Carnac Stones, which have survived from the prehistoric period; It is a dense megalithic collection of more than 3,000 obelisks. It is located around the village of Carnac, Brittany, in northwest France. Erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany, the Carnac Stones have been one of the world’s most amazing archaeological artifacts for hundreds of years. These megalithic wonders are the largest such collection on the planet, but their purpose is still not fully explored.
The Carnac Stones consist of single standing stones (menhirs), multiple stone clusters (dolmens) arranged in patterns and lined up throughout the landscape, and Tumuli. The main stone alignment group includes 12 closely spaced rows of stones stretching for more than a kilometer, with the remains of a stone circle at either end. These rows begin at the western end of the largest stones, which are about 4 meters high, and shrink along the alignment, reaching a height of about 0.6 meters.
Theories Regarding the Purpose of the Carnac Stones
Archaeologically, the original purpose of the Carnac stones remains a mystery. Although there are many theories about the purpose of stones, there are no definite answers. Some Christian legends about the stones argue that Pope Cornelius turned the pagan soldiers who followed them into stone. Local tradition similarly claims that they stood in such perfectly straight lines because they were a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin.
Some archaeologists believe that the stones served a ritual or religious purpose, possibly as part of a burial site or as a site for fertility rites. Others are; He suggests that stones are used to mark property boundaries, detect earthquakes, honor ancestors, commemorate important events in the lives of pre-Celtic peoples, or simply as a symbol of the power and prestige of the people who built it.
The Carnac stones are one of the popular theories that they may have functioned as an ancient observatory. These stone formations may have served as a calendar. Priests could predict events such as solar and lunar eclipses, while ancient farmers helped them know the seasons and when to sow and harvest their crops.
Some Carnac stones are aligned with the sun and moon. One of the most famous alignments is the “Grand Menhir Brisé”, a broken menhir that is the largest stone ever erected by humans. This stone is aligned with the setting sun during the winter solstice, suggesting it may have been used to mark the changing seasons.
The Carnac complex, along with the presence of other stones aligned with the moon and stars, suggests that the pre-Celtic people who built these megaliths may have had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy. However, the true purpose of these extraordinary megaliths is still the subject of research and speculation, as the pre-Celtic people who built the Carnac stones left no written records.
Studies on Carnac Stones
The first serious excavations at Carnac were made by Scottish archaeologist James Miln in the 1870s. Miln recorded the locations and details of the menhirs and also discovered many artifacts inside the dolmens. Miln’s apprentice, Zacharie Le Rouzic, continued his work, repairing the stones, replanting and marking the fallen ones. The efforts of Miln and Le Rouzic laid the groundwork for state recognition and protection of the alignments. But with this recognition came increased popularity.
The historical significance and breathtaking scale of the stones’ alignments have been attracting tourists for hundreds of years. However, in the 20th century, the number of visitors reached levels that threatened to damage the stones. It was also reported that many dolmens were used as shelters, bakeries or animal shelters and many were neglected. The stones were mined to make roads or be used as building material. For this reason, to protect the stones, a project was started in 1990 aimed at restricting public access. For protection purposes, free access to the stones is allowed only in winter.
Radiocarbon dating has determined that the granite menhirs were erected by a Neolithic community about 6,000 years ago, about 1,000 years before Stonehenge. These stones can range in size from 0.5 meters high to 6 meters high, and the average menhir weighs between five and 10 tons. These huge stones are usually mined from the bedrock near the surface of the site. It is presumed that it may have been moved and erected using reels and brute force. Considering the superhuman effort required to construct such large stones, alignments are thought to be of great importance.
These fascinating structures bear the traces of a civilization that existed 6000 years ago. However, there are still many questions about why they were built, what they symbolized and how people lived at that time.
