Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan

Brief synthesis Located in Brittany, in the west of France, in the area that spreads between the Quiberon peninsula and the Gulf of Morbihan, this serial property composed of four component parts comprises a high density of megalithic structures that showcase Neolithic monumental architecture erected successively over more than two millennia (from approximately 5000 to 2300 BCE) in relation to the specific topographical features of the area – both relief and hydrography. A variety of monumental stone structures, such as menhirs, standing stone (or stelae) alignments, stone circles (cromlechs), cairns, and funerary architecture of different types – such as passage tombs (dolmens) or cist graves – with tumuli or simple mounds, were constructed in specific locations, the intervisibility between them playing a role in their positioning. The property preserves also a rich repertoire of parietal art engraved on stone slabs with representations of objects, animals, as well as abstract forms, all of which constitute a symbolic iconographic programme that must have been executed according to a predefined code. Although it is not yet possible to explain with certainty the reasons for erecting these structures, the logic of their implantation in the landscape, and the intended connections between them and the surrounding environment, this megalithic ensemble indicates a symbolic perception of the surrounding coastal and riparian landscape by the Neolithic populations that once inhabited this part of the European Atlantic Coast. The associated deposits of precious objects made of rare materials of distant places found buried in particular places of the landscape, contribute to the understanding of the symbolic nature of the megalithic ensemble. Criterion (i): By reason of their scale, density and diversity, the Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan represent an exceptional testament to the technological sophistication and skilfulness of the Neolithic communities, which enabled them to extract, transport and handle monumental stones and earth to create a complex symbolic space that reveals a specific relationship of the people to their living environment. A rich repertoire of engravings of remarkable density includes representational art which is rarely documented in the megalithic contexts and constitutes one of the earliest examples of this type in Western Europe. Criterion (iv): The Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan, spread over a vast area, are an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble that represents the transition to a new way of human interaction with the environment, involving the construction of monumental structures according to a specific orientation towards topographical features, visual interconnections and in relation to the geomorphology of the area. The megalithism of the Morbihan region testifies to over 2,000 years of human activity in this territory and marks a significant stage in the human history of ideological transformations that accompanied the process of neolithisation of Western Europe. Integrity All component parts contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value, as they complement each other, having once been part of one coherent cultural landscape. The property encompasses the preserved megalithic structures and elements of the natural environment in relation to which the monumental architecture was constructed, oriented or which constituted the culturally meaningful setting for these structures. The megaliths and the accompanying parietal art are relatively well preserved though many have suffered the effects of the passage of time since their creation. Natural erosion, colluvium, and rise in sea levels, combined with the anthropogenic activity, including dismantling and reuse of the megalithic structures, have impacted the wholeness and integrity of some monuments, or led to their complete disappearance. The integrity of the property remains vulnerable due to developmental pressures, seaside tourism, afforestation practices, and climate change. While the perception of the spatial organisation of the megaliths in the landscape is today only partially preserved and its logic not well understood, the megalithic structures, seen together as an ensemble rather than individually, allow to appreciate the complexity of the megalithic project. Authenticity The preserved ensemble of monumental structures comprising the property provides an insight into the megalithic phenomenon of the Neolithic period, even if archaeological research has confirmed that the original megalithic network included more structures. In spite of a certain amount of destruction and rearrangement of the stone architecture, the thorough documentation and scientific knowledge accumulated to date have ensured that the property retains a sufficient level of authenticity. Reconstructions represent a limited number of cases, and minimal intervention is practiced as a conservation approach. Although the natural setting of the megaliths has changed substantially – structurally, ecologically, and in terms of character and function – the spatial organisation of the structures in the landscape remains partly legible, while intervisibility between them and significant topographical features are preserved in certain locations. Protection and management requirements The property is protected through numerous regulations under three French key legal documents – Heritage Code, Environment Code, and Town Planning Code. Forty-one per cent of megalithic structures are protected together with their immediate surroundings as listed or registered historical monuments. Additional protection is ensured through the designation of the Outstanding Heritage Site (SPR) of Carnac. The submerged megalithic structures remain unprotected, but the development of the coastline is legally controlled. Several sectors of the property benefit from the protection on account of their natural values. Multiple planification tools are also in place at the local level to control development, especially Local Urban Plans (PLUs, municipal level) and Territorial Coherence Schemes (SCoTs, supra-municipal level). The latter are the principal management tools through which the management of the property will be eventually implemented. About a quarter of the megalithic structures in the property is in public ownership. Others are privately-owned. At the national level, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC), the Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing (DREAL), and the Regional Directorate for Nutrition, Agriculture and Forestry (DRAAF) are responsible for the protection and management of the property, together with their counterparts at the departmental level. At the local level, multiple local authorities, public and private entities and individuals oversee the maintenance and management of the property. The governance system of the property includes a Steering Committee (COPIL) as the decision-making body, and a Technical Committee (COTECH) as its operational counterpart, while the association Paysages de mégalithes, composed of all types of stakeholders involved in the management of the megalithic sites and monuments, plays a coordinating role. The future management is envisaged in a partnership-focused way, the association becoming the ultimate management body of the property. The management plan has been prepared collaboratively by the association Paysages de mégaliths and is being implemented. This scheme aims to secure knowledge, preservation and protection of the property and its component parts, as well as communication about it with a view to its collective appropriation by all stakeholders and visitors.