Unearthed secrets await us right here at the Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate. This isn’t just a pile of rocks. It is a window into a distant past. Imagine people of the Neolithic period gathering right where we stand. They were constructing this very monument.
The Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate is also known as the allée couverte de la Pierre Plate. It is a captivating allée couverte located in Presles. Presles is within the Val-d’Oise department. This remarkable structure dates back to the Neolithic period. It offers a tangible link to the megalithic culture that once thrived here.
Known since the Middle Ages, the site was not always surrounded by forest. It was once cultivated land. The first formal excavation took place in 1912-1913. Later, Paul de Mortillet, Fouju, and Bossavy examined the site. But they did not conduct a full excavation. It was Bernard Bottet who thoroughly excavated the Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate in 1926. The Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate earned its classification as a historical monument in 1932. It underwent restoration in 1970-1971.
The Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate sits on a plateau at 85 meters altitude. It features a chamber and an antichamber. The Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate is oriented southwest to northeast. The entrance faces northeast.
The chamber stretches 10.90 meters long. Its width varies from 2.50 meters at the entrance to 1.80 meters at the chevet. The average height is 1.75 meters. The chevet is a single slab measuring 2 meters high and 2.30 meters wide. Orthostates define the sides. There are eight on the east side and seven on the west. These irregular stones rest on a dry-stone base. Smaller slabs fill the gaps between the larger ones. The floor was once carefully paved.
Five large tables originally covered the chamber. Three smaller slabs were joined together near the back. Today, only three covering slabs remain. The first table near the entrance has a polissoir on its inner face. The second table is gone. The third is broken. The fourth remains in place. The fifth has collapsed. It seems smaller plates filled the gaps between the tables.
The antichamber is 2.40 meters long and 2 meters wide. Two orthostates define each side. The ground rises towards the exterior. It was not paved.
The entrance slab is massive. It is 3.30 meters wide, 1.70 meters high, and 0.35 meters thick. A rectangular opening pierces it. The opening is 0.63 meters wide and 0.82 meters high. It has rounded corners. A rabbet runs around the opening. Small holes likely secured it with bars. A natural cavity at the base may have held a lamp.
All the slabs are local limestone or sandstone. The chamber contained a mix of bones and sand. This layer was about 0.30 meters thick. Flat stones covered it. Bottet found two ash deposits. These were not hearths. The first was directly on the paved floor. It contained unidentified non-burnt bones. The second was on top of the stones covering the archaeological layer. It contained no bones. Bottet believed earth filled the antichamber in Neolithic times.
Long bones were bundled on the chamber’s edges. Skulls were grouped together. Seventy-eight skulls were arranged in small groups. This deliberate arrangement allowed for successive burials. The remains of about one hundred people were found. Several skulls show signs of surgery. Trepanation and scraping occurred. Some bones show healed fractures.
Archaeologists discovered artifacts. These were in the chamber’s archaeological layer. They were also in the antichamber. Discoveries include flints, adornments, bone tools, and ceramics. Animal bones were also found near the antichamber.
The Dolmen de la Pierre-Plate is more than just an ancient tomb. It is a testament to human ingenuity. It reflects the beliefs and practices of our ancestors. As we leave this place, consider the echoes of the past that linger here. This dolmen has stood for millennia. It will likely continue to inspire awe for generations to come.