Carnac stones, Carnac, Morbihan, Brittany, France, Europe - YouTube Carnac stones, Carnac, Morbihan, Brittany, France, Europe Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jun 17, 2012 The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. More than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre/proto-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world. Most of the stones are within the Breton village of Carnac, but some to the east are within La Trinité-sur-Mer. The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC.

Although the stones date from 4500 BC, modern myths were formed which resulted from 1st century AD Roman and later Christian occupations, such as Saint Cornelius a Christian myth associated with the stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin. In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens. Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1,165 by 100 metres (3,822 by 328 feet). There is what Alexander Thom considered to be the remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a "cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end.

The largest stones, around 4 metres (13 feet) high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 metres (2 feet 0 inches) high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward the extreme eastern end. The tumulus of Saint-Michel was constructed between 5000 BC and 3400 BC. At its base it is 125 by 60 m (410 by 197 ft), and is 12 m (39 ft) high. It required 35,000 cubic metres (46,000 cu yd) of stone and earth. Its function was the same as that of the pyramids of Egypt: a tomb for the members of the ruling class. It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, pottery, jewellery, most of which are currently held by the Museum of Prehistory of Carnac. It was excavated in 1862 by René Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 m (26 ft).

Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907 discovering the tomb and the stone chests. A chapel was built on top in 1663 but was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926. Also known as Er Mané, it is a chamber tomb 85 m (279 ft) long, 35 m (115 ft) wide, and 5 m (16 ft) high. It has a dolmen at the west end, and two tombs at the east end. A small menhir, approximately 3 m (10 ft) high, is nearby. In 1887, H. de Cleuziou argued for a connection between the rows of stones and the directions of sunsets at the solstices.

Among more recent studies, Alexander Thom worked with his son Archie from 1970 to 1974 to carry out a detailed survey of the Carnac alignments, and produced a series of papers on the astronomical alignments of the stones as well as statistical analysis supporting his concept of the megalithic yard. Thom's megalithic yard has been challenged. There are also general theories on the use of the stones as astronomical observatories, as has been claimed for Stonehenge. According to one such theory, the massive menhir at nearby Locmariaquer was linked to the alignments for such a purpose. The Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic is at the centre of conserving and displaying the artefacts from the area. It also contains the "world's largest collection [of] prehistoric[al] exhibits" with over 6,600 prehistoric objects from 136 different sites.

The monuments themselves were listed and purchased by the State at the start of the 20th century to protect them against quarrymen, and while this was successful at the time, in the mid century redevelopment, changes to agricultural practices and increasing tourism bringing visitors to the stones led to rapid deterioration. The Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (Heritage Ministry) re-examined the issue from 1984, and subsequently set up the ‘Mission Carnac’ 1991 with the aim of rehabilitating and developing the alignments. Category The Alignments of Carnac - World Mysteries Blog World Mysteries Blog 13 Comments Megaliths of Carnac: Introduction The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world.

[ad name=”Adsense160x600blue”] Most of the stones are within the Breton village of Carnac, but some to the east are within La Trinité-sur-Mer. The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC. In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens. Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. –wikipedia With over 3,000 prehistoric standing stones, Carnac (in Brittany, France) is the largest megalithic site in the world. More pictures of this place in the photobank section. © Jean-Michel PRIMA 2010. Kermario (House of the Dead) alignment ( Source – wiki) Ménec alignment The Alignments of Carnac: a Royal Mausoleum of the Megalith Builders? by Manuel Vega Who were the Megalith Builders?

Archaeologists agree about the independent origin of European megalithism, but neither about the origin nor the kind of relationship, if any, existent among the various megalithic areas. The typical “diffusionist-inventionist” controversy is very present at this case. Diffusionists emphasize the role of diffusion, i.e. the spread of cultural elements from one area or group of people to others by contact, rather than independent invention or discovery. The discussion becomes very subtle in megalithism because it is not clear where the borderlines (and of what kind) lied among the European Neolithic inhabitants, and to which extent these people were able to travel and interact among each others. Based on the interpretation of the physical archaeological remains, Euan Mackie proposes the existence of a consistent tradition carried across Neolithic Britain by a theocratic elite, whereas mainstream archaeologists prefer the idea of local not-well communicated chiefdoms. My research aligns with MacKie’s side, and goes much further. In this article, I am going to deal with the largest and most spectacular among the megalithic monuments: the Alignments of Carnac.

