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Carnac's Ancient Alignments Reopen
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December 1, 1999
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by Chris Hellier
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For the first time in almost a decade, visitors have been allowed to wander
freely around part of the important Neolithic site of Carnac in southern
Brittany. In 1990 the pressure of visitor numbers threatened to destabilize
some of the site's megalithic monuments, which include thousands of
menhirs, dolmens, and tumuli dating from the Middle Neolithic period,
around 3000 B.C. The French Ministry of Culture decided to close the site
during conservation work to all but small, specialized, and escorted groups.
With the stabilization of many standing stones now complete, 40 percent of
the site was reopened in October. Work, however, continues on the rest of
the area with further efforts to solidify the bases of other menhirs which,
on average, are set just 16 inches into the ground, Neolithic builders
giving little thought to solid foundations.
As well as financing urgent conservation measures, the $16-million program
includes a new visitor center and the purchase of land and houses on the
periphery of the main site. Archaeologists argue that the expropriation of
about ten houses in the archaeologically sensitive area is important to
reunify the scattered monuments. Several residents, however, are resisting
the move.
Others, including the pressure group Menhir Libre (Free Menhir), argue that
the current scheme is too restrictive. Next year, from April until the
fall, visitor numbers will be limited again, with a maximum of 180 people a
day. Another part of the site is planned to reopen in three years. When it
does, Menhir Libre is demanding unrestricted access to Carnac's enigmatic
stones.

© 1999 by the Archaeological Institute of America archive.archaeology.org/online/news/carnac.html |