8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Europe’s Oldest Megalithic Alignments Dated with Unprecedented Precision

New research reveals that the Carnac alignments in Brittany may be Europe’s oldest megalithic monuments, pushing back the timeline of Neolithic monument building by centuries.

The mysterious stone alignments in Carnac, Brittany, long shrouded in speculation and myth, have now revealed their ancient origins. Thanks to a groundbreaking Franco–Swedish collaboration under the NEOSEA project, archaeologists have precisely dated parts of the Carnac complex, placing them among the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe, alongside icons like Stonehenge, Menga, and the Megalithic Temples of Malta.

The findings, published as open access in the prestigious journal Antiquity, mark a significant leap forward in our understanding of Neolithic Europe, reshaping the timeline of megalithic construction and shedding light on early societal practices.

Dating the Megaliths: 4600–4300 BCE

Led by Dr. Bettina Schulz Paulsson of the University of Gothenburg, the NEOSEA research team uncovered and analyzed a previously unstudied section of the Carnac complex—Le Plasker in Plouharnel. Excavated by Archeodunum, the site yielded nearly 50 radiocarbon dates, analyzed using Bayesian statistical modeling.

“This allows us to reconstruct the site’s history with unprecedented chronological precision,” says Dr. Schulz Paulsson.

These results date key stone alignments to between 4600 and 4300 BCE, predating many other European megaliths and establishing the Bay of Morbihan as the cradle of megalithic culture in Europe.

Bettina Schulz Paulsson at the alignments in Erdeven, Bretagne.
Credit: Marcus Winterbauer
Bettina Schulz Paulsson at the alignments in Erdeven, Bretagne. Credit: Marcus Winterbauer

A Monumental Discovery Beneath Modern Ground

The Le Plasker excavation—carried out before the development of a 7,000 m² business park—unveiled more than just stones. Beneath layers of sediment, archaeologists discovered:

Foundation pits of removed megaliths, aligned in rows

Fire-related features, such as cooking or hearth pits, possibly used in rituals

A monumental tomb built around 4700 BCE, directly over the remains of a Mesolithic hunter-gatherer hut

The proximity of domestic and ceremonial features suggests a complex social fabric, where early Neolithic communities commemorated their dead and possibly celebrated rites with fire, food, and feasting.

Why This Matters: Beyond Dating

The acidic soils of the Morbihan region have long prevented the preservation of bones and other organic material, making precise dating a major challenge. But by combining systematic sampling, charcoal analysis, and advanced Bayesian modeling, researchers overcame this limitation.

“With a large enough dataset, even in poor preservation conditions, we can achieve extraordinary accuracy,” Dr. Schulz Paulsson explains.

The study redefines not just the age of Carnac’s monuments, but also our broader understanding of Neolithic engineering, ritual, and land use.

Audrey Blanchard (Archeodonum) and Jean Noel Guyodo, University of Nantes during the excavation of Le Plasker. Credit: Bettina Schulz Paulsson
Audrey Blanchard (Archeodonum) and Jean Noel Guyodo, University of Nantes during the excavation of Le Plasker. Credit: Bettina Schulz Paulsson

Open Questions: The Purpose of the Alignments

Despite the chronological clarity, the function of the Carnac alignments remains an enigma. Theories range from territorial markers and ceremonial pathways to astronomical observatories or feasting grounds.

Ongoing analysis of sediment layers, stone fragments, and hearth residues may eventually reveal the rituals and beliefs of these early builders.

Europe’s Oldest Megalithic Landscape Comes Into Focus

With over 3,000 stones once stretching across 10 kilometers, Carnac remains one of Europe’s most astonishing prehistoric landscapes. Thanks to modern science and international collaboration, we now know that Carnac’s builders were among the first in Europe to reshape the landscape with monumental stone architecture.

As further excavations continue, the stones of Carnac may finally begin to speak.