This extraordinary site of Brittany (peninsula of NW France) contains only itself more than 3,000 standing stones, huge granite menhirs aligned in several rows along approximately 4 km, divided into three main modules and a last one much smaller and degraded. Many hypotheses have been raised, some really unusual, to explain the purpose of these alignments; for example, an antiquarian of the last century suggested that it could be the fossil of a large snake. Others suggested that it might be a Roman camp, or a way to temples disappeared, or even a prehistoric earthquake detector. A local legend says that they were Roman soldiers petrified by God while they were chasing St Cornelius, the local saint. Alexander Thom proposed, as he did with many other megalithic monuments, that they could have been an ancient astronomical observatory. However, the most accepted hypothesis is that they formed a huge necropolis; in fact, in the vicinity of the alignments there are several mounds with a more obvious funerary purpose, such as that of Saint-Michel, one of the oldest in the world. A colossal monument such as the Alignments of Carnac necessarily require an equally colossal labor in its construction.

Archaeology is faced with the dilemma of finding a megalithic society that complies with the grandeur of its monuments. What type of social organization would allow such a display? We should keep in mind that we are talking about the fourth millennia BC, i.e. the European Megaliths Builders preceded those considered as the earliest civilizations (Mesopotamia and Egypt). Based on the mainstream hypothesis of Carnac being a necropolis, and in the fact that the employ of large amounts of manual labor is a typical characteristic of hierarchical societies, it can be speculated about the rocks having a representational function, each one representing one leader. The sad incident of the disappearance of some of the stones impedes to be precise, though it could still be interesting to make a rough calculation with at least the three main modules. Le Ménec is the most western one, with 1,100 menhirs in 11 rows that would, therefore, represent 100 leaders of a confederation of 11 chiefdoms.

Kermario has 982 menhirs in 10 rows, indicating again another 100 leaders of a confederation of 10 chiefdoms, and Kerlescan has about 550 menhirs in 13 rows, and would represent half the number than the two previous modules (50 leaders). The height of the menhirs decreases from west to east in each of the modules, which could be explained assuming that the time direction moved also from west to east, because it seems more reasonable to expect that the previous leaders were more revered. If this is so, Le Ménec would be the representational mausoleum of the first 100 leaders, Kermario of the next 100, and Kerlescan of the last 50 (of each chiefdom). At this point in the history of the confederation, the mausoleum would be continued in a much more reduced scale until its complete cessation, corresponding this terminal phase to the module of Le Petit-Ménec. In conclusion, we could round all this calculation to a confederation of ten or so chiefdoms, that lasted along 250 successive leaders.

There is no a clear date of construction for this monument, which, given the huge amount of labor and corresponding extend of time that it had to require, is not surprising, though it is estimated that its main phase of construction took place along the final centuries of the 4th millennium BC. Therefore, we could propose that this was about the time its builders decided to immortalize in stone their records, a work that they would continue in the following centuries, at the same time that they added the successive leaders of their present epoch. If we now consider the 3,000 years of megalithic phenomenon in Western Europe as the time span this confederation was effective, we would obtain that each leader would have ruled an average of 12 years (3,000/250). Obviously, if we were to choose a different time span, the result would be different; for instance, if we assume a longer time, stretching from 4800 to 1200 BC, as proposed by some authors, then we would obtain an average of 14.5 years per leader (3,600/250).

The main point of this calculation is not to be precise, but to show that its outcome is reasonable. In summary, here it is succinctly proposed a very simple and ground-breaking working hypothesis that presents the megalith builders as a culture politically organized in a confederation of about ten chiefdoms, who built the Alignments of Carnac as their “royal representational mausoleum,” each stone representing one of the leaders of their history. Copyright by Manuel Vega More information at: Carnac, Brittany, France | This is the most amazing place to… | Flickr John Campbell By: John Campbell Carnac, Brittany, France This is the most amazing place to visit. My photographs do not do justice as to what it is like - the stones cover a huge area - why are they there, what do they signify?? From Wikipedia; The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world.

Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin —Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. A Christian legend associated with the stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Most of the stones are within the French commune of Carnac, but some to the east are within La Trinité-sur-Mer. The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC. In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens. Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. Alignments There are three major groups of stone rows — Menec, Kermario and Kerlescan — which may have once formed a single group, but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes.

Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1,165 metres, by 100 metres wide. There is what Alexander Thom considered to be the remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a "cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end. The largest stones, around four metres high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 metres high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward the extreme eastern end. This fan-like layout recurs a little further along to the east in the Kermario alignment. It consists of 1029 stones in ten columns, about 1,300 metres in length. A stone circle to the east end, where the stones are shorter, was revealed by aerial photography. Kerlescan alignments A smaller group of 555 stones, further to the east of the other two sites. It is composed of 13 lines with a total length of about 800 metres, ranging in height from 80 cm to 4 metres.

