Allée couverte de la Pierre Plate, Gallery grave in Presles, France
The Allée couverte de la Pierre Plate is a Neolithic burial chamber in Presles built from stacked stones and topped with cover slabs. The interior space extends approximately 11 meters in length and narrows gradually toward the back, with walls where bones were systematically arranged.
The structure dates to the Neolithic period and served as a burial place for many people over thousands of years. It went largely unnoticed until the Middle Ages when it became part of farmland, and it received protected status as a historical monument in 1932.
The site is named La Pierre Plate, referring to the flat stone that defines the structure. The arrangement of the stones reveals how Neolithic people honored their dead and the importance they placed on creating a lasting resting place.
The interior is dark and confined, so bringing a flashlight helps when exploring the space. Access requires ducking down, as the opening carved into a massive stone is only about 2 feet (60 centimeters) wide and roughly 2.5 feet (80 centimeters) high.
One of the cover slabs is actually an old grinding stone that was repurposed, revealing the practical approach early people took toward materials. This unexpected reuse of an everyday object suggests the space was adapted and supplemented over an extended period.
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