Le Petit-Chasseur

Le Petit-Chasseur is an archaeological site in Sion with several burial chambers and dolmens scattered across a large prehistoric necropolis. The excavations revealed numerous standing stones and other artifacts spanning different periods of ancient occupation.

This burial ground originated in the fourth millennium before Christ and remained in use for thousands of years until it was abandoned during the Iron Age. Systematic work between 1961 and 1992 uncovered the different phases of occupation at this location.

The standing stones here show figures with different ornaments and clothing, revealing how varied ancient society was. You can see from these depictions which people held higher status and which had less influence.

The best way to understand this site is to visit the Museum of History of Valais in Sion, where finds from the excavations are displayed. The museum provides context and explanations for what you see on location.

A row of six upright stones was discovered only in 2019, including a two-ton monolith with carved geometric shapes. This stone bears a motif that may represent the sun, showing how important celestial bodies were to those ancient people.