At the extreme west, where the stones are tallest, there is a stone circle which has 39 stones. There may also be another stone circle to the north. Petit-Ménec alignments A much smaller group, further east again of Kerlescan, falling within the commune of La Trinité-sur-Mer. These are now set in woods, and most are covered with moss and ivy. Tumuli There are several tumuli, mounds of earth built up over a grave. In this area, they generally feature a passage leading to a central chamber which once held neolithic artefacts. Tumulus of Saint-MichelSaint-Michel The tumulus of Saint-Michel was constructed between 5000 BC and 3400 BC. At its base it is 125 m by 60 m, and is 12 m high. It required 35,000 m³ of stone and earth. Its function was the same as that of the pyramids of Egypt: a tomb for the members of the ruling class.

It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, pottery, jewellery, most of which are currently held by the Museum of Prehistory of Carnac. It was excavated in 1862 by René Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 metres. Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907 discovering the tomb and the stone chests. A chapel was built on top in 1663 but was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926. Moustoir 47°36′43″N 3°03′39″W﻿ / ﻿47.6119, -3.0608[14] Also known as Er Mané, it is a chamber tomb 85 m long, 35 m wide, and 5 m high. It has a dolmen at the west end, and two tombs at the east end.

A small menhir, approximately 3m high, is nearby. Dolmens There are several dolmens scattered around the area. These dolmens are generally considered to have been tombs, constructed with several large stones supporting a "capstone", then buried under a mound of earth. In many cases, the mound is no longer present, sometimes due to archeological excavation, and only the large stones remain, in various states of ruin. North, near the Chapelle de La Madelaine. Has a completely covered roof. La Madelaine 47°37′15″N 3°02′54″W﻿ / ﻿47.6208, -3.0482[4] A large dolmen measuring 12 metres by 5 metres, with a 9 metre-long broken capstone. It is named after the nearby Chapelle de La Madelaine, which is still used. Kercado A rare dolmen still covered by its original cairn. South of the Kermario alignments, it is 25–30 metres wide, 5 metres high, and has a small menhir on top.

Previously surrounded by a circle of small menhirs 4 metres out, the main passage is 6.5 metres long and leads to a large chamber where numerous artifacts were found, including axes, pearls, arrow heads and pottery. It was constructed around 4600 BC and used for approximately 3,000 years. On a small hill, has two separate chambers. Mané-Kerioned (Pixies' mound or Grotte de Grionnec A group of three dolmens with layout unique in Brittany, once covered by a tumulus. Whereas most groups of dolmens are parallel, these are arranged in a horse shoe. The largest of the three is at the east, 11 metres long. Crucuno A "classic" dolmen, with a 40 tonne, 7.6 metre tablestone resting on pillars roughly 1.8 metres high. Prior to 1900, it was connected by a passage making it 24 metres long. Other formations The Manio quadrilateral arrangement.There are some individual menhirs and at least one other formation which do not fit into the above categories. Manio quadrilateral An arrangement of stones to form the perimeter of a large rectangle.

Originally a "tertre tumulus" with a central mound, it is 37 metres long, and aligned to east of northeast. The quadrilateral is 10 metres wide to the east, but only 7 metres wide at the west. Near the quadrilateral is a single massive menhir, now known as the "Giant". Over 6.5 metres (21.3 feet) tall, it was re-erected around 1900 by Zacharie Le Rouzic, and overlooks the nearby Kerlescan alignment. From the 1720s various people showed increasing interest in these features. In 1796, for example, La Tour d'Auvergne attributed them to druidic gatherings. In 1805, A. Maudet de Penhoët claimed they represented stars in the sky. However, there still is a somewhat surprising lack of research done on the origins or purpose of the stones.

The first extensive excavation was performed in the 1860s by Scottish antiquary James Miln (1819–1881), who reported that fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing. Towards 1875, Miln engaged a local boy, Zacharie Le Rouzic (1864–1939), as his assistant, and Zacharie learnt archaeology on the job. After Miln's death, he left the results of his excavations to the town of Carnac, and the James Miln Museum was established there by his brother Robert to house the artefacts. Zacharie became the director of the Museum and although self-taught, became an internationally recognised expert on megaliths in the region. He too left the results of his work to the town, and the museum is now named Le Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic Other theories The ménec alignments of some 1100 stones in 11 columns.In 1887, H.

de Cleuziou argued for a connection between the rows of stones and the directions of sunsets at the solstices. Among more recent studies, Alexander Thom worked with his son Archie from 1970 to 1974 to carry out a detailed survey of the Carnac alignments, and produced a series of papers on the astronomical alignments of the stones as well as statistical analysis supporting his concept of the megalithic yard. Studies by Pierre Méreaux, who spent 30 years researching the stones in field studies, are well known. He generally rejects the "cult of the dead", arguing that the dolmens were instead perhaps used as primitive seismic instruments, Brittany being the most seismically-active area of France. In particular, he argues controversially that Brittany would have been even more seismically active back then, due to the influx of water with the retreating ice. He also posits correlations between the location and orientation of menhirs, and those of seismic fault lines.

