View source for Filitosa

{{Short description|Archaeological site in Corsica, France}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{use list-defined references|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
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[[Image:Filitosa.jpg|thumb|Filitosa]]
[[Image:Megalithfigur in Filitosa.jpg|thumb|Filitosa]]
[[Image:Filitosa V JPG2.jpg|left|thumb|Filitosa V]]
'''Filitosa''' is a [[megalithic]] site in southern [[Corsica]], [[France]]. The period of occupation spans from the end of the [[Neolithic]] era and the beginning of the [[Bronze Age]], until around the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times in Corsica.

==Location==
[[File:Filitosa VI tiarescott 2004.jpg|thumb|left|Back of Statue Menhir]]
The site lies on road D57, a few hundred metres from the hamlet of Filitosa, {{nobreak|5 km}} west of [[Sollacaro]], in the [[Canton (country subdivision)|canton]] of [[Petreto-Bicchisano]], [[arrondissement]] of [[Arrondissement of Sartène|Sartène]],<ref name=grosjean/> north of [[Propriano]] in the [[Corse-du-Sud]] ''[[département in France|département]]''. It is located on a hill, overlooking the [[Taravo]] valley.

==Site history and features==

The site was discovered in 1946 by the owner of the land, Charles-Antoine Cesari, and brought to the attention of archeologists by the British writer, [[Dorothy Carrington]] (see her masterpiece, ''Granite Island: Portrait of Corsica'',<ref name=carrington/>). Systematic excavations started in 1954 by [[Roger Grosjean]]. Finds of arrow heads and pottery date earliest inhabitation to 3300 BC. Around 1500 BC, 2-3 metre [[menhir]]s were erected. They have been carved with representations of human faces, armour and weapons. [[Roger Grosjean]] thought the menhirs may have been erected to ward off an invasion of a group of people called the ''Torréens'' ([[Torrean civilization|Torreans]]). However this was unsuccessful: the menhirs were cast down, broken up and reused in some cases as building material by the ''Torréens''. The ''Torréens