Publications
Multi‐Method Geophysical Surveys Between and Around the Kerlescan and the Manio Megalithic Alignments in Carnac (Morbihan, France)
Modern geophysical surveys between the Kerlescan and Manio megalithic alignments in Carnac, France, have demonstrated significant potential for detecting buried structures associated with Neolithic settlements. These methods, building on expertise from the ANR MONUMEN program, successfully identified features such as ditches, fences, postholes, and hearths that were previously undetectable through surface surveys. The study highlights a high density of cooking stones and monoliths buried underground, offering new avenues for expanding our understanding of the Carnac alignments without extensive excavation. This approach provides a non-invasive alternative to traditional archaeological methods, addressing long-standing gaps in research due to preservation priorities.
Megaliths as the oldest preserved monuments in Europe
Megaliths, among the oldest preserved monuments in Europe, serve as profound indicators of ancient societies' technical prowess and cultural significance. These structures, including notable complexes like Stonehenge, Carnac stones, and the Treasury of Atreus, reveal advanced engineering capabilities, social organization, and deep astronomical knowledge tied to solar and lunar cycles. Megaliths functioned as religious sites, tombs for elites, and communal gathering places, playing pivotal roles in shaping collective identity and national pride. Beyond their historical value, they bolster local economies through tourism while facing critical preservation challenges from natural degradation and human activity. This study underscores the dual importance of megaliths—both as symbols of cultural heritage and economic assets—highlighting urgent conservation needs to safeguard these irreplaceable landmarks for future generations.
Introduction. The Episteme of the Gallic Past
Gustave Flaubert's visit to the megalithic stone alignments of Carnac in 1847 offers a unique and critical perspective on the scholarly interpretations of these structures. His sardonic account challenges centuries of antiquarian theories, which had attributed various functions such as Gallic altars, temples, graves, or astrological symbols to the menhirs. Flaubert dismisses these interpretations as imaginative but ultimately unproductive, arguing that the stones lack historical significance beyond their material form. His analysis reveals a broader critique of scholarly attempts to reconstruct lost worlds from megalithic remains, highlighting the limitations of antiquarian imagination compared to the stones themselves.
Deciphering the beliefs embedded in the design of megalithic constructions
A groundbreaking study reveals strong links between megalithic constructions at Carnac and the worship of celestial objects, particularly Venus, the sun, and specific moon phases. The research identifies an 8-year cycle where these celestial configurations align with the site's bearings, suggesting a sophisticated understanding of astronomy by ancient builders. Additionally, bands of lower earth magnetic intensity were detected, likely marking sacred locations used by shamans for ceremonies. The study deciphers common beliefs embedded in alignments and cairns, classifying them as ceremonial, observatory, and calendar sites. This challenges previous interpretations of these structures solely as tombs or temples.
European Megaliths, Religion, and Power
European megalithic structures, such as Stonehenge and the Megaliths of Carnac, reveal complex social hierarchies and religious practices that emerged during the Neolithic period. These monuments, including menhirs, passage graves, and henge monuments, were likely constructed by organized communities with advanced labor coordination. Archaeological evidence from sites like Durrington Walls suggests a link between megalithic construction and agricultural societies, where ancestor veneration played a significant role in legitimizing elite power. The study combines typological analysis of megaliths with historical context to argue that religion was instrumental in shaping social control and governance structures.
Embodied Engagements with the Megaliths of Carnac: Somatic Experience, Somatic Imagery, and Bodily Techniques in Contemporary Spiritual Practices
Contemporary spiritual practices at the Megaliths of Carnac involve embodied engagements that construct spiritual experiences through somatic experience, somatic imagery, and bodily techniques. This study reveals how practitioners integrate sensory engagement with ancient sites to shape their spiritual narratives, offering a framework to understand the elaboration of such experiences. Employing sensory ethnography, the research provides insights into the prevailing models of sensory perception in modern spiritual practices, while also highlighting avenues for further inquiry.
Landscapes of Neolithic Brittany – By Chris Scarre
Brittany's megalithic landscape, home to some of Europe's oldest and largest monuments such as the Grand Menhir Brisé and Carnac's stone rows, was shaped more by economic underdevelopment than prehistoric prosperity. Chris Scarre's 'Landscapes of Neolithic Brittany' reveals that the region's abundant megaliths reflect factors like rising sea levels, agriculture, and early Christian destruction rather than ancient economic success. Using contemporary Anglo-Saxon theory, Scarre integrates GIS, paleoecology, geology, phenomenology, and symbolism to explore how these monuments transformed landscapes through materiality—color, form, iconography, visibility, sourcing, and recycling. The study also highlights Brittany's dual role as both innovator and recipient of Neolithic cultural practices, with evidence suggesting interactions with Iberia.
Measuring distinction in the megalithic architecture of the Carnac region: from sign to material
A distinct societal hierarchy emerged in the Carnac region of southern Brittany around 4900 BC, marked by monumental megalithic architecture and funerary mounds—unique to Europe at the time. These structures, associated with rare exotic materials and engraved symbols, reflected an extraordinary accumulation of concepts among hunter-gatherer-fisher communities, signaling a shift from egalitarian norms to extreme inequality. The study examines this phenomenon through the lens of 'distinction,' analyzing how material culture and symbolic representations differentiated this elite society from its contemporaries and successors. By bridging symbolism and materiality, the research captures the nuanced expressions of power and identity in Neolithic Brittany.
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