He also goes so far as to claim that the balancing of large stones on delicate points would act as an effective earthquake detector: "the heavy tables of these monuments with their dizzying overhangs must have devilishly balanced on their three feet, at the slightest shock. As an earthquake observation station, we could not do better today." There are also general theories on the use of the stones as astronomical observatories, as has been claimed for Stonehenge. According to one such theory, the massive menhir at nearby Locmariaquer was linked to the alignments for such a purpose. The Le Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic is at the centre of conserving and displaying the artefacts from the area. It also contains the "world's largest collection [of] prehistoric[al] exhibits" with over 6,600 prehistorical objects from 136 different sites. The monuments themselves were listed and purchased by the State at the start of the 20th century to protect them against quarrymen, and while this was successful at the time, in the mid century redevelopment, changes to agricultural practices and increasing tourism bringing visitors to the stones led to rapid deterioration.

The Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (Heritage Ministry) re-examined the issue from 1984, and subsequently set up the ‘Mission Carnac’ 1991 with the aim of rehabilitating and developing the alignments. This involved restricting public access, launching a series of scientific and technical studies, and producing a plan for conservation and development in the area. As with the megalithic structure of Stonehenge in England, management of the stones can be controversial. Since 1991, the main groups of stone rows have been protected from the public by fences "to help vegetation growth", preventing visits except by organised tours. They are open during Winter, however. When James Miln studied the stones in the 1860s, he reported that fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing, and subsequent work during the 1930s and 1980s (using bulldozers) rearranged the stones, re-erecting some, to make way for roads or other structures. In 2002, protesters invaded the site, opening the padlocks and allowing tourists free entry.

In particular, the group Collectif Holl a gevred (French and Breton for "the everyone-together collective") occupied the visitor centre for the Kermario alignment, demanding an immediate stop to current management plans, and local input into further plans.[28] In recent years, management of the site has also experimented with allowing sheep to graze amongst the stones, perhaps to keep gorse and other weeds under control. Done Carnac stones in Carnac - Tourist attractions @ Travel Advisor! edit | history Carnac stones The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac , in Brittany , consisting of alignments , dolmen s, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stone s were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany , and are the largest such collection in the world. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin or Saint Cornelius – Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle.

A Christian legend associated with the stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Карнакские камни — @ external website The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac , in Brittany , consisting of alignments , dolmen s, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stone s were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany , and are the largest such collection in the world. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin or Saint Cornelius – Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. A Christian legend associated with the stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Most of the stones are within the Breton village of Carnac , but some to the east are within La Trinité-sur-Mer . The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC.

In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmen s being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens. Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. Alignments There are three major groups of stone row s — Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan — which may have once formed a single group, but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes. Ménec alignments Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1,165 metres (3,822 ft), by 100 metres (330 ft). There is what Alexander Thom considered to be the remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a "cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end. The largest stones, around four metres high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 metres high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward the extreme eastern end.

Kermario (“House of the Dead″) alignment This fan-like layout recurs a little further along to the east in the Kermario alignment. It consists of 1029 stones [1] in ten columns, about 1,300 m (4,300 ft) in length. A stone circle to the east end, where the stones are shorter, was revealed by aerial photography. Kerlescan alignments A smaller group of 555 stones, further to the east of the other two sites. It is composed of 13 lines with a total length of about 800 m (2,600 ft), ranging in height from 80 cm (2.6 ft) to 4 m (13 ft). [2] At the extreme west, where the stones are tallest, there is a stone circle which has 39 stones. There may also be another stone circle to the north. Petit-Ménec alignments A much smaller group, further east again of Kerlescan, falling within the commune of La Trinité-sur-Mer . These are now set in woods, and most are covered with moss and ivy.

Tumuli There are several tumuli, mounds of earth built up over a grave. In this area, they generally feature a passage leading to a central chamber which once held neolithic artefacts. Saint-Michel The tumulus of Saint-Michel was constructed between 5000 BC and 3400 BC. At its base it is 125 by 60 m (410 by 197 ft), and is 12 m (39 ft) high. It required 35,000 m3 (46,000 cu yd) of stone and earth. Its function was the same as that of the pyramids of Egypt: a tomb for the members of the ruling class. It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, pottery, jewellery, most of which are currently held by the Museum of Prehistory of Carnac. It was excavated in 1862 by René Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 m (26 ft). Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907 discovering the tomb and the stone chests.

A chapel was built on top in 1663 but was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926. Moustoir 47°36′43″N 3°03′39″W﻿ / ﻿47.6119°N 3.0608°W﻿ / 47.6119; -3.0608 Also known as Er Mané, it is a chamber tomb 85 m (279 ft) long, 35 m (115 ft) wide, and 5 m (16 ft) high. It has a dolmen at the west end, and two tombs at the east end. A small menhir, approximately 3 m (10 ft) high, is nearby. Dolmens There are several dolmen s scattered around the area. These dolmens are generally considered to have been tombs, however the acidic soil of Brittany has eroded away the bones.

