La Roche aux Fées
The Fairies' Rock
Late Neolithic·Western French Neolithic·🇫🇷 Brittany, Ille-et-Vilaine, France
About
About La Roche aux Fées
One of largest passage dolmens in France on ridge near Rennes: passage 19.5 m long x 6 m wide x 4 m high with massive schist slabs weighing up to 45 tonnes, divided into antechamber and main chamber with 14 orthostats and massive capstones within tumulus remnant. Dated c.3000 BCE, oriented 90° east-west, related to Loire and Morbihan traditions but unique as eastern Breton enclave.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Easternmost Breton passage grave far from Morbihan core
Theories
- 01Axis marking limestone-schist geological border
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. 3000 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic
- Culture
- Western French Neolithic
- Purpose
- Large passage grave for collective burial
- Abandoned
- Bronze Age
- Rediscovered
- Fairy folklore medieval; protected 1840 first list
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1044 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
47.9383° N · 1.4053° W · 95 m · 1 mapped feature
Main Chamber
chamber19.5 m passage divided in two parts with massive capstones
47.9383° N · 1.4053° W
Gallery