瀕臨大西洋的卡納克是位于法國布列塔尼半島一個神秘的小鎮。它的郊外散布著一片片整齊排列的石陣，在長達8千米的范圍內到處是林立的巨石，這就是著名的卡納克石陣，被英國考古學家海丁翰教授稱為“比金字塔更神秘”的石柱群。

Reminiscent of Stonehenge[1], upright stones dot the French landscape of the area we know as ancient Brittany. Surrounding the tiny village of Carnac, France, they became known as the Carnac stones. More than 3,000 stones, standing in defined rows, obviously are not the product of natural phenomena. In fact, scientists have determined that they were cut from rock found in the area and erected[2] by humans between 4,500 and 2,000 B.C.

In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected[3], with reports of the stones 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 the sites remains a controversial topic.

Major archaeological[4] interest in the stone rows only happened in the latter half of the 20th century. These archaeologists originally believed that rather than a series of stone rows, there was in origin just one major stone row, covering a distance of more than eight kilometres. Soon, research revealed that this “single stone row” theory did not hold water[5]; it seemed that there were mainly three stone rows, each containing approximately 1,000 stones.

One such concentration of stones can be found near Erdeven; the other concentration of stones stands back to the north of Carnac. The most western is that of Menec, where there are 1,099 standing stones in 12 rows. One stone towers above[6] all others, and is thus labelled “the giant”, measuring 3.70 metres. Most of the stones are, however, relatively small, in comparison to the stone row of Kermario, to the east of the row of Menec. Kermario counts 1,029 stones, distributed in ten rows. The field measures 1,120 metres, showing that the stones are roughly one metre apart. This field has the most gigantic[7] stones, and is continued in the field of Kerlescan, where there are 594 stones, in 13 rows and over 880 metres.

All three fields are constructed on the same principle: the tallest stones are located on the western side; the western side is also situated on higher ground than its eastern counterpart. The smaller stones on the eastern side are also at smaller intervals from each other.

Archaeologists have excluded the possibility that these are graves. Neither did they serve a military purpose, though the American soldiers, during the Second World War, did mistake the stone rows for a German defence line. According to the legend, a French soldier who was aware of the situation had to intervene, as otherwise the stone rows would have become the target of intensive bombing raids.

Excluding funerary and military purposes, archaeologists conclude that the only purpose could have been religious. Many researchers agree that the megalithic[8] civilisation worshipped nature, and possibly the sun in particular. Some argue that megalithic complexes are astronomical observatories. But whereas impressive research has been done on this aspect, the most basic aspect of this research time and again reveals a particular focus towards the sun.

Carnac is an ideal location for any solar worshipper. The sun makes an appearance almost every day, as the area is blessed with a micro-climate. Situated at the coast of Brittany, it is located at the site where the Gulf Stream hits the European continent. Carnac is furthermore shielded by a peninsula, known as the Presqu’ile de Quiberon. Carnac is therefore proud of its 2,053 hours of sun per year, which from April results in 7 hours of daily sunshine. That we found a series of impressive stone rows in exactly this location, could therefore suddenly be easily explained. Further evidencefor such a theory can be found in the fact that the micro-climate of the Bay of Quiberon ends to the north of Erdeven—which is where the stone row of Kerzerho is situated. There are no stone rows to the north of this.

Apart from massive stone rows, other impressive stone monuments can be found in the area. This includes one standing stone, which was twenty metres high, weighed in at 340 ton and was moved over a distance of six kilometres. It should come as no surprise that this stone is no longer standing. But this stone does underline the knowledge and technology of a culture that was able to perform such feats.[9] It also underlines that moving and building with large stones was a well-versed[10] knowledge in Western Europe, a thousand years before the ancient Egyptians began to construct their stone monuments along the river Nile.

在法國的古布列塔尼地區，遍布著一片片石柱群，讓人聯想起英國的史前巨石陣。它們分布在法國一個名為卡納克的小鎮周圍，被稱為卡納克巨石陣。三千多塊石頭整齊地排列成排，顯然不是自然之力所為。事實上，科學家們已考證出，這些石頭是公元前4,500到2,000年，人們從這里的巖石上切削下來并憑人力樹立起來的。

近幾個世紀以來，(卡納克的)許多石陣遺址都廢棄了，據說，許多石頭被用來修建羊圈和雞舍，甚至用來砌爐子。更多時候，它們因為修路被移走，或者用作建筑材料。對這些遺址的持續性管理一直是頗有爭議的話題。

直到20世紀后半期，考古學家才開始對這里的巨石陣產生了興趣。他們起初認為這些石頭陣開始并不是由一系列的一排排的石陣組成，最初主要是一排八千多米長的石陣。然而，研究很快證明，這個“單排石陣”的說法站不住腳，石陣起初似乎主要有三排，每排由大約一千塊石頭組成。