They were constructed with several large stones supporting a "capstone", then buried under a mound of earth. In many cases, the mound is no longer present, sometimes due to archeological excavation, and only the large stones remain, in various states of ruin. Er-Roc'h-Feutet North, near the Chapelle de La Madelaine. Has a completely covered roof. La Madelaine 47°37′15″N 3°02′54″W﻿ / ﻿47.6208°N 3.0482°W﻿ / 47.6208; -3.0482 A large dolmen measuring 12 by 5 m (39 by 16 ft), with a 5 m (16 ft) long broken capstone. It is named after the nearby Chapelle de La Madelaine, which is still used. Kercado A rare dolmen still covered by its original cairn . South of the Kermario alignments, it is 25–30 metres wide, 5 m (16 ft) high, and has a small menhir on top.

Previously surrounded by a circle of small menhirs 4 m (13 ft) out, the main passage is 6.5 m (21 ft) long and leads to a large chamber where numerous artifacts were found, including axes, pearls, arrow heads and pottery. It was constructed around 4600 BC and used for approximately 3,000 years. Mané Brizil Kerlescan A roughly rectangular mound, with only one capstone remaining. It is aligned east-to-west, with a passage entrance to the south. Kermarquer On a small hill, has two separate chambers. Mané-Kerioned (Pixies' mound or Grotte de Grionnec) A group of three dolmens with layout unique in Brittany, once covered by a tumulus. Whereas most groups of dolmens are parallel, these are arranged in a horse shoe . The largest of the three is at the east, 11 metres long. Crucuno A "classic" dolmen, with a 40 tonne, 7.6 metre tablestone resting on pillars roughly 1.8 m (5.9 ft) high.

Prior to 1900, it was connected by a passage making it 24 m (79 ft) long. Other formations There are some individual menhirs and at least one other formation which do not fit into the above categories. Manio quadrilateral An arrangement of stones to form the perimeter of a large rectangle. Originally a "tertre tumulus" with a central mound, it is 37 m (121 ft) long, and aligned to east of northeast. The quadrilateral is 10 m (33 ft) wide to the east, but only 7 m (23 ft) wide at the west. Manio giant 47°36′12″N 3°03′22″W﻿ / ﻿47.6034°N 3.056°W﻿ / 47.6034; -3.056 Near the quadrilateral is a single massive menhir, now known as the "Giant".

Over 6.5 m (21 ft) tall, it was re-erected around 1900 by Zacharie Le Rouzic, and overlooks the nearby Kerlescan alignment. Excavation and analysis From the 1720s various people showed increasing interest in these features. [3] In 1796, for example, La Tour d'Auvergne attributed them to druidic gatherings. In 1805, A. Maudet de Penhoët claimed they represented stars in the sky. However, there still is a somewhat surprising lack of research done on the origins or purpose of the stones. Miln and Le Rouzic The first extensive excavation was performed in the 1860s by Scottish antiquary James Miln (1819–1881), who reported that fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing. [4] Towards 1875, Miln engaged a local boy, Zacharie Le Rouzic (1864–1939), as his assistant, and Zacharie learnt archaeology on the job.

After Miln's death, he left the results of his excavations to the town of Carnac, and the James Miln Museum was established there by his brother Robert to house the artefacts. Zacharie became the director of the Museum and although self-taught, became an internationally recognised expert on megaliths in the region. He too left the results of his work to the town, and the museum is now named Le Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic. [5] [6] Other theories In 1887, H. de Cleuziou argued for a connection between the rows of stones and the directions of sunsets at the solstices. Among more recent studies, Alexander Thom worked with his son Archie from 1970 to 1974 to carry out a detailed survey of the Carnac alignments, and produced a series of papers on the astronomical alignments of the stones as well as statistical analysis supporting his concept of the megalithic yard. Studies by Pierre Méreaux, who spent 30 years researching the stones in field studies, are well known.

[7] He generally rejects the "cult of the dead", arguing that the dolmens were instead perhaps used as primitive seismic instruments, Brittany being the most seismically-active area of France. [8] In particular, he argues controversially that Brittany would have been even more seismically active back then, due to the influx of water with the retreating ice. He also posits correlations between the location and orientation of menhirs, and those of seismic fault lines. He also goes so far as to claim that the balancing of large stones on delicate points would act as an effective earthquake detector: "the heavy tables of these monuments with their dizzying overhangs must have devilishly balanced on their three feet, at the slightest shock. As an earthquake observation station, we could not do better today." [9] There are also general theories on the use of the stones as astronomical observatories, as has been claimed for Stonehenge . According to one such theory, the massive menhir at nearby Locmariaquer was linked to the alignments for such a purpose. Management The Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic is at the centre of conserving and displaying the artefacts from the area.

