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66-643: The site consists of large concentric stone circles located on an artificially flattened plateau at an altitude of 80 to 160 meters overlooking the Aomori Plain, between the Arakawa River and the Nyunai River in the western foothills of the Hakkōda Mountains to the southeast of the city center of Aomori. The stone circle has a diameter of 55 meters, with a 2.5 meter central ring surrounded by

132-405: A 29-meter diameter middle ring and a 35 meters diameter outer ring. Portions of a fourth ring have also been found, along with a number of smaller stone circles with diameters of up to four meters around this outermost ring. The outer two rings of the stone circle were made by placing oval stones vertically and horizontally as if building a stone wall. This method of arranging stones is very rare, and

198-459: A 40- tonne (44- short-ton ), 7.6-metre (24 ft 11 in) tablestone resting on pillars roughly 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) high. Prior to 1900, it was connected by a passage making it 24 m (79 ft) long. 47°37′30″N 3°07′19″W  /  47.625°N 3.122°W  / 47.625; -3.122 : A classic 3, 4, 5 rectangle of 21 menhirs varying in height from 0.91 metres (3.0 ft) to 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) that

264-425: A book Sketches at Carnac (Brittany) in 1834 . The first extensive excavation was performed in the 1860s by Scottish antiquary James Miln (1819–1881), who reported that by then fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing. Towards 1875, Miln engaged a local boy, Zacharie Le Rouzic  [ fr ] (1864–1939), as his assistant, and Zacharie learnt archaeology on the job. After Miln's death, he left

330-536: A connection between the rows of stones and the directions of sunsets at the solstices. Among more recent studies, Alexander Thom worked with his son Archie from 1970 to 1974 to carry out a detailed survey of the Carnac alignments, and produced a series of papers on the astronomical alignments of the stones as well as statistical analysis supporting his concept of the megalithic yard . Thom's megalithic yard has been challenged. There are also general theories on

396-411: A grave. In this area, they generally feature a passage leading to a central chamber which once held neolithic artifacts. Three exceptionally large burial mounds are known from the Carnac and Morbihan area, dating from the mid-5th millennium BC and known collectively as 'Carnacéen tumuli': Saint-Michel , Tumiac and Mané-er-Hroëk . Each of these tumuli contained a megalithic burial chamber, containing

462-492: A little over 1.5km (1 mile) away. The town's mayor, Olivier Lepick, told AFP that he had "followed the law" and pointed to the "low archaeological value" of objects found during checks before the construction process began. He also admitted to being unaware that the site was listed on the Heritage Atlas, despite reportedly presiding over the group that applied for UNESCO status for the prehistoric sites. While Lepick blamed

528-490: A staircase, is a modern addition. An engraved stele, found broken into three pieces, stands next to the entrance. The tumulus was excavated in 1863 by the Polymathic Society of Morbihan . These excavations led to the discovery of the vault and stele and brought to light 106 precious stone axes (the largest of which measures 46cm), 49 callaïs beads and 9 callaïs pendants. These objects were subsequently deposited in

594-407: A stone circle is found in association with a burial pit or burial chamber, but most of these monuments have no such known association because of a lack of archaeological investigation. Recumbent stone circles are a variation containing a single large stone placed on its side. The stones are often ordered by height, with the tallest being the portals, with gradually reducing heights around each side of

660-465: A unique bluish Nephrite gem. It has some Megalithic art carved on its inner surfaces in the form of serpentines and a human-sized double-axe symbol carved in the underside of its main roof slab. In ancient cultures, the axe and more precisely the bi-pennis used to represent the lightning powers of divinity. It was constructed around 4600 BC and used for approximately 3,000 years. A roughly rectangular mound, with only one capstone remaining. It

726-518: A wooden floor and two engraved side slabs. The funerary chamber contained rich furniture consisting of 11 jadeite axes, 26 fibrolite axes and 249 callaïs beads. These objects are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Vannes . According to carbon-14 dating, the tumulus of Tumiac was erected between 4790 and 4530 BC. The tumulus of Tumiac has been classified as a historical monument since 1923. The Tumulus of Mané-er-Hroëk (also known as

