New Insights into Europe's Oldest Megalithic Monuments in Carnac, France

The Carnac megalithic alignments in Brittany, France, are among Europe's most renowned prehistoric sites, featuring over 3,000 standing stones arranged in linear and curvilinear patterns across a 10-kilometer stretch. Recent research has provided more precise dating of these structures, placing their construction between 4600 and 4300 cal BC, making them some of the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe. This study, a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg, Archeodunum, and the University of Nantes, utilized advanced excavation techniques and Bayesian statistical modeling to analyze nearly 50 radiocarbon dates from the Le Plasker site, a previously unexplored area near Carnac. The findings also revealed a monumental tomb dating to around 4700 cal BC, constructed directly above the remains of a Mesolithic hunter-gatherer hut, indicating a complex interplay between different prehistoric communities in the region. The exact function of the alignments remains a subject of ongoing research, with theories ranging from astronomical observatories to ritual spaces. Further analyses of sediments and stone fragments are underway to provide deeper insights into the site's history and purpose.