La Roche-aux-Fées
The dolmen in 2007 | |
Location in Brittany, France | |
| Alternative name | The Fairies' Rock |
|---|---|
| Location | Esse, Brittany, France |
| Coordinates | 47°56′11″N 1°24′17″W / 47.93639°N 1.40472°W |
| Type | Dolmen |
| Length | c. 20 meters |
| History | |
| Material | Stone |
| Founded | c. 2750 BC |
| Periods | Neolithic |
La Roche-aux-Fées (English: The Fairies' Rock) is a Neolithic gallery grave, or dolmen, located in the commune of Essé, in the French department of Ille-et-Vilaine in Brittany. Its name comes from a legend that claims that the stones were placed by fairies. The dolmen consists of more than forty stones forming a corridor four times longer than wide. Its northwest–southeast axis is on an alignment with sunrise at the winter solstice.
Description
The tomb is one of the most famous and largest Neolithic dolmens in Brittany.[1] It consists of a covered passage of stone blocks, with roofing stones laid across them.[2] It is around 20 metres long,[3] and there are around 48 blocks, of which the heaviest weighs around 45 tonnes.[2] the interior is divided into two separate chambers.[2] The entrance is aligned with the rising sun at the winter solstice.[1] The original structure would have been covered with a mound of stones and earth.[1] It is thought to date from between 3000 and 2500 BC.[1]
See also
References
External links
Media related to La Roche-aux-Fées at Wikimedia Commons