It also contains the "world's largest collection [of] prehistoric[al] exhibits" with over 6,600 prehistoric objects from 136 different sites. The monuments themselves were listed and purchased by the State at the start of the 20th century to protect them against quarrymen, and while this was successful at the time, in the mid century redevelopment, changes to agricultural practices and increasing tourism bringing visitors to the stones led to rapid deterioration. The Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (Heritage Ministry) re-examined the issue from 1984, and subsequently set up the ‘Mission Carnac’ 1991 with the aim of rehabilitating and developing the alignments. This involved restricting public access, launching a series of scientific and technical studies, and producing a plan for conservation and development in the area. [10] As with the megalithic structure of Stonehenge in England , management of the stones can be controversial. Since 1991, the main groups of stone rows have been protected from the public by fences "to help vegetation growth", preventing visits except by organised tours. They are open during Winter, however.

When James Miln studied the stones in the 1860s, he reported that fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing, and subsequent work during the 1930s and 1980s (using bulldozers) rearranged the stones, re-erecting some, to make way for roads or other structures. In 2002, protesters invaded the site, opening the padlocks and allowing tourists free entry. In particular, the group Collectif Holl a gevred (French and Breton for "the everyone-together collective") occupied the visitor centre for the Kermario alignment, demanding an immediate stop to current management plans, and local input into further plans. [11] In recent years, management of the site has also experimented with allowing sheep to graze amongst the stones, perhaps to keep gorse and other weeds under control. See also Ancient & Medieval History — The Carnac Stones are an exceptionally dense... Ask me anything The Carnac Stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs.

The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world. photo by Wilfried.B on Flickr. The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world CollectCollect this now for later caitlin With over 3,000 prehistoric standing stones, Carnac (in Brittany, France) is the largest megalithic site in the world. More pictures of this place in the photobank section. © Jean-Michel PRIMA 2010. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later tammy Celtic: The Ogham Cave, Drumlohan, County Waterford, Ireland. Located 3.5km north of the village of Stradbally, this is one of Waterford’s most interesting sites.

Known locally as the "Ogham Cave," it was discovered by a farmer in 1867. Ten Ogham stones were found built into the walls and roof of a souterrain measuring 3.5m long, 1.5m wide, and 1.2m in height. In 1936, five of the stones were erected each side of the now-exposed souterrain, Favorites CollectCollect this now for later Nestar High on a hill on the island of Gozo, is the Stone Age Ggantija prehistoric temple complex. Constructed from 3,600-3,000 BC, the Ggantija temples are the earliest of a series of megalithic temples in Malta, pre-dating Egypt’s pyramids and Britain’s Stonehenge by over a 1,000 years. This megalithic monument is in fact two temples, built side by side and enclosed within a boundary wall. The temples on Malta are the oldest temples in Europe.

Favorites CollectCollect this now for later caitlin Forest of Stones: The Mysterious Carnac Stones of France - over 3,000 prehistoric stones in perfect, parallel alignment Favorites CollectCollect this now for later lakisha "Clava Cairns by Culloden, Scotland - Clava Cairns is the site of an exceptionally well preserved group of prehistoric burial cairns that were built about 4,000 years ago. The Bronze Age cemetery complex comprises of passage graves, ring cairns, kerb cairn, standing stones in a beautiful setting and the remains of a chapel of unknown date." Favorites CollectCollect this now for later graciela Newgrange is a prehistoric monument, part of the complex of Megalithic sites of Brú na Bóinne in Ireland. Shown is the retaining wall at the front. The sides and back are ringed by 'kerbstones' engraved with artwork.

(35th-32nd centuries BC) Spend CollectCollect this now for later graciela Ħaġar Qim (Standing/Worshipping Stones) is a megalithic temple complex found on the Mediterranean island of Malta, dating from the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC). The Megalithic Temples of Malta are among the most ancient religious sites on Earth, described by the World Heritage Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces." CollectCollect this now for later Lauren W Prehistoric standing stones in Lewis (Scotland) Favorites CollectCollect this now for later oldrose Mayburgh Henge, Eamont Bridge just south of Penrith. It contains a single monolith, although in the 18th century there were four standing stones in the centre, and a further four at the entrance. It probably dates from between 2000 to 1000 BC, and may have been a meeting place for a large prehistoric community.

Photo by Andrew Hepinstall, courtesy of places CollectCollect this now for later MSette Sigiriya (Lions rock) is a place with a large stone and ancient rock fortress and palace ruin in the central Matale District of Central Province, Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos), which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. It is one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later janice Carnac near the south coast of France between Quimper and Vannes. A megalithic metropolis, Carnac covers five square miles with at least 10,000 aligned standing stones, dolmens and menhirs. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later jane Ancient megalithic sites of Ireland.

