Dolmens des Adrets, Neolithic burial site in Brignoles, France.
Dolmens des Adrets consists of four separate burial structures with rectangular chambers made from large stone slabs covered by earthen mounds positioned on a hilltop. Each site demonstrates the careful craftsmanship with which prehistoric builders stacked massive stones to create lasting structures.
These chambers were built during the Neolithic period around 5000 years ago, marking the transition to early farming societies in the region. Scientists discovered in 1962 that the site functioned as a burial place for thousands of years before being forgotten.
The stone arrangement shows how early farming communities in Provence honored and buried their dead. The chambers were spaces for repeated burials used by different generations over a long period.
The dolmens sit on a hilltop outside town and are reachable on foot or by car with parking near the site. Access is possible year-round, but wearing appropriate footwear is wise since the terrain is uneven and partially overgrown.
Excavations inside the chambers uncovered remains of hundreds of deceased individuals, proving the site was used for burials over extended periods. Findings of wild boar bones mixed with human remains hint that hunting and ritual may have been connected.
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