Direction générale des Patrimoines

Ard V., Blin A., Camus A., Mathé V., Mens E., Papon J., Polloni A. et Poncet D. (2016) - Architecture et fonctionnement d’une tombe mégalithique de type angoumoisin : le dolmen de la Petite Pérotte (Fontenille, Charente). In: J. Cauliez, I. Sénépart, l. Jallot, P.-A. d. Labriffe, C. Gilabert, X. Gutherz, A. Hasler et V. Ard (dir.) - "De la tombe au territoire". Actes des 11e Rencontres Méridionales de Préhistoire récente, Montpellier (Hérault) - 25/27 septembre 2014, Toulouse, AEP, p. 25-37.
Taking the opportunity of a development project of the Neolithic heritage in the Ruffécois area (Charente) and as part of a Collective Research Program (PCR) on the analysis of Neolithic occupations in this sector, one of the richest in megalithic monuments in West-Central France, an important archaeological excavation of the dolmen of La Petite Pérotte at Fontenille (Charente) was initiated in 2012 and completed in 2013, prior to its restoration. Described since the nineteenth century, this dolmen of Angoumoisin type had surprisingly never been subject of extensive research. The new research was primarily intended to characterize the complex architecture of this passage grave and draw up the chronology of funeral deposits. The identification of two burial chambers, including one with original configuration for the west of France, is a major achievement, as the discovery of rich deposits that demonstrate use since the Middle Neolithic to the Beaker period.