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792-420: Is 10 m (33 ft) wide to the east, but only 7 m (23 ft) wide at the west. 47°36′11″N 3°03′22″W  /  47.603°N 3.056°W  / 47.603; -3.056 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. From

858-462: Is aligned along its diagonal to the midsummer sunrise. Alexander Thom suggested it measured forty by thirty of his megalithic yards . There are some individual menhirs and at least one other formation which do not fit into the above categories. An arrangement of stones to form the perimeter of a large rectangle. Originally a "tertre tumulus" with a central mound, it is 37 m (121 ft) long, and aligned to east of northeast. The quadrilateral

924-468: Is aligned east-to-west, with a passage entrance to the south. On a small hill, has two separate chambers. (Pixies' mound or Grotte de Grionnec ):A group of three dolmens with layout unique in Brittany, once covered by a tumulus. Whereas most groups of dolmens are parallel, these are arranged in a horseshoe . The largest of the three is at the east, 11 metres (36 ft). A "classic" dolmen, with

990-624: Is approximately 30 minutes by car from either Aomori Station or Shin-Aomori Station . Stone circle A stone circle is a ring of megalithic standing stones . Most are found in Northwestern Europe – especially in Great Britain, Ireland, and Brittany – and typically date from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age , with most being built between 3300 to 2500 BC. The best known examples include those at

1056-559: Is composed of 13 lines with a total length of about 800 metres (2,600 ft), ranging in height from 80  cm (2  ft 7  in ) to 4 m (13 ft). At the extreme west, where the stones are tallest, there is a stone circle which has 39 stones. There may also be another stone circle to the north. A much smaller group, further east again of Kerlescan, falling within the commune of La Trinité-sur-Mer . These are now set in woods, and most are covered with moss and ivy. There are several tumuli , mounds of earth built up over

1122-790: Is in the Italian Alps. As early as 1579, scholars in Germany described large erect stone circles near Ballenstedt . In 2001, a stone circle ( Beglik Tash ) was discovered in Bulgaria near the Black Sea. There are several examples in the Alentejo region of Portugal, the oldest and most complete being the Almendres Cromlech near the regional capital of Évora and within its municipality. Remains of many others consist only of

1188-607: Is located in Arzon, in the Rhuys peninsula, south of the Gulf of Morbihan. It is also known as 'Caesar's mound' because, according to local legend, it served as an observatory for Julius Caesar during his war against the Veneti in 56 BC. The site was excavated in 1853. The crater visible at the top of the tumulus corresponds to the vertical hole made at the time for its exploration. It was

1254-400: Is often assumed there are thousands of stone circles across both Great Britain, Ireland and Europe, such enclosures are actually very rare, and constitute a regional form of henge . Examples of true stone circles include Cumbrian circles , henges with inner stones (such as Avebury ), and Cornish stone circles . Stone circles are usually grouped in terms of the shape and size of the stones,

1320-491: Is still debated. There are three major groups of stone rows  – Ménec , Kermario and Kerlescan . They may have once formed a single group but have been split up as stones were removed for other purposes. The standing stones are made of weathered granite from local outcroppings that once extensively covered the area. Eleven converging rows of menhirs stretching for 1,165 by 100 metres (3,822 by 328 feet ). There are what Alexander Thom considered to be

1386-560: Is still used. A rare dolmen still covered by its original cairn . South of the Kermario alignments, it is 25 to 30 metres (82–98 ft) wide, 5 m (16 ft) high, and has a small menhir on top. Previously surrounded by a circle of small menhirs 4 m (13 ft) out, the main passage is 6.5 m (21 ft) long and leads to a large chamber where numerous artifacts were found, including axes, arrowheads, some animal and human teeth, some pearls and sherds , and 26 beads of

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1452-462: Is thought to be likely, especially by Aubrey Burl . He thought that such sites in Cumbria are analogous to the kerbs that surround some chamber tombs . Burials have been found at all excavated concentric stone circles: both inhumations and cremations. The burnt remains have been found either within an urn or placed directly in the earth. Megalithic monuments are found in especially great number on

