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STONE STUDIES OF THE CARNAC ALIGNMENTS
Abstract
There are several thousand stone-shaped megalithic stone piles in Europe that have been built between the late Stone Age and the Middle Ages. Their cultural and historical significance has been deliberately studied only in a small number of cases. It is not surprising, therefore, that different stories about such megalithic sites are more widely known than the results of archaeological research. This is particularly true for impressive prehistoric complexes, which today are transformed into tourist attractions. One of the most remarkable areas of megalithic cultural monuments is Brittany, where Carnac alignments are the most spectacular place among many outstanding monuments. Here, megalithic structures have been the focus of attention since the middle of the 18th century, and identification of this site went hand in hand with Megalithomania and Celtomania. Archaeological research here begun only in 1877 and continues with different intensities also today. However, significant corrections were made by numerous reconstructions on site, which today makes research difficult. Our study was conducted in 2018 and included four important sites - Alignements du Menec, Alignements de Kermario, Alignements de Kerlescan, Alignements du Petit-Menec. These are very large monuments with a total of several thousand standing stones including several tumulus, dolmens and cromlech. The study shows that only tumulus are in their original location, which characterizes the second phase of the megalithic structures of this area. The buildings of earlier stages have been dismantled and divided into separate elements from which alignments have been erected. In turn, the stones of smaller size from dismantled structures have served as a stone wall material for the separation of fields and mark the time when it has occurred. But at the final stage these rows of stones have been modified and supplemented with other stones to form geometric shapes ? semicircles and squares. It has been found that almost all stones are marked with fragments of signs and symbols, there are a lot of such signs and it would useful to study them in detail. The analysis carried out indicates that also other stne formation and stone monuments of similar kind could be studies likewise. That would allow the purposeful direction of ancient history and archaeological research in the region, even if it would take several decades.
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References5
Penhouet Maudet A.L.B., Recherches historiques sur la Bretagne d'après ses monuments anciens et modernes, V. Mangin, 1814, pp 51;
Burl A., A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. Yale University Press, 2005, pp 148-151;
Internet resource: https://blog.world-mysteries.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ carnac3.jpg
Seglins V., Kukela A., Lazdina B., Ancient stone circles in Northern Poland. In: Proceedings of the 18 th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM2018, Bulgaria, vol. 18, issue 2.3, pp 315-320, 2018.
Internet resource: http://www.mercipourlechocolat.fr/2015/02/09/balade-alignements-carnac/
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