Six thousand year old megalithic tomb, one of the oldest monuments in the world, Poulnabrone Dolmen, The Burren, County Clare, Ireland CollectCollect this now for later sharon.smi The Callanish Stones, one of the most spectacular megalithic monuments in Scotland (by ouldm01). Favorites CollectCollect this now for later lula The Lost Continent Lemuria is in Pacific Ocean. Most prominent Islands such as Tonga Islands, Easter Islands, Lelu Island, Malekula Island, Palau’s Babeldoab Island, Mu’a Island, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, Cook Islands, Line islands - Republic of Kiribati, Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Leeward Islands, Gilbert Island and others were part of the largest continent in the World - Lemuria. Most of the inhabitants were Giants 12 feet in height. Megalithic stones,... ~ H.P. Blavatsky Favorites CollectCollect this now for later oldrose Celtic: Achnabreck, a horned spiral, Cairnbaan, Scotland.

The largest expanse of rock art in Great Britain, with rings, cups, and gutters, as well as some curious motifs like this horned spiral. Scholars are slowly revealing some of this Neolithic rock art’s secrets, but it’s unlikely we’ll ever know just what the symbols mean. places CollectCollect this now for later jill In Ireland holy wells are the focus of spiritual devotion from prehistoric times. The sites of daily individual prayer and annual celebrations. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later Hercio Dias The Atacama Giant (Spanish: Gigante de Atacama) is a large anthropomorphic geoglyph in the Atacama Desert, Chile.[1] Located at "Cerro Unitas", this is the largest prehistoric anthropomorphic figure in the world with a height of 119 metres (390 ft) and represents a deity for the local inhabitants from 1000 to 1400 CE. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later winnie In legend the 27 standing stones in the Ring of Brodgar were dancing giants petrified by sunlight.

All Things British CollectCollect this now for later stefanie These figures were uncovered in Ur, in southern Iraq, and date from around 4500 BCE. According to Gordon Childe, they came from prehistoric villages of the Ubaid culture that was named after a site near Ur explored in 1922. Childe said they reappeared in northern Mesopotamia, where they were found at many sites from the Kurdish foothills in Assyria east of the Tigris River to the bend of the Euphrates near Carchemish, and even further west.13 Favorites CollectCollect this now for later Hercio Dias A dolmen, also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, or quoit, is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of three or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone. Most date from the early Neolithic period (4000 to 3000 BCE). Dolmens were usually covered with earth or smaller stones to form a barrow, though in many cases that covering has weathered away, leaving only the stone "skeleton" of the burial mound intact.

Favorites CollectCollect this now for later terri New York City is the largest city in America — and there’s nothing like it anywhere in the States. The great thing about it being such a massive, dense city is that there are many things to do in a small area. Spending 3 days in New York City will give you a great taste of the popular attractions, and you don’t have to fuss with rental cars or anything. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later patty Opalized Belemnite fossil. More than a 100 million years ago, the central part of Australia was an inland sea, thriving with marine life. Shells, bones or cartilage formed cavities in the sandstone or the sea floor. These cavities were then filled with silica and formed the beautiful opalized belemnite pipes, shells and prehistoric fossils that we marvel at today. Belemnites (or belemnoids) are an extinct group of marine cephalopod. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later karla BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Hindu Temple, New Delhi. Built in only 5 years by 3,000 volunteers (through seva) and 7,000 Indian artisans!

From ancient times the parikrama (circumambulatory path) of mandirs are pathways to express reverence and devotion to God. It is made of red stone from Rajasthan, consisting of 1,152 pillars, 145 windows and 154 samvaran shikhars; amounting to a total of 53,956 stones. The Mandir (Temple) is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan Favorites CollectCollect this now for later diane.smith The Smallpox Hospital, St Pancras, London, 1784. The London Smallpox Hospital was firstly a house located on Windmill Street off Tottenham Court Road, and then a new building was erected in 1767 at St. Pancras, a rural village in the 1700s. The express goals of the hospital were to remove infected individuals, specifically servants, from their place of residence (to protect upper class families); and, secondly, to promote the practice of firstly variolation and then vaccination.

Favorites CollectCollect this now for later M1967 The Largest Living Horse In The World… He’s a Belgian draft horse named Zeus…standing at 21 Hands High…he weighs over 3,000 pounds… Favorites CollectCollect this now for later margret Smaller satellite galaxies caught by a spiral galaxy are distorted into elongated structures consisting of stars, which are known as tidal streams, as shown in this artist's impression. The new survey has, for the first time, shown the presence of such tell-tale traces of spiral galaxies swallowing smaller satellites for galaxies more distant than our own “Local Group” of galaxies. Image: Jon Lomberg in collaboration with David Martinez-Delgado for the Stellar Tidal Stream Survey CollectCollect this now for later Tonette Skala Greme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia Photography CollectCollect this now for later olive 2nd C. BCE. Glass ornament. The Sa Huynh culture 1000 BCE - 200 AD, central coast of Viet Nam. Skilled in the production of jewelry and ornaments made with hard stones and glass.

