Excavations and restoration

A site that has changed over time

The excavations

The site of the Locmariaquer megaliths has always intrigued archaeologists and has been the subject of several excavations. There have been many excavations, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But it was the excavations carried out some thirty years ago (1986-1994) that revealed not all the secrets of these age-old monuments, but a wealth of first-hand archaeological documentation!

During these latest digs, the stripping of the Table des Marchands uncovered the pits where the row of standing stones near the Great Broken Menhir had been laid out , proving the existence of a Neolithic alignment that has now disappeared. The study also brought back to life the Er Grah Tumulus, which had fallen into oblivion.

Restoration work

The latest discoveries have revealed the true 'face' of our architecture, without forgetting its monumentality and prestige of yesteryear. The appearance of the Merchants' Table underwent a spectacular change after restoration work in the 1990s, which restored a cairn that completely masked the burial chamber, which had previously been partially open to the air. Before this restoration, the Table de Marchands was the epitome of Brittany's megaliths.

Like the Table des Marchands, the Er Grah Tumulus has also been restored so that the public can now see its spectacular dimensions and distinctive architectural form. The pits where the alignment of the Great Broken Menhir once stood have now been marked out on the ground.