Kermore, spring of stone age,

spring of Kermore

The Kermore

Stone Age spring

The prehistoric spring is located in Morbihan near the town of Pontivy. 12 kilometres from Pontivy along the D 782 from Pontivy to Guemene, there is a turning leading to the Kermore farm. GPS: Kermore, position: 48 05 23.7 N – 03 05 20.8 W.

The remarkable feature about Kermore is that megaliths were placed around a spring in the Neolithic period. Neither is it a simple surround but consists of several massive rocks which were wedged together with great precision. In this way, three pools were created in which water collects.

The megaliths used to surround the spring weigh up to 6 tonnes and are fitted together with gaps of no more than a few millimetres.
The “heart stone” has marks of being worked and a smoothed surface. The “cover stone” lies on a layer of loam and stones. It weighs about 45 tonnes and has a large hollow which forms a roof over the place where the spring rises.

Hitherto the Kermore Stone Age spring has not been assigned to any known category. It has been established that it is not a dolmen or a tumulus. The method of construction indicates an age of 4000 to 6000 years.

As at many other megalith constructions, the efforts of other religions to change or integrate the old holy places have not left the Kermore Stone Age spring untouched. Just as crosses were placed on menhirs or tumuli “crowned” with chapels, the water was taken from the Stone Age spring at Kermore.

About 7 metres from the left side of the Stone Age monument and one metre deeper, there is another outflow from the spring that was dug more recently. This “lower spring” served to supply drinking water to the Kermore farm and the Kermore mill. The granite surround of the well is about 200 years old and the “stone pyramid” directly above it was only built 40 years ago.

la fontaine de Kermore, Seglien, Pontivy, Morbihan, Bretagne
envoyé par lafontainetv. - Evadez-vous en vidéo.

Another outflow from the spring that was not dug until the last century is located above the Stone Age monument to the north-west, about 25 metres away. The water from this spring was used for drinking water for the animals in the field nearby.

So the original flow of water from the Stone Age spring was like that of a small stream. Since the depth of the Stone Age spring is more than a metre below the present groundwater level, it can be assumed to always have had enough water. It is easily conceivable that the megalith construction was used for ritual worship of water.

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pools formed by the megaliths

The pools formed by the megaliths to retain the water are clearly visible. The path of smaller stones was made in our time.

cover stone

The hollow in the cover stone is 2.5 m wide and 1.50 m deep. The rock weighs about 45 tonnes and lies on a layer of loam and stones, which supports the assumption that it was placed in position by human hand.

Parallel to the cover stone are megaliths weighing between 600 and 6000 kg which are wedged together. Between the stones flows the water of a small spring.	The deliberate arrangement of the stones creates several pools.
Overall view of the Stone Age monument	main stone / cover stone
View from above	In the direct vicinity of the monument is another spring which was used to supply water to the nearby farms

“Heart stone” – a processed heart-shaped rock

To the left of the spring is a well made more recently, which is accessed by stone steps.

the oak of Kermore is more than 300 years old

To the south-east on the other side of the stream Fretu

and about 80 metres from the Stone Age spring

is another group of megaliths.

Blasted rock. The hole made for insertion of the explosive is clearly visible.

“woodman”

Side view of the group of megaliths. In one of the cracks is the “woodman”, a dead tree trapped between the megaliths.

Megalith mit Kerbe zur Seilführung

In the middle of the 15-tonne rock is a groove that was used for attachment of a rope.

rechtwinklige Grube die von Steinen umrahmt wird

Rectangular-shaped pit with “bordering stones”.

To the south-east on the other side of the stream Fretu and about 80 metres from the Stone Age spring is another group of megaliths. These heavy rocks also show traces of having been worked by man. On two megaliths can be seen the typical grooves for fastening ropes.

On the left of the megaliths, there are relatively small rocks weighing some 100 kg arranged around a rectangular-shaped pit, which is about 10 metres long and 6 metres wide.

Part of the megalith formation has been destroyed by at least two explosions. The holes made for blasting are still clearly visible. Since the holes themselves were only very slightly damaged, it can be assumed that black powder was used for blasting. “Blasting” with water / ice or vinegar is also possible. Since the parts were not removed after being blasted off, the rocks cannot have been blasted to obtain building material. Neither did the megaliths obstruct a road of any kind.

So the reason for the really quite elaborate blastings remains a mystery. The most likely explanation is that the megaliths were seen as heathen relics in the Middle Ages. Despite blasting, the megaliths are impressive in shape and size. Visitors to the Kermore Stone Age spring should also take the time to look at the megaliths.

Thumbs - high resolution pics

Painting and Drawing Competition Kermore 2009

The Spring of Kermore as the source of inspiration!

^{Take your inspiration from the spring of Kermore and
convert this to imaginative imagery. Maybe in your imagination you see a
Roman who sacrifices a few sesterces to the Gallo-Roman Goddess Sirona, or
maybe you see Stone Age man struggling at risk of his life to position
megalith blocks weighing tons around the spring? Or maybe you see a Breton
peasant holding his sick child in his arms who circles these stones three
times in order to transfer the natural energy of this place to his child;
the spring offers you very many fascinating motifs. How about a gathering of
Druids at the spring or perhaps the Spring of Kermore is surrounded in the
mystic mists of space and time, when fairies and magicians evoke the power
of the water and little korrigans happily run riot amongst the rocks. Just
put your impression on paper and create the mood. You can only win.
More -> la-fontaine.tv}

17. 08. 1997