As you may know, behind Aeternum is a small business based in Brittany (in southern Finistère, to be precise). And it is well known that this land lives to the rhythm of legends, myths, and more or less well-known magical practices (Brocéliande, Merlin, the Fairy Viviane, the Alignments, and many others). So, to highlight our beautiful region, we will regularly publish little-known legends from Breton history.
This week, we are heading to the tip of Finistère, in the Plouarzel area, to discover the legend, or rather legends, of the Menhir of Kerloas. Dating back more than 4,000 years, it stands no less than 10 meters tall, making it a popular and vibrant site, as well as the tallest menhir in the world.
Photo credit: Iroise Bretagne Tourist Office
The Treasure of the Menhir of Kerloas
Legend has it that at the first stroke of midnight, when the world celebrated Christmas (or Yule), the menhirs came to life. Silently, without a sound, they began to move, leaving their immovable positions to head toward the ocean. It was rare to witness such a spectacle because, despite their imposing weight, they moved discreetly.
Every Christmas, the menhirs made their way toward the sea, following a secret path known only to them. Their destination was a hidden beach, where they drank from the ocean waters to renew the strength that kept them alive year after year. But this magical procession revealed a fabulous treasure, buried where the menhir stood.
According to the elders, this treasure was an accumulation of incalculable riches: gold coins, glittering jewelry, ancient artifacts, and even objects endowed with magical powers. But there was one condition for anyone attempting to claim it: they had to act before the twelfth stroke of midnight.
Thus, every year, a few brave or desperate souls ventured out in an attempt to discover this treasure. Armed with shovels and lanterns, they waited impatiently for the first stroke of midnight. At that precise moment, the menhirs began to move, and the treasure was revealed.
However, the quest was perilous. Enchanted by the glitter of the riches, many forgot to keep track of time. Those who failed to leave the beach before the twelfth stroke of midnight suffered a dreadful fate: the menhir, returning to its place, mercilessly crushed everything in its path, leaving no chance for the imprudent ones who had lingered.
The villagers said that these unfortunate souls were condemned to wander eternally as spirits, haunting the menhir in search of redemption. Their whispers were carried by the wind, warning future treasure hunters of the dangers that awaited them.
Kerloas the Hunchback
The Menhir of Kerloas is also known as the "Hunchback" or "An Tort." It owed this nickname to its two humps, located on either side of its surface. These protrusions, each measuring approximately 30 cm, were at the center of an ancient fertility rite that had been perpetuated for centuries.
Photo credit: Madame Ordinaire
The elders said that these humps possessed powers capable of influencing the destiny of newly married couples. Tradition dictated that, to ensure prosperous and harmonious offspring, newlyweds should go to the menhir on the night of their wedding. There, in the light of the moon, they performed a secret ritual.
The newlyweds stripped completely, leaving their clothes at the foot of the menhir. Then they took their places on either side of the sacred stone. The woman, standing on the left, pressed her bare belly against the first hump, while the man, on the right, did the same with the other hump. Through this gesture, they sought to absorb the forces of fertility and power that the menhir offered them.
By rubbing himself against the right hump, the man was assured of fathering male offspring, guaranteeing the continuation of his name and lineage. The woman, for her part, by rubbing herself against the left hump, gained the promise of dominating her husband, governing her household according to her wishes, and ensuring domestic harmony.
And indeed, on close inspection of the menhir, one notices that its surface is particularly smooth around the waist...
That's all for this week. Join us next week to discover another Breton legend!
Par Olivier of Aeternum
Passionate about esoteric traditions and the history of the occult from the earliest civilizations to the 18th century, I share some articles on these topics. I am also co-creator of the online esoteric shop Aeternum.
