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Saint-Bélec Slab
What is it?
This engraved stone dating to the early Bronze Age (c.1900-1650 BC) is known as the Saint-Bélec Slab. Made of grey-blue coloured schist, the slab is c.2.2m long, 1.53m wide, and 0.16m thick. New research suggests that the patterns engraved on the stone are in fact a map of an area in western Brittany, France, indicating that it may have been an object created to demonstrate the territory belonging to an elite, and affirm their power over the region represented. Created 4,000 years ago, it is believed to be the oldest 3D map known in Europe.
Image: D. Gliksman, Inrap.
Where was it found and when?
The slab was found by Paul du Châtellier in 1900 during excavations of
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