Menhir of Menozac'h, Menhir in Plouguerneau, Brittany, France
The Menhir von Menozac'h, also called Menhir de Saint Cava or Men Ozac'h, is a standing stone about 1.7 metres high, measuring 80 by 50 centimetres at its base. It stands east of the Île Wrac'h lighthouse on the Plage de Saint-Cava in Plouguerneau, Finistère. Its dark surface is covered with algae and clusters of small black shells, and the stone tapers unevenly to a blunt point.
The menhir was erected during the Neolithic period, when sea levels were much lower and the site was dry land. Over thousands of years, the sea rose and the stone ended up standing in the tidal zone. In the early 20th century it was first documented by Alfred Devoir, who called it the 'menhir de Lilia.' In the 1980s it was temporarily removed but later returned to near its original position by the local municipality.
The menhir is also called Menhir de Saint Cava, after the beach of Saint-Cava where it stands, and Men Ozac'h. It is one of several Breton megaliths now washed by the tide, alongside the allée couverte von Kernic and the menhir von Léhan, which show how far the sea has risen since the Neolithic.
The menhir is easy to reach on foot from Saint-Cava beach at low tide, when it stands on exposed sand. At high tide the base goes fully underwater, so checking the tide schedule before visiting is a good idea.
Researchers believe that concentric stone circles may once have surrounded the menhir, but these formations remain hidden under water at almost every tide. Since sea levels have risen since it was first placed here, the stone now sits about 21 feet (6.5 meters) below the highest water level.
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