Sa Huynh beads were made from glass, carnelian, agate, olivine, zircon, gold and garnet; most of these materials were not local to the region, and were most likely imported. Favorites CollectCollect this now for later claudine Jarlshof is the best known prehistoric archeological site in Shetland, Scotland. It lies near the southern tip of the Shetland Mainland and has been described as " one of the most remarkable archeological sites ever excavated in the British Isles ". People of the World CollectCollect this now for later sarahx Database Sites at Public Libraries| It may not have occurred to you but your own local public library may have many of the subscription fee-based databases available free to you. Such resources as Ancestry, Fold3 (military records and related info), World Vital Records, Newspaper Archives, HeritageQuest, Newspaper or My Heritage sites can be accessed using computers at the library, or you bring in your laptop and using their Wi-Fi there.

#familytree #libraries #genealogy #sites #research Carnac Stones - Crystalinks The Carnac Stones The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuluses and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin - Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. Most of the stones are within the French commune of Carnac, but some to the east are within La Trinit�-sur-Mer.The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC. In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens.

Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. There are three major groups of stone rows - Menec, Kermario and Kerlescan - which may have once formed a single group, but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes. Menec alignments Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1,165 metres, by 100 metres wide. There is what Alexander Thom considered to be the remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a "cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end. The largest stones, around four metres high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 metres high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward the extreme eastern end. Kermario ("house of the dead") alignment This fan-like layout recurs a little further along to the east in the Kermario alignment. It consists of 1029 stones in ten columns, about 1,300 metres in length.

A stone circle to the east end, where the stones are shorter, was revealed by aerial photography. Kerlescan alignments A smaller group of 555 stones, further to the east of the other two sites. It is composed of 13 lines with a total length of about 800 metres, ranging in height from 80 cm to 4 metres. At the extreme west, where the stones are tallest, there is a stone circle which has 39 stones. There may also be another stone circle to the north. Petit-Menec alignments A much smaller group, further east again of Kerlescan, falling within the commune of La Trinit�-sur-Mer. These are now set in woods, and most are covered with moss and ivy. There are several tumuluses, mounds of earth built up over a grave. In this area, they generally feature a passage leading to a central chamber which once held neolithic artefacts. Saint-Michel The tumulus of Saint-Michel was constructed between 5000 BC and 3400 BC. At its base it is 125 m by 60 m, and is 12 m high.

It required 35,000 m� of stone and earth. Its function was the same as that of the pyramids of Egypt: a tomb for the members of the ruling class. It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, pottery, jewellery, most of which are currently held by the Museum of Prehistory of Carnac. It was excavated in 1862 by Rene Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 metres. Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907 discovering the tomb and the stone chests.A chapel was built on top in 1663 but was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926. The Manio Giant Near the quadrilateral is a single massive menhir, now known as the "Giant". Over 6.5 metres tall, it was re-erected around 1900 by Zacharie Le Rouzic, and overlooks the nearby Kerlescan alignment.

The m�nec alignments of some 1100 stones in 11 columns. The famous Dolmen of Crucno, in the middle of a small Breton village. The chamber consists of nine pillars supporting a capstone weighing over 40 tonnes. Carnac Megaliths, the World's Largest Prehistoric Stones Collection - YouTube Carnac Megaliths, the World's Largest Prehistoric Stones Collection Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Feb 16, 2014 The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. More than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, and are the largest such collection in the world.

Most of the stones are within the Breton village of Carnac, but some to the east are within La Trinité-sur-Mer. The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC, but some may date to as old as 4500 BC. There are three major groups of stone rows - Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan - which may have once formed a single group, but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes. Although the stones date from 4500 BC, modern myths were formed which resulted from 1st century AD Roman and later Christian occupations, such as Saint Cornelius -- a Christian myth associated with the stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin. In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens.

Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials. The continuing management of the sites remains a controversial topic. QUESTIONS? We would like to hear from you! If you have any comments or questions about this destination or just need some general travel advice, feel free to leave a comment below! ABOUT VideoVoyage.TV is a travel channel specializing in informative videos about various travel destinations around the world. We are publishing a short video every day starting with places around Southeast Asia, but planning to extend our coverage to Europe and the Caribbean in the upcoming months. SUBSCRIBE

Question: Which French village is known for its exceptionally dense collection of megalithic standing stones that were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany?
Answer: CARNAC