Brittany's Cairn of Barnenez - A Neolithic Wonder

The Cairn of Barnenez (Breton: Karn Barnenez) is one of the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe and one of the oldest man-made structures in the world. Dating to the early Neolithic period, about 4800 BC, the structure overlooks the Bay of Morlaix, about 6km (3.7 miles) from Plouezoc'h in Finistère (Breton: Penn-ar-Bed) in the west of Brittany. Predating the pyramids of Egypt, it is 75m .(246ft) long and 25m (82ft) at its widest. The structure was once covered in earth and stands at 8m (26ft) high.

There are two burial chambers and 11 passage tombs. Engraved symbols occur in a number of the chambers and passages. They depict bows, axes, wave symbols and a repeated U-shaped sign. This form of megalithic art has also been found in other monuments in Brittany. Neolithic and Bronze age pottery, axes and arrowheads found at the site can be seen in the visitor centre. The construction of Barnenez involved a tremendous amount of work undertaken by many people. The estimated weight of the cairn is 12-14,000 tonnes.

Brittany is rich in megalithic monuments. Mysterious and astounding stone structures. The reason for their alignment and the belief systems that motivated people to build them remains a mystery. However, to work with such dedication and with the scale of human ingenuity required, demonstrates the importance that they held for the ancestors of the people of Brittany.

Further reading

More information can be seen on the Barnenez website