Cham of the Bondons

No comments before to have visited the following sites:

http://perso.orange.fr/deesse-mere/1menhir.htm

http://prehist.free.fr/bondons/

The first being closer to my vision of the things, the second having a more archaeological approach.

Us here thus in Cham of the Bungs….drawing its name from the occitano-patois Cham (plate or causse) and proximity of the commune of the Bungs in Lozere. It is a calcareous plate of ten square kilometres extending to the foot from the Lozere Mount.

(Wikipédia): With its 154 granite menhirs, the site constitutes the second concentration of monuments megalithic in Europe after alignments of Carnac in Brittany.

It is estimated that the installation of these stones must be between the end of the Neolithic era and the age of Bronze. (Me I ask to see… Nobody dared until now to give dates more in conformity with work of radiesthesists, except a site presenting of the megaliths of Brittany from which I lost the bond, and who proposed the -25.000 years…)

This site also conceals a geological curiosity: two nipples limestones having resisted erosion and dominating the valley of the Tarn. These puechs (of Latin podium, high ground), as they are called, would be resulting according to the legend from the mud fallen from the shoes from Gargantua. (It really everywhere is found this honest giant…)

On a surface of hardly 10 km ² were planted there is more than 4000 years (Ca it is at least…) more than 150 menhirs. Certain researchers advance the number of 154 and others beyond this figure. The first great inventory of these monoliths goes back to the years 1940 with Doctor Morel.

Since, few or not publications on this site, if not confidential. Thanks to the local authorities and the Service of Antiquities directed to Lozere by Gilbert Fages, this inheritance is leaving the shade gradually. (yes, it leaves the shade, and it is so much better… It's a pity that the stones are not raised completely as they were planted.)

Indeed, all at the beginning of the XX ^E century, these was at most between 3 and 7 menhirs which were still upright. In the years 1980-1990, about thirty stones had been raised. Today, these are at least 80 menhirs which found the vertical.

Among the latter, one will note in the south of the hamlets of Vaissière and Fare, two very large menhirs respectively measuring 4,80 m and 4,50 m except ground. Still lying a few years ago but given today to the vertical, they bordered 6 m length.

Initially, it is noticed that all the menhirs of this unit are out of granite extracted the southern slopes of the solid mass of the Lozere Mount. However, these stones were planted in entirely calcareous ground. They were thus transported to be set up at this place at a distance minimum of 800 Mr. For certain stones, the distance between the place of extraction and the place of erection must amount in kilometers.

In the second place, the menhirs do not seem not laid out in space in a rational way. One finds a great number of menhirs alone, menhirs per pairs and more rarely in line of three. Half-circles and vague circles (cromlechs) take shape with the n°2 groups of Fage and the Hut of the Air.

There are thus no here long alignments of the Carnac type in Brittany or provisions in perfect circles as on Causse of Blandas (department of Gard) the largest menhirs are often on hillocks but there still it is not a general information.

In the third place and most prone to assumptions, it is of course to know the motivation of the prehistoric manufacturers to raise as many stones in such a restricted place. One thus spoke about ancient beaconings of ways per time of strong snows, (I had not thought of that), of indicating terminals of entries of mines, (either) stakes of a “road of uranium” (to be seen)…

Nothing makes it possible today to support or refute completely such or such assumptions. Nevertheless, one can advance the idea that these monoliths drawn up per tens could have shown the strong religious feeling and the power of a tribe on others. (why always want to mix the religion with the megaliths… Except if one takes the word in his first significance which is “to connect to”.)

Many are the legends arrived to us and who point out the capacity of fertility and force attached to the planted stones. (one approaches)

In planting as much on a few square kilometres was to cover a very important religious symbolic system (still!!!) if not policy (if the policy were interfered initiation with the earth currents…) and thus to confer on Cham Bungs there is more than 4000 years the concept of “crowned place”. What is sure today, it is that mysterious Cham of the Bungs jealously keeps the mystery of the people which drew up these monoliths directed towards the sky and their original function. Cham of the Bungs, in addition to being the second more important concentration French of menhirs after Carnac, is also a very pleasant place of excursion very easy to explore and where Prehistory lozérienne and Cevennes is revealed with each turning of ways. (Wikipédia)

Good, I make fun a little, but this article is very well made and has the merit to speak about one of the most extraordinary sites which I know. My photographs will have it to you, I hope for it, shown.

It is true that it is not any more very brilliant on the level of energies, but some places go very well still. Moreover, with each one its felt: there are as well raised stones, as any person must be able to find that which will make it vibrate…

And that of happiness to be able to touch the stones, the renifler, their speech, to leave his pendulum, to turn around, to cherish them, meditate, dance if the heart you of known as, without closed areas nor disfiguring crowd… I even thought of seeing, on a hill with far, several drawn up stones coast at coast: zoom X 24. Surprised…

Cham of the Bungs is composed of several groups of menhirs of size and variable interest:

The group of Fage, extremely of a score of laid down menhirs, merges in an afforestation and the monoliths are of average size (between 1,50 and 2,50 m). Because of its screening by the vegetation and of the relative smallness of the menhirs, the interest of this group is relatively low.

The n°2 group of Fage certainly more is known and more visited. It counts more than one score of rectified menhirs, a dolmen and tumulus.

The arranged carpark is established very close to the starting point of this group and its menhir emblematic “Pierre of the Three Parishes”. One easily recognizes this beautiful stone with the marks cut in the rock left by tests of cutting up carried out by carriers. Formerly slept, it would have to border 5,45 m length. It was partly cut down by the carriers and today, once rectified, it culminates with less than 3 m height.

All around this stone and while approaching the hamlet of Combettes (downwards in the valley), one meets while following the GR. the dolmen of Fage, some menhirs insulated and on a projecting ledge a little low, the beautiful unit formed by the three aligned menhirs of Chabusses.

Once crossed the small pine forest located just at side and while following the GR., they are menhirs alone or by groups of two which await the hikers and that until Combettes. While going towards the east starting from “Pierre of the Three Parishes”, several pairs of menhirs were replanted and that until the top of a nipple.

The group of the hut of the Air counts a score of menhirs whose average size ranges between 1,70 and 2 Mr. They for their great majority are established with the tops of small croups located at the south of the house known as of the Hut of the Air. These stones seem to draw for certain half-circles of small scale or imperfect alignments.

The group of Vaissière presents the largest menhirs of Cham of the Bungs. Located at the south of the quasi-abandoned hamlets of Vaissière and Fare, it is a unit numerically very important (forty menhirs) but also very spread out over the ground.

It is this group which profited the most from the last restorations, which A made it possible to re-examine set up in majesty of very large monoliths bordering the 5 meters height. While trotting oneself in this group, one still notices nearly ten stones lying, stones which should be replanted in the months or the years to come.

Very near to the group of Vaissière but separated by a deep ravine, the group of Colobrières is easy to reach in half an hour of walk. The interest comes especially from the beautiful menhir of Colobrières high of almost 4 meters and planted in top of a croup. The other menhirs neighbourhood are always lying and of lower size.

I was going to forget my small pal…