Tumulus Saint-Michel at Carnac
Butte Saint-Michel · Saint-Michel Tumulus · Carnac Saint-Michel
Middle Neolithic (c.5000–3500 BCE)·Carn / Tumulus Culture (Early Armorican Neolithic)·🇫🇷 Brittany, Morbihan (Carnac), France
About
About Tumulus Saint-Michel at Carnac
Colossal circular tumulus 125 m long × 60 m wide × 12 m high dominating Carnac bay, largest remaining mound in Brittany, capped by chapel Saint-Michel (16th century). Mound covers central vaulted passage grave with multiple chambers, built c.4500 BCE (one of Europe's earliest large mounds). Excavated 1862 by R. Galles revealing rich grave goods: 39 polished axes (jadeite, fibrolite), flint tools, variscite beads indicating long-distance prestige exchange across Neolithic Europe. Tumulus overlies earlier Mesolithic land surface sealed beneath mound. Key reference for Neolithic social ranking via exotic materials.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Identity of interred elite individual(s) yielding jadeite imported from Mont Viso, Italy (600 km)
- 02Original mound height before erosion and chapel terracing
Theories
- 01Tumulus Saint-Michel as chieftain burial demonstrating Neolithic long-distance exchange network for prestige jade
- 02Mound sited to be visible from Carnac alignments acting as landscape axis
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. 4500–4000 BCE (tumulus); chapel 1527 CE; excavated 1862
- Period
- Middle Neolithic (c.5000–3500 BCE)
- Culture
- Carn / Tumulus Culture (Early Armorican Neolithic)
- Purpose
- Elite tumulus grave with rich prestige goods and territorial marker dominating Carnac plain
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 4500–4000 BCE (tumulus); chapel 1527 CE; excavated 1862
Initial construction
c. 1057 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
47.5883° N · 3.0794° W · 35 m · 3 mapped features
Central Passage Grave Chamber
chamberVaulted stone chamber beneath mound core with corbelled roof
47.5883° N · 3.0794° WSummit Chapel Saint-Michel
chapel16th century chapel crowning tumulus summit with sea panorama
47.5883° N · 3.0793° WExcavation Vault Access
passageModern tunnel entrance on south flank giving access to passage grave
47.5882° N · 3.0795° W
Gallery