1518-661: The Bay of Biscay , rather than along the coast or overland. Some of the Carnacéen jade axeheads are up to 46 cm in length and may have taken over a thousand hours to produce, on top of the time required to quarry the material and transport it to Carnac. The extraordinary nature of these burials, the scale of the tumuli, the logistics and effort involved, all indicate that these were the burials of extremely important elite individuals, that some researchers have described as "divine kings". The large-scale effort and organisation involved in

1584-591: The Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands , two kinds of megalithic circles are found. The first type consists of single stone circles, whereas the second type comprises an inner circle enclosed within a larger circle (i.e. double stone circles). On the western side of the continent, the Senegambian stone circles can be found. The individual groups are dated from 700 A.D. to 1350 A.D. In the Near East, possibly

1650-666: The Middle Neolithic ( c.  3200 –2500 BC). Around that time, stone circles began to be built in the coastal and lowland areas towards the north of the United Kingdom . The Langdale axe industry in the Lake District may have been an important early centre for circle building , perhaps because of its economic power. Many had closely set stones, perhaps similar to the earth banks of henges . Others were constructed from boulders placed stably on

1716-500: The Museum of Prehistory of Carnac . It was excavated in 1862 by René Galles with a series of vertical pits, digging down 8 m (26 ft). Le Rouzic also excavated it between 1900 and 1907, discovering the tomb and the stone chests. A chapel was built on top in 1663 and was rebuilt in 1813, before being destroyed in 1923. The current building is an identical reconstruction of the 1663 chapel, built in 1926. The tumulus of Tumiac

1782-732: The Newgrange passage grave, c. 3200 BC, may have been a "god-king" and part of a "dynastic elite". Similarities have also been noted with the Michelsberg culture in northeastern France and Germany (c. 4200 BC), which featured large tumulus burials within fortified settlements and the use of Alpine jade axes, all associated with the emergence of "high-ranking elites". Engravings on megalithic monuments in Carnac also feature numerous depictions of objects interpreted as symbols of authority and power, such as curved throwing weapons , axes and sceptres . The Carnacéen tumuli were contemporary with

1848-617: The Tumulus du Ruyk ) is located in Locmariaquer, Morbihan, immediately west of the hamlet of Er-Hroueg and about 1 km northeast of the Pierres Plates dolmen. The tumulus comprises a rectangular burial vault of about 5 m by 3 m, covered with two roofing slabs, supporting a mound about 100 m long and 60 m wide. The tumulus rises to approximately 15 m above sea level, or almost 8 m above the natural ground. The current entrance, with

1914-744: The henge monument at Avebury , the Rollright Stones , Castlerigg , and elements within the ring of standing stones at Stonehenge . Scattered examples exist from other parts of Europe. Later, during the Iron Age , stone circles were built in southern Scandinavia . The archetypical stone circle is an uncluttered enclosure, large enough to congregate inside, and composed of megalithic stones. Often similar structures are named 'stone circle', but these names are either historic, or incorrect. Examples of commonly misinterpreted stone circles are ring cairns , burial mounds , and kerb cairns . Although it

1980-488: The 'Mission Carnac' in 1991 with the aim of rehabilitating and developing the alignments. This involved restricting public access, launching a series of scientific and technical studies, and producing a plan for conservation and development in the area. As with the megalithic structure of Stonehenge in England , management of the stones can be controversial. Since 1991, the main groups of stone rows have been protected from

2046-453: The 1720s increasing interest was shown in these features. In 1796, for example, La Tour d'Auvergne attributed them to druidic gatherings. In 1805, A. Maudet de Penhoët claimed they represented stars in the sky. Englishmen Francis Ronalds and Alexander Blair made a detailed survey of the stones in 1834. Ronalds created the first accurate drawings of many of them with his patented perspective tracing instrument , which were printed in

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2112-476: The Archeological Museum of Vannes. The tumulus has been classified as a historical monument since 1889. 47°36′43″N 3°03′39″W  /  47.6119°N 3.0608°W  / 47.6119; -3.0608 Also known as Er Mané , it is a chamber tomb 85 m (279 ft) long, 35 m (115 ft) wide, and 5 m (16 ft) high. It has a dolmen at the west end, and two tombs at

