The structure of the Dolmen de la Pineyre

The structure of the Dolmen de la Pineyre

Source and license: Père Igor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, resized

Explore the architecture of the tumulus-dolmen of la Pennet in France.

The Dolmen of la Pineyre, also called the tumulus-dolmen of la Pennet (de la Bonnet), is located in Saint-Nectaire in the Puy-de-Dôme department. Classified as a historic monument in 1923, it is a megalithic structure with complex architecture that is largely hidden because the building is partially buried in its tumulus.

The structure consists of at least 4 orthostates covered by a single capstone. This capstone, which is strongly inclined towards the southeast, rests on the tumulus and on supports number 2 and 4. It is a rounded slab at the corners, crossed by a diaclase in its center, and featuring a slope at the southeast. While the exterior face is convex, the interior face is perfectly smooth and appears to have been reshaped and polished.

The chamber opens to the southwest between the slabs number 1 and 2, though this may not be the original entrance. The tumulus is a well-preserved cairn covered with earth, reaching a current diameter of 6 to 8 meters, although it has been damaged by landslides and the creation of a nearby forest path. The chamber was entirely emptied in ancient times, and no archaeological material belonging to the building is known.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

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