a new excavation campaign, it has been possible to do precisely date the Carnac megalithic sitein the North -western Franceone of the largest in the world: the beginning of the history of this site would even go back to 5700 BCmaking it the oldest megalithic monument in Europe. This region of the country has always been known for this type of prehistoric monuments, but thanks to the new data obtained it was possible estimate more precise dates for their realization. A rigorous study carried out by theSwedish university of Gothenburgin synergy with the CNRS (Center National de la Recherche Scientifique), theUniversity of Nantes and the archaeological company Archeodunum It made it possible to demonstrate how in an area of the Carnac region still not explored, The plaskerare present Some of the oldest megalites in Europe1700 years prior to Stonehenge.
Carnac’s megalithic landscape is one of the best known in the world, but despite the research on this prehistoric site it started in the 19th century, Until now it has not been possible to propose precise data for the realization of the monuments. It is one of the largest sites in the world, with dolmen And Menhir alignments A kilometer long. The dates have never been very clear due to the COMPOSITION OF THE LAND of the Morbihan region, where Carnac is located, a lot acid and therefore does not easily allow the conservation of organic material that can be used for dating to radiocarbon.
However, an emergency excavation at the Le Plasker website has made it possible to discover an area of the megalithic landscape still unknown which – because of its particular characteristics – gave the opportunity to carry out One of the largest sequences of western radio radiocarbon datingwith about fifty champions. The excavation, conducted on the field by the doctor Audrey Blanchardbrought to light a stratigraphic sequence extremely interesting, which could have been dated thanks to the extraordinary conservation of Fragments of coal within the was of the foundation of the megalites or of wells inside which fires had been turned on.
The site is characterized by the presence of numerous monolithsboth on site and removed over time. The oldest phase of Le Plasker dates back to late mesolithic (which in this area of Europe is between 12,000 and 5000 BC), with a calibrated dating that goes From 5699 to 5075 BC And the remains of a hut date back to this period.
After a phase of abandonment of about three centuries, the site was re -occupied in the middle of the Neolithic (in northern France dating back between 5000 and 2500 BC), with the creation of a funerary monument directly above the mesolithic hut. This monument consisted of a lithic cyst – or a container made with stone slabs – and covered by a Earth moundinside which the body of the deceased. The charcoal samples that have allowed the dating calibrated for this phase, associated with fires on during the construction of the mound or during the funerary ritual, report the construction of this monument Between 4790 and 4640 BC
Shortly after the realization of the funeral mound, or perhaps simultaneously, the raising of several has begun around it Menhir. These are some series of alignments made in different phasesespecially with north-south orientation. The monoliths were not found on site, probably because they removed in some later phase, but it was possible to recognize alignments thanks to the discovery of the was of the foundation. The charcoal samples (coming from the pits or from cooking wells used for lighting or for cooking meals related to the funerary ritual) have made it possible to date back to a period to a period that goes From 4670 to 4250 BC. C.
The last phase of attending the Le Plasker website, during which they are no longer monolithing (probably when their fall or removal begins), it was dated Between 4250 and 4050 BC. C.thanks to the samples of two cooking pits made not far from alignments.
The precise series of radiocarbon dating to Le Plasker made it possible to shed light on the chronology of the megalithic sites of the Carnac region, which are confirmed Among the oldest in Europe.
The complex stratification of the site makes it evident that the realization of the funeral mounds and the alignments of Menhir has not occurred in a unitary phase, but during the course of More moments over the course of at least four or five centuriesreporting continuous care and interest from the megalithic communities of Brittany also for many generations, for what was to be a very important place for their sense of religiosity and of community identity.