2178-713: The European Atlantic fringe and in Great Britain and Ireland. There are approximately 1300 stone circles in Great Britain and Ireland. Experts disagree on whether the construction of megaliths in Britain developed independently or was imported from mainland Europe. A 2019 comprehensive radiocarbon dating study of megalithic structures across Europe and the British Isles concluded that construction techniques were spread to other communities via sea routes, starting from north-western France. In contrast,

2244-659: The French archaeologist Jean-Pierre Mohen in his book Le Monde des Megalithes wrote that the British Isles are "outstanding in the abundance of standing stones, and the variety of circular architectural complexes of which they formed a part ... strikingly original, they have no equivalent elsewhere in Europe – strongly supporting the argument that the builders were independent." Some theories suggest that invaders from Brittany may have been responsible for constructing Stonehenge. Although stone circles are widely distributed across

2310-476: The State at the start of the 20th century to protect them against quarrymen, and while this was successful at the time, in the middle of the century, redevelopment, changes to agricultural practices and increasing tourism bringing visitors to the stones led to rapid deterioration. The Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (Heritage Ministry) re-examined the issue starting in 1984, and subsequently set up

2376-793: The axial stone. Examples can be found throughout Continental Europe, from the Black Sea to Brittany . Locations in France include several in Brittany (two on the island of Er Lannic and two more suggested at Carnac ), several in the south of France on the Causse de Blandas in the Cevennes , in the Pyrenees , and in the Alps (e.g. the Petit Saint Bernard ). One notable stone circle

2442-483: The burial of only one individual, along with numerous large polished stone axeheads, stone arm-rings, and jewellery made from callaïs ( variscite and turqouise ). Scientific analyses have shown that many of the axeheads are made of jade from the Italian Alps , whilst the callaïs was imported from south-western Iberia . Archaeological evidence indicates that the callaïs was brought from Iberia by boat, across

2508-573: The central anta (as they are known in the Alentejo). This sometimes appears to have been used as an altar but more often as a central burial structure, originally surrounded by megaliths that show only sparsely survived erosion and human activities. These circles are also known as harrespil in the Basque country , where villagers call them mairu -baratz or jentil -baratz, meaning "pagan garden (cemetery)". They refer to mythological giants of

2574-462: The circle, down to the recumbent stone, which is the lowest. This type is found throughout Great Britain, Ireland and Brittany, with 71 examples in Scotland and at least 20 in south-west Ireland. In the latter nation they are generally called axial stone circles , including Drombeg stone circle near Rosscarbery , County Cork. Scottish recumbent circles are usually flanked by the two largest of

2640-506: The construction of megalithic monuments, such as the 20.6 metre-tall Grand Menhir of Er Grah , further suggests the existence of rulers or kings in the Carnac and Morbihan region. A similar situation has been described for the later megalithic culture in Ireland , which shows some close similarities to the megalithic culture in Brittany. Based on archaeological, DNA and ethnographic evidence it has been suggested that an elite male buried in

2706-469: The east end. A small menhir, approximately 3 m (10 ft) high, is nearby. There are several dolmens scattered around the area. These dolmens are generally considered to have been tombs; however, the acidic soil of Brittany has eroded away the bones. They were constructed with several large stones supporting a capstone, then buried under a mound of earth. In many cases, the mound is no longer present, sometimes due to archeological excavation, and only

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2772-519: The extreme eastern end. This fan-like layout recurs a little further along to the east in the Kermario ( House of the Dead ) alignment. It consists of 1029 stones in ten columns, about 1,300 m (4,300 ft) in length. A stone circle to the east end, where the stones are shorter, was revealed by aerial photography . A smaller group of 555 stones, further to the east of the other two sites. It

2838-562: The foundation trenches, and final construction. Growing evidence suggests that megalithic constructions began as early as 5000 BC in northwestern France and that the custom and techniques spread via sea routes throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region from there. The Carnac Stones in France are estimated to have been built around 4500 BC, and many of the formations include megalithic stone circles. The earliest stone circles in Great Britain were erected 3200–2500 BC, during

2904-736: The gentle slope on the east side adjacent to the ring-shaped stones. Of note were more than 400 triangular-shaped stones, which were presumably used for some ritual purposes. In addition, many pottery shards excavated at this archeological site have been influenced by the Jōmon culture of Hokkaido. The site has been submitted for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the Jōmon Archaeological Sites in Hokkaidō, Northern Tōhoku, and other regions The site

