MUSEUM AND PARK OF THE MEGALITHIC AREA

FAI heritage, brought to light in 1969, and inaugurated after 40 years of excavations on 08 August 2016, covers about one hectare and reveals one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Europe.

The area presents significant evidence of almost five millennia of history, from the final moments of the Neolithic to the present day, which tell the story of the site and of the anthropomorphic stelae that have revolutionized the knowledge of prehistory worldwide.

By "megalithic area" we mean a portion of land in which there are multiple megalithic monumental testimonies of different types.
It is not a simple alignment of menhirs or anthropomorphic steles, or a necropolis or individual dolmen tombs: the findings instead show the existence of a sacred area destined from the outset to be the site of recurring events linked to the cult and at burial.

The exhibition itinerary of the megalithic area of Saint-Martin-de-Corléans begins with a temporal descent from today to prehistory: along a journey dotted with images referring to human history, the walkways from the museum entrance lead the visitor to the level of real archaeological site (about 6 meters below street level).

Here a grandiose environment opens up to the eye: the desired effect is that of an emotional visual understanding of the whole, captured as a monumental complex, modulated by the lighting that gradually changes with reference to the different hours of the day.
Crossing the dimension of time, the tones of the lights color the atmosphere that surrounds the archaeological finds, the dolmen, the demolished stelae, the platforms, the traces of ploughing.

The visit is a continuous view of the archaeological site, in a sort of constant "inside-museum / outside-site" dialogue. Explanations, insights and interpretations are available on educational and multimedia devices.

The itinerary is divided into 6 sections, which follow and reconstruct the periodization of the site: the welcoming curve of the chronology ends indicating the passage to the ploughing, then to the wells, then crossing the long room dedicated to the alignments of poles, to reach the anthropomorphic steles and to the final phase of the tombs.

As many as 5 structural phases have been identified which, starting from the recent Neolithic (end of the 5th millennium BC) and throughout the Copper Age (4th-3rd millennium BC), reaches the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC).

Initially configured as an open-air sanctuary intended for the cult of the living, the area assumed funerary functions only in the last centuries of the third millennium, becoming a privileged necropolis, with monumental tombs of various megalithic types.

In chronological order it will be possible to appreciate:

– the traces of a propitiatory plowing (late 5th millennium BC)

– the creation of aligned wells

At a later time (beginning of the third millennium BC) there was the alignment of at least 24 wooden totem poles oriented from North East to South West progressively side by side and then replaced by more than 46 imposing anthropomorphic stelae, the first true manifestation of megalithism in this area, masterful masterpieces of prehistoric statuary.

The intended use of the area becomes clearly funerary with the construction of the first megalithic tombs, probably occupied by members of eminent families of the community, built entirely above ground. The exemplary protagonist is the so-called "Tomb 2", erected on an unusual triangular platform of stones, used for almost a millennium as a collective burial site hosting the remains of as many as 39 individuals.

Megalithic area of Saint-Martin de Corléans

Corso Saint-Martin de Corléans

11100 Aosta (AO)

From 25 June to 30 September: every day, from 9 to 19

From October 1st to December 31st: every day from 10 to 13 and from 14 to 18

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Closed December 25th and January 1st

Price: Full price: €7.00 - Reduced price: €5.00 (groups of at least 25 paying people, university students, specific agreements)

Reduced minors: € 2.00 (children aged between 6 and 18, school groups)

Free (children up to 6 years of age - disabled persons in possession of the certification pursuant to law 104/92 and their companions)

Corso Saint-Martin-de Corléans 258 – Aosta (AO)
Telephone: +39 0165 552420
Fax: +39 0165 552556
Email: beniculturali@regione.vda.it