Blanchard, A., Guyodo, J.-N., Paulsson, B. S., & Montassier, F. (2025). Le Plasker in Plouharnel (fifth millennium cal BC): a newly discovered section of the megalithic complex of Carnac. Antiquity, 1–20. doi:10.15184/aqy.2025.10123

University of Gothenburg

Cover Image Credit: The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites near the south coast of Brittany in northwestern France. Credit: Bettina Schulz Paulsson

Related Articles

Return of a 4,250-year-old Hattian golden beak-spouted ewer to Turkey

27 October 2021

27 October 2021

The 4,250-year-old golden beak-spouted ewer was returned to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum by the Gilbert Art Foundation. Culture and Tourism...

3,500-Year-Old Hittite Linen Fabric Exhibited for the First Time

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

A remarkable artifact, a piece of Hittite linen fabric dating back 3,500 years, has been publicly exhibited for the first...

Tombs of Queens of Commagene Detected

23 September 2021

23 September 2021

The graves built by Commagene King Mithritades II (36-21 BC) for his mother Isias, his sister Antiokhis, and Antiochis’s daughter...

Ancient Agora Discovered in Hyllarima: Shops to Be Excavated in the Heart of the City

29 June 2025

29 June 2025

A major archaeological discovery has been made in the ancient city of Hyllarima in southwestern Türkiye—the city’s central agora has...

3,000-Year-Old Twisted Gold Torc Discovered in Essex, southeast England

16 July 2023

16 July 2023

A metal detectorist has discovered a 3,000-year-old part of a twisted gold torc in a field near Mistley, on the...

The “food” thousands of years ago may be the ancestor of a Turkish dessert

25 July 2021

25 July 2021

The rock paintings and kitchen materials found in the cave, which were discovered by a shepherd and emerged as a...

Researchers find evidence of the destruction of the Second Temple at the hands of Roman soldiers

29 July 2023

29 July 2023

Israeli researchers find evidence of the destruction of the Second Temple at the hands of Roman soldiers. The discovery of...

Rare Roman Cavalry Swords Lead to Major Archaeological Discovery of Iron Age to Roman Settlement in Gloucestershire

4 July 2025

4 July 2025

A remarkable archaeological excavation in Gloucestershire has unveiled a vast settlement site dating back over 2,000 years, bridging the Iron...

East and West Meeting at the King’s Dinner Table

7 April 2021

7 April 2021

Researchers from Tezukayama University and the Uzbekistan Archaeological Institute reported that a food pantry about 37 feet long and 10...

6,000-year-old island settlement found off the Croatian coast

24 June 2021

24 June 2021

Archaeologist Mate Parica, a professor at the University of Zadar, noticed something unusual while examining satellite images of Croatia‘s coastline....

Polish archaeologists discover papyruses containing a list of Roman centurions at Berenike

23 May 2024

23 May 2024

Papyruses with lists of Roman centurions stationed in Egypt were found by Polish archaeologists in Berenike. These unique documents were...

Archaeologists Uncovered a Unique Ancient Roman Winery with Marble Tiling and Fountains of Grape Juice

17 April 2023

17 April 2023

Archaeologists have uncovered a unique ancient Roman winery at the luxurious Villa of the Quintilii, just to the south of...

Unique ancient Egyptian amulet seal discovered during archeological excavations in northern Turkey

11 November 2022

11 November 2022

During archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Amastris in the Amasra district of northern Turkey’s Bartın, an enchanted amulet...

The famous archaeologist says he will announce the discovery of the mummy of Queen Nefertiti, one of Egyptology’s main riddles, next month

14 September 2022

14 September 2022

On December 9, 2021, Egypt’s archaeological mission, headed by renowned Egyptologist and former Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass, resumed its search...

Refurbishment at the Uffizi Gallery Revealed a Pair of Priceless Lost Renaissance Frescoes

24 April 2021

24 April 2021

A couple of construction workers discovered two Renaissance-era treasures while working on an extensive renovation project at Florence’s world-famous Uffizi...