The region of Carnac and southern Morbihan, between Quiberon Bay and the Gulf of Morbihan, is not the only place in Brittany, or indeed France, where megalithic monuments are to be found. The significance of this area in particular is due to a number of factors :
- the age of the sites,
- the large number of monuments,
- the diversity of structures represented, some of which are not found anywhere else (angled dolmens),
- the monumental size of the three exceptional “Carnac” tumuli (Mané er Hroeck, Mont Saint-Michel, and Tumiac),
- the singularity and abundance of engravings on the slabs (e.g. at Gavrinis),
- the archaeological wealth of objects found at the sites (these are known as grave goods) or buried at strategic locations across the area.
Thousands of years ago, the combination of these different aspects resulted in the creation of a symbolic landscape centred around the coast.