2970-450: The ground rather than standing stones held erect by a foundation trench. Recent research shows that the two oldest stone circles in Great Britain ( Stenness on Orkney and Callanish on the Isle of Lewis ) were constructed to align with solar and lunar positions. Most sites do not contain evidence of human dwelling, suggesting that stone circles were constructed for ceremonies. Sometimes,

3036-463: The island, Ireland has two main concentrations: in the Cork / Kerry area and in mid- Ulster . The latter typically consist of a greater number of small stones, usually 1' (0.3 metres) high, and are often found in upland areas and on sites that also contain a stone alignment . The Cork–Kerry stone circles tend to be more irregular in shape with larger but fewer and more widely-spaced orthostats around

3102-465: The large stones remain, in various states of ruin. North, near the Chapelle de La Madeleine. Has a completely covered roof. 47°37′15″N 3°02′54″W  /  47.6208°N 3.0482°W  / 47.6208; -3.0482 A large dolmen measuring 12 by 5 m (39 by 16 ft), with a 5 m (16 ft) long broken capstone. It is named after the nearby Chapelle de La Madeleine, which

3168-548: The late Neolithic to the end of the early Bronze Age and are found in England and Scotland. Cobble pavements have been found in the centre of many examples. Connected features at some sites include central mounds, outlying standing stones, and avenues or circular banks on which the stones are set. Alternatively, they may be replicas of earlier timber circles rebuilt in stone, especially the examples in Wessex . A funerary purpose

3234-735: The oldest stone circles in the world were found at Atlit Yam (about 8000 BC). The locality is now submerged near the Levantine Mediterranean coast. Other locations include India or Japan. See more in the relevant Misplaced Pages category . Carnac Stones The Carnac stones ( Breton : Steudadoù Karnag ) are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites near the south coast of Brittany in northwestern France, consisting of stone alignments (rows), dolmens (stone tombs), tumuli (burial mounds) and single menhirs (standing stones). More than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local granite and erected by

3300-646: The pre- Celtic people of Brittany and form the largest such collection in the world. Most of the stones are within the Breton municipality of Carnac , but some to the east are within neighboring La Trinité-sur-Mer . The stones were erected at some stage during the Neolithic period, probably around 3300 BC , but some may date to as early as 4500 BC. Although the stones date from 4500–3300 BC, modern beliefs associated them with 1st century AD Roman and later Christian occupations. A Christian legend associated with

3366-680: The pre-Christian era. No example has survived in a good state of preservation, but, like the Alentejo, the Basque Country is dotted with eroded and vandalized examples of many such structures. Ancient stone circles are found throughout the Horn of Africa . Booco in northeastern Somalia contains a number of such old structures. Small stone circles here surround two enclosed platform monuments, which are set together. The circles of stone are believed to mark associated graves. At Emba Derho in

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3432-437: The public by fences "to help vegetation growth", preventing visits except by organised tours. They are open during winter, however. When James Miln studied the stones in the 1860s, he reported that fewer than 700 of the 3,000 stones were still standing, and subsequent work during the 1930s and 1980s (using bulldozers) rearranged the stones, re-erecting some, to make way for roads or other structures. In 2002, protesters invaded

3498-432: The remains of stone circles at either end. According to the tourist office there is a " cromlech containing 71 stone blocks" at the western end and a very ruined cromlech at the eastern end. The largest stones, around 4 metres (13 feet) high, are at the wider, western end; the stones then become as small as 0.6 metres (2  feet 0  inches ) high along the length of the alignment before growing in height again toward

3564-591: The results of his excavations to the town of Carnac, and the James Miln Museum was established there by his brother Robert to house the artifacts. Zacharie became the director of the Museum and, although self-taught, became an internationally recognised expert on megaliths in the region. He too left the results of his work to the town, and the museum is now named Le Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic . In 1887, H. de Cleuziou argued for

3630-598: The rich burials of the Varna culture in Bulgaria (c. 4500 BC), which contained more gold than all excavated sites from the rest of the world combined in the 5th millennium BC. The Varna burials attest to the existence of powerful elites in southeastern Europe at the same time as they appear in Carnac. Grave 43 of the Varna necropolis, which contained a single male buried with a sceptre and numerous gold ornaments, also contained an Alpine jade axehead. The tumulus of Saint-Michel

