Camp de Lizo
MonumentHidden Treasure
Camp de Lizo, located in Carnac (Département 56), is a ancient remains built in Antiquity. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Antiquity
- Location
- Carnac, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6264, -3.0363
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091078
On the outskirts of Carnac, Camp de Lizo reveals the remains of a fortified enclosure from ancient times, standing on the Breton moors as a silent witness to the peoples who preceded the Romans in Armorica.
History
Camp de Lizo is one of those places where Brittany reveals, without ostentation, the depths of its past. Hidden away in the hedged farmland of the Quiberon peninsula, just a few kilometres from the famous megalithic alignments of Carnac, this archaeological site, classified as a Historic Monument since 1929, belongs to a completely different era: that of the last centuries BC, when Gallic tribes shaped the Armorican territory. The Lizo enclosure is an entrenched camp of the Gallic type, structured by a system of embankments and ditches whose relief, now softened by the centuries, remains perfectly legible in the topography. This type of fortification, known as a "burg" or secondary oppidum, served as a refuge, a trading centre and a control point for the land and sea routes along the southern Armorican coast. The position chosen, on a flat area overlooking the surrounding land, is testimony to the builders' perfect mastery of the terrain. What makes Lizo so special is its thematic and geographical proximity to the Carnacan monumental complex. Where the alignments of menhirs evoke a mysterious Neolithic period, the Lizo Camp is a reminder that these same lands have been inhabited, exploited and defended continuously for thousands of years. The attentive visitor can see the superimposition of time: a long and uninterrupted human occupation in a landscape that seems to have remained unchanged. A visit to the site, which is accessible in the heart of nature, is just as much for archaeology enthusiasts as for those who enjoy a walk in a wild, open environment. The embankments, still raised several metres in places, offer unexpected views over the moors and, on a clear day, the Gulf of Morbihan. The low-angled light in the early morning or late afternoon brings out the contours of the land with striking clarity.
Architecture
Lizo Camp belongs to the category of protohistoric fortified enclosures, also known as "camps" or "secondary oppida", characteristic of the Armorican Iron Age. Its structure is based on a universal principle for this type of work: a continuous enclosure formed by one or more earth and stone embankments, lined with an outer ditch dug into the rocky or clay substratum. This combination of embankment and ditch, known as a "vallum" in archaeological literature, provided an effective passive defence against attack and enabled the entry points to be controlled. The camp covers an area of several hectares, which is consistent with the function of an enclosure designed to provide temporary shelter for a community and its herds in times of danger, or to host economic and ritual activities. The embankments, made of material extracted from the ditch and locally reinforced with dry stone, were originally several metres high. Now eroded, they nevertheless retain a residual height of one to three metres, sufficient to clearly read their course in the terrain. The materials used are those of the local subsoil: schist, granite and compacted earth, typical of Morbihan geology. No masonry structures have been identified, which is in keeping with the construction techniques of the period. One or more entrances, often baffled to strengthen the defences, punctuated the enclosure and gave access to the interior space, now occupied by moorland vegetation.
Related Figures
Jules César — général romain dont les campagnes de 56 av. J.-C. contre les Vénètes bouleversèrent le destin des camps fortifiés armoricains comme LizoLes Vénètes — peuple gaulois dominant du Morbihan antique, probables constructeurs ou utilisateurs du campProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, initiateur de la politique de protection des sites archéologiques bretons au XIXe siècleJames Miln — archéologue écossais actif à Carnac dans les années 1870-1880, précurseur de l'étude des sites antiques de la régionZacharie Le Rouzic — archéologue carnacéen (1864-1939), figure incontournable de la recherche sur les monuments préhistoriques et antiques du Morbihan
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Camp de Lizo located?
Camp de Lizo is located in Carnac, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Camp de Lizo built?
Camp de Lizo dates back to a period built during Antiquity.
Is Camp de Lizo open to visitors?
Camp de Lizo is currently closed to visitors.