Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic
MonumentHidden Treasure
Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic, located in Arzon (Département 56), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Arzon, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.5680, -2.8969
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090986
Surgissant à demi engloutis par les eaux du golfe du Morbihan, les cromlechs d'Er-Lanic forment un double anneau de menhirs néolithiques unique en Europe, offrant un spectacle saisissant entre ciel, mer et mémoire.
History
In the heart of the Gulf of Morbihan, on the small islet of Er-Lanic between Arzon and the island of Gavrinis, stands one of the strangest and most fascinating megalithic complexes in Brittany. The Er-Lanic cromlechs - two circles of menhirs arranged in the shape of a double tangent ring - bear exceptional testimony to the faith and organisational genius of the Neolithic populations who inhabited the Armorican coastline over five thousand years ago. What makes this site absolutely unique in Europe is its amphibious location: the northern cromlech is now almost entirely submerged at high tide, while the southern cromlech remains partially visible from the shore or from the water. The rise in sea levels since the Neolithic period has gradually engulfed part of the complex, transforming this sanctuary into a naturally dramatic installation, halfway between the world of the living and that of the deep. A visit to the area around Er-Lanic is a deeply singular experience. It is impossible to access the islet itself - classified as a nature reserve, it is off-limits to the public in order to preserve the colonies of seabirds that nest there. But it is precisely this inaccessibility that gives the site its mysterious aura. From a kayak, a boat or the shores close to the Rhuys peninsula, you can see, according to the rhythm of the tides, alignments of standing stones slowly emerging or disappearing beneath the dark surface of the gulf. The sight is breathtaking, especially at dusk or in light mist, when the menhirs seem to emerge from another world. The natural setting further enhances the power of the place. The Gulf of Morbihan, an inland sea dotted with some forty islands and islets, is itself an area steeped in Breton history and mythology. The calm waters reflect the silhouettes of the surrounding stones and moors, while terns and herons fly over the protected islet. For visitors, it's an encounter with the depths of time, a lesson in humility in the face of men who, without any metal tools, organised the space with a precision and intention that we are still struggling to decipher. Er-Lanic is part of the extraordinary megalithic constellation that forms Morbihan: just a stone's throw away are the Gavrinis cairn with its sumptuous engravings, the Carnac alignments and the Locmariaquer tumulus. Together, these monuments make southern Brittany the region with the highest megalithic density in the western world.
Architecture
The cromlechs at Er-Lanic belong to the family of monuments with upright stones in a circle or ellipse, a megalithic form widespread from Ireland to the British Isles to the Atlantic coast of France. The distinctive feature of Er-Lanic lies in its configuration as a double tangent cromlech: two adjacent oval rings share a common axis, forming an elongated figure-8 plan oriented roughly north-south. This dual layout is extremely rare in France, and prompts researchers to consider a binary symbolic function - perhaps linked to the solar cycle, the opposition between the seasons or between the world of the living and that of the dead. The menhirs that make up the two circles are carved from the region's granite, a material that is omnipresent in Armorican geology. Their height varies from 0.80 metres to around 2 metres for the tallest still standing, with a generally rough, unpolished section that respects the natural shape of the rock. The spacing between the stones within each ring is relatively regular, suggesting a preliminary survey and precise geometric planning, carried out using units of measurement specific to Neolithic builders. Unlike neighbouring sites such as Gavrinis, no carvings or decorations have been identified with any certainty on the Er-Lanic menhirs, which gives the ensemble a very sober formal appearance. The major originality of the monument remains its amphibious dimension: the northern cromlech now lies several decimetres below average sea level, its stones lying or tilted under the combined action of the tides, currents and centuries of immersion. The southern cromlech, more southerly and slightly higher topographically, is still visible at low tide from the outskirts of the islet. This unintentionally aquatic architecture, the result of thousands of years of marine transgression, makes Er-Lanic a monument with two faces, requiring both the eye of the surface visitor and the eye of the underwater archaeologist to fully understand it.
Related Figures
Prosper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, a contribué à la première vague de classements mégalithiques en France dont Er-Lanic bénéficia en 1889Marthe Péquart — archéologue bretonne pionnière, a participé à la documentation des sites mégalithiques du golfe du Morbihan au XXe siècleSaint-Just Péquart — archéologue, cofondateur avec Marthe Péquart des études systématiques sur le mégalithisme du MorbihanZacharie Le Rouzic — archéologue carnacéen (1864-1939), figura de proue de l'étude des monuments mégalithiques du Morbihan, a répertorié et étudié les cercles d'Er-LanicJames Miln — antiquaire écossais installé à Carnac au XIXe siècle, dont les travaux ont inspiré la redécouverte de nombreux sites mégalithiques bretons
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic located?
Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic is located in Arzon, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
Is Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic open to visitors?
Cromlechs et ilots d'Er-Lanic is currently closed to visitors.
