The earliest extensive study and mapping of the stones at Carnac was undertaken in the early 1800s by the Scottish scientist James Miln. Miln even went so far as to place a mark on stones he had reset, so future generations would know which were restored and which were original. After his death, Miln left his body of work to the museum of prehistory in Carnac town center, which is now the largest museum of prehistory anywhere in the world. Apart from the many exhibits and interactive displays, even children usually find the museum fascinating, thanks to a cartoon character known as ‘Neo’ who somehow manages to make the old stones appear interesting.
In the 1960s a British professor of engineering named Alexander Thom prepared a detailed survey of the whole area mapping over 3000 of the stones. Thom also published an article describing how megalithic man was able to make accurate solar observations, as well as discovering a measurement used consistently at Carnac. He came up with the idea of the ‘megalithic yard’ a unit of measurement just less than a conventional yard. Once his theories were made public, Thom has remained a rather controversial figure. Since Thom’s findings, the stones at Carnac have been mapped, counted, and measured many times in an effort to determine their real purpose.