3696-422: The side of the circle opposite the recumbent stone. These are known as 'portals', as they form an entrance into the circle. Often the portals are turned so that their flat sides face each other, rather than facing the centre of the circle. A concentric stone circle is a type of prehistoric monument consisting of a circular or oval arrangement of two or more stone circles set within one another. They were in use from

3762-623: The site is thus designated a type site for the "Komakino style" of stone arrangement. The size of the site, and the fact that it was built on a slope which needed to be partially leveled, indicates that it required a great amount of labor to construct, and that its construction took a long period of time. In addition to the stone circles, the site includes pit dwellings , and middens . More than 100 earth pit tombs (both burrows and burial tombs) containing pottery coffins and grave goods with strong religious connections, such as miniature pottery and clay animal and human-shaped figures have been found on

3828-423: The site, opening the padlocks and allowing tourists free entry. In particular, the group Collectif Holl a gevred (French and Breton for "the everyone-together collective") occupied the visitor centre for the Kermario alignment, demanding an immediate stop to current management plans and local input into further plans. In recent years, management of the site has also experimented with allowing sheep to graze among

3894-473: The sites remains a controversial topic. According to Neil Oliver 's BBC documentary A History of Ancient Britain , the alignments would have been built by hunter-gatherer people ("These weren't erected by Neolithic farmers, but by Mesolithic hunters"). That would place them in a different category from Stonehenge in England, which has been claimed to be the work of Early European Farmers . The question of which people Carnac stones are to be attributed to

3960-415: The span of their radius, and their population within the local area. Although many theories have been advanced to explain their use, usually related to providing a setting for ceremony or ritual, no consensus exists among archaeologists regarding their intended function. Their construction often involved considerable communal effort, including specialist tasks such as planning, quarrying, transportation, laying

4026-494: The standing stones immediately on either side. These are known as 'flankers'. The stones are commonly graded in height with the lowest stones being diametrically opposite to the tall flankers. The circle commonly contains a ring cairn and cremation remains. Irish axial stone circles are found in Cork and Kerry counties. These do not have tall flanking stones on either side of the recumbent stone. Instead, there are two tall stones at

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4092-654: The stones held that they were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius when he turned them to stone. Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle. Local tradition similarly claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin . In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected, with reports of dolmens being used as sheep shelters, chicken sheds or even ovens. Even more commonly, stones have been removed to make way for roads, or as building materials . The continuing management of

4158-580: The stones, in order to keep gorse and other weeds under control. In June 2023, 39 menhirs still outside the UNESCO protected site were destroyed to construct a DIY store of the Mr. Bricolage franchise, which obtained a building permit from the local town hall in August 2022. The affected stones are located in the town of Montaubin, separate from the primary tourist locations of Ménec and Kermario, which are situated

4224-420: The subject of new excavations and work in 1934, which brought to light several secondary burials. The tumulus, circular/elliptical in shape, is made up of layers of clay. It measures 50 m in diameter and 15 m in height. It contains a central rectangular burial chamber 4.40 m long, 2.40 m wide and 1.75 m high. This chamber is made up of three monolithic supports and is covered with a quartz slab 4.80 m long. It had

4290-558: The use of the stones as astronomical observatories, as has been claimed for Stonehenge . According to one such theory, the massive menhir at nearby Locmariaquer was linked to the alignments for such a purpose. The Musée de Préhistoire James Miln – Zacharie le Rouzic is at the centre of conserving and displaying the artefacts from the area. It also contains the "world's largest collection [of] prehistoric[al] exhibits" with over 6,600 prehistoric objects from 136 different sites. The monuments themselves were listed and purchased by

4356-439: Was constructed between 5000 BCE and 3400 BCE. At its base it is 125 by 60 m (410 by 197 ft), and is 12 m (39 ft) high. It required 35,000 cubic metres (46,000 cu yd) of stone and earth. Its function was a tomb for the members of the ruling class. It contained various funerary objects, such as 15 stone chests, large jade axes, pottery, and callaïs jewellery, most of which are currently held by

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