Neolithic menhir discovered in north-western France

A menhir dating back 5000 years BC was discovered in a field in Châtillon-sur-Loire situated the Loiret department in north-central France, by Phillipe Jarret, president of the Friends of Archaeology Society.

Credit: © France 3 Centre-Val de Loire

The composition of the rock, sandstone and flint, had aroused Philippa Jarret's curiosity. A survey undertaken in early August confirmed the stone's authenticity.

The two-ton, two-metre-high stone is believed to have been moved some three kilometres. The menhir is thought to indicate the presence of a nearby spring or grave.

In Loiret, 45 megaliths are listed by the French Commission for the Protection of Historical and Rural Heritage.

Source: France 3 Centre-Val de Loire [August 21, 2018]