The Minervois, it appears from research made by historians such as Taffanel, Guilane Lauriol, was populated by a primitive race of so called 'dolichocephales' from the end of the ice ages through to the neolithic age. These people were of small stature, around 1m60, and had elongated skulls. Dr Mayet, excavating in 1910, found a collection of bones of some thirty individuals at Fendeille near to Montouliers. He determined that these bones had been exposed to scavenging birds who cleaned them of all flesh prior to their being placed in the cave for safe keeping.

Other sites near Lastours and Bize show occupation of more advanced people, with pottery remnants showing geometric decoration and small, fine flint cutting tools as well as hard stone axes.

The long covered corridor type of dolmen found in the Minervois are from the end of the stone age. A fine example of this type of burial monument, with a funeral chamber at the end of a lengthy covered corridor of raised stones, is the Dolmen des Fades at Pepieux.
Other examples are 'Mount-Marcou' at Mailhac, 'Jappeloup', 'Mourre', 'la Matte', 'Clot de l'Oste' at Bouisse and 'St-Eugene. The abundance of metal objects found in these burial sites indicate a sophistication and hierarchical organisation of a superior people who displaced the more primitives who were in occupation of this area in the early stone age.

Evidence of neolithic occupation has been found in numerous caves in the hillier parts of the Minervois north of the central plain area : the cliffs of the Cesse and of the Brian, around Barroubio, Cailhol at Aigues-Vives, Cassagnoles, Felines, Rieussec.