其中一個石陣位于埃爾德旺(卡納克地區的一個鎮)附近，另一個則在卡納克以北。位于最西部的是莫奈克石陣，共有1,099塊石頭，排成12排。其中一塊比其他的石頭都要高，達到了3.7米，因此被冠以 “巨人”之名。然而，與位于莫奈克石陣東部的克馬里歐的石陣相比，這里的大部分石頭仍相對較小。克馬里歐石陣共有1,029塊石頭，排成10排，長1,120米，各排之間間距約為一米。這個石陣的石頭塊頭最大，一直延續到克勒斯坎巨石陣附近，克勒斯坎的巨石陣包括594塊石頭，13排，長880多米。

這三個石陣的布陣都基于同一個原則：西邊的石柱最高，地勢也是西部較東部高。東邊略小的石塊之間的間隔也比較小。

考古學家已經排除了巨石陣是墓穴的可能性。它們的修建也并非出于軍事目的，不過，在二戰中，美國士兵確實曾將這些石陣誤認為是德國的防御工事。據傳，如果不是一個知情的法國士兵加以阻止，恐怕這些石陣已經成為炸彈密集轟炸的目標了。

既然排除了墓穴和軍用的可能性，考古學家斷定，它唯一的用途可能就是宗教崇拜。許多研究者都有共識，巨石文明崇拜自然，尤其崇拜太陽。一些人認為，巨石陣乃是天文臺。然而，這方面的大量研究一次又一次地表明巨石陣與太陽有緊密關聯。

對于任何太陽崇拜者來說，卡納克都是一個理想之所。這里，太陽幾乎每天都會露面，因為這里具有一種(獨特的)微氣候。卡納克位于布列塔尼海岸，是墨西哥灣與歐洲大陸的會合處。它還受到一個名為“基伯龍”的半島的庇護。因此，卡納克每年都得以擁有2,053小時的光照，四月過后每天都有7小時沐浴在陽光中。而正是在這里，我們發現了令人震撼的巨石陣，一切突然變得易于解釋了。對這個說法還有更多證據，克拉融海灣的微氣候一直延伸到埃爾德旺北部——正是凱爾澤歐巨石陣的所在地。從此往北就再沒有任何石陣出現了。

除了巨大的石陣外，這個地區還發現其他令人驚嘆的石頭建筑物。其中有一塊矗立的石頭，高20米，重340噸，被移動了6,000米的距離。難怪如今這塊石頭已經不再直立著了。然而，這塊石頭確實折射出那個能完成那一壯舉的文化的知識和技術。它同樣也說明，在當時的西歐，移動石頭和用石頭建造房屋是人們嫻熟掌握的技藝，這比古埃及人開始在尼羅河邊建造石頭建筑要早一千年。

瀕臨大西洋的卡納克是位于法國布列塔尼半島一個神秘的小鎮。它的郊外散布著一片片整齊排列的石陣，在長達8千米的范圍內到處是林立的巨石，這就是著名的卡納克石陣，被英國考古學家海丁翰教授稱為“比金字塔更神秘”的石柱群。

Reminiscent of Stonehenge[1], upright stones dot the French landscape of the area we know as ancient Brittany. Surrounding the tiny village of Carnac, France, they became known as the Carnac stones. More than 3,000 stones, standing in defined rows, obviously are not the product of natural phenomena. In fact, scientists have determined that they were cut from rock found in the area and erected[2] by humans between 4,500 and 2,000 B.C.

In recent centuries, many of the sites have been neglected[3], with reports of the stones 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 the sites remains a controversial topic.

Major archaeological[4] interest in the stone rows only happened in the latter half of the 20th century. These archaeologists originally believed that rather than a series of stone rows, there was in origin just one major stone row, covering a distance of more than eight kilometres. Soon, research revealed that this “single stone row” theory did not hold water[5]; it seemed that there were mainly three stone rows, each containing approximately 1,000 stones.

One such concentration of stones can be found near Erdeven; the other concentration of stones stands back to the north of Carnac. The most western is that of Menec, where there are 1,099 standing stones in 12 rows. One stone towers above[6] all others, and is thus labelled “the giant”, measuring 3.70 metres. Most of the stones are, however, relatively small, in comparison to the stone row of Kermario, to the east of the row of Menec. Kermario counts 1,029 stones, distributed in ten rows. The field measures 1,120 metres, showing that the stones are roughly one metre apart. This field has the most gigantic[7] stones, and is continued in the field of Kerlescan, where there are 594 stones, in 13 rows and over 880 metres.

All three fields are constructed on the same principle: the tallest stones are located on the western side; the western side is also situated on higher ground than its eastern counterpart. The smaller stones on the eastern side are also at smaller intervals from each other.

Archaeologists have excluded the possibility that these are graves. Neither did they serve a military purpose, though the American soldiers, during the Second World War, did mistake the stone rows for a German defence line. According to the legend, a French soldier who was aware of the situation had to intervene, as otherwise the stone rows would have become the target of intensive bombing raids.

Excluding funerary and military purposes, archaeologists conclude that the only purpose could have been religious. Many researchers agree that the megalithic[8] civilisation worshipped nature, and possibly the sun in particular. Some argue that megalithic complexes are astronomical observatories. But whereas impressive research has been done on this aspect, the most basic aspect of this research time and again reveals a particular focus towards the sun.

