St. Michel Tumulus

Carnac, France

The Tumulus of St. Michel is a megalithic grave mound, located east of Carnac. The 125m long, 60m wide and 10m high mound is the largest grave mound in continental Europe. The age of the monument, and the chronology of the construction of the central burial-chambers and outlying dolmen have been the subject of much speculation. Ancient samples were radiocarbon dated, but the results were too disparate to be significant. Recent excavations point to this large tumulus being constructed in several stages but in a rather short lapse of time, around the middle of the 5th millennium B.C. Today there is a chapel built on top of it.

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Details

Founded: 4500 BC
Category: Cemeteries, mausoleums and burial places in France
Historical period: Prehistoric Age (France)

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