There is a collection of more than 3,000 opaque stones around the village of Carnac in France, the largest of its kind ever discovered in the world.
It is assumed that some of the stones were erected in around 3300 BC by the pre-Celtic people, who continued to add more until the 4500 BC. Their reasons for doing so remain unknown.
The Menec alignment, at the western end. Photo creditAccording to a local legend, when the Romans wanted to invade the village, each soldier was turned into stone by the wizard Merlin.
And of course, there are various different beliefs and interpretations about why the stones stand there in such number and order.
There are theories that the stones are erected in ancient times in honor of deceased ancestors, and another claim states that they have an astronomical purpose.
A researcher who has studied the stones proposed a theory that the stones might be used as a form of rudimentary earthquake detector.
The Manio “Giant”. Near the quadrilateral is a single massive menhir, now known as the “Giant”. Over 6.5 m (21 ft) tall, it was re-erected around 1900 by Zacharie Le Rouzic, and overlooks the nearby Kerlescan alignment. Photo creditThe Carnac Stones are found in clusters (dolmens), but some of them are standing alone (menhirs). The main group of stone alignments consists of 12 converging rows of standing stones expanded on a more than a kilometer.
Each standing stone of these has remains of individual stone circles. Some of the largest stones are 4 meters high and stand at the western end of the site.
Further east, the stones become smaller and smaller, reaching as low a height as 0.6 meters.
The Ménec alignments, the most well-known megalithic site among the Carnac stones. Photo credit
The stone rows are divided into three major groups – Ménec, Kermario, and Kerlescan – which might have belonged to a single group that was split
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