Carnac is an ideal location for any solar worshipper. The sun makes an appearance almost every day, as the area is blessed with a micro-climate. Situated at the coast of Brittany, it is located at the site where the Gulf Stream hits the European continent. Carnac is furthermore shielded by a peninsula, known as the Presqu’ile de Quiberon. Carnac is therefore proud of its 2,053 hours of sun per year, which from April results in 7 hours of daily sunshine. That we found a series of impressive stone rows in exactly this location, could therefore suddenly be easily explained. Further evidencefor such a theory can be found in the fact that the micro-climate of the Bay of Quiberon ends to the north of Erdeven—which is where the stone row of Kerzerho is situated. There are no stone rows to the north of this.

Apart from massive stone rows, other impressive stone monuments can be found in the area. This includes one standing stone, which was twenty metres high, weighed in at 340 ton and was moved over a distance of six kilometres. It should come as no surprise that this stone is no longer standing. But this stone does underline the knowledge and technology of a culture that was able to perform such feats.[9] It also underlines that moving and building with large stones was a well-versed[10] knowledge in Western Europe, a thousand years before the ancient Egyptians began to construct their stone monuments along the river Nile.

在法國的古布列塔尼地區，遍布著一片片石柱群，讓人聯想起英國的史前巨石陣。它們分布在法國一個名為卡納克的小鎮周圍，被稱為卡納克巨石陣。三千多塊石頭整齊地排列成排，顯然不是自然之力所為。事實上，科學家們已考證出，這些石頭是公元前4,500到2,000年，人們從這里的巖石上切削下來并憑人力樹立起來的。

近幾個世紀以來，(卡納克的)許多石陣遺址都廢棄了，據說，許多石頭被用來修建羊圈和雞舍，甚至用來砌爐子。更多時候，它們因為修路被移走，或者用作建筑材料。對這些遺址的持續性管理一直是頗有爭議的話題。

直到20世紀后半期，考古學家才開始對這里的巨石陣產生了興趣。他們起初認為這些石頭陣開始并不是由一系列的一排排的石陣組成，最初主要是一排八千多米長的石陣。然而，研究很快證明，這個“單排石陣”的說法站不住腳，石陣起初似乎主要有三排，每排由大約一千塊石頭組成。

其中一個石陣位于埃爾德旺(卡納克地區的一個鎮)附近，另一個則在卡納克以北。位于最西部的是莫奈克石陣，共有1,099塊石頭，排成12排。其中一塊比其他的石頭都要高，達到了3.7米，因此被冠以 “巨人”之名。然而，與位于莫奈克石陣東部的克馬里歐的石陣相比，這里的大部分石頭仍相對較小。克馬里歐石陣共有1,029塊石頭，排成10排，長1,120米，各排之間間距約為一米。這個石陣的石頭塊頭最大，一直延續到克勒斯坎巨石陣附近，克勒斯坎的巨石陣包括594塊石頭，13排，長880多米。

這三個石陣的布陣都基于同一個原則：西邊的石柱最高，地勢也是西部較東部高。東邊略小的石塊之間的間隔也比較小。

考古學家已經排除了巨石陣是墓穴的可能性。它們的修建也并非出于軍事目的，不過，在二戰中，美國士兵確實曾將這些石陣誤認為是德國的防御工事。據傳，如果不是一個知情的法國士兵加以阻止，恐怕這些石陣已經成為炸彈密集轟炸的目標了。

既然排除了墓穴和軍用的可能性，考古學家斷定，它唯一的用途可能就是宗教崇拜。許多研究者都有共識，巨石文明崇拜自然，尤其崇拜太陽。一些人認為，巨石陣乃是天文臺。然而，這方面的大量研究一次又一次地表明巨石陣與太陽有緊密關聯。

對于任何太陽崇拜者來說，卡納克都是一個理想之所。這里，太陽幾乎每天都會露面，因為這里具有一種(獨特的)微氣候。卡納克位于布列塔尼海岸，是墨西哥灣與歐洲大陸的會合處。它還受到一個名為“基伯龍”的半島的庇護。因此，卡納克每年都得以擁有2,053小時的光照，四月過后每天都有7小時沐浴在陽光中。而正是在這里，我們發現了令人震撼的巨石陣，一切突然變得易于解釋了。對這個說法還有更多證據，克拉融海灣的微氣候一直延伸到埃爾德旺北部——正是凱爾澤歐巨石陣的所在地。從此往北就再沒有任何石陣出現了。

除了巨大的石陣外，這個地區還發現其他令人驚嘆的石頭建筑物。其中有一塊矗立的石頭，高20米，重340噸，被移動了6,000米的距離。難怪如今這塊石頭已經不再直立著了。然而，這塊石頭確實折射出那個能完成那一壯舉的文化的知識和技術。它同樣也說明，在當時的西歐，移動石頭和用石頭建造房屋是人們嫻熟掌握的技藝，這比古埃及人開始在尼羅河邊建造石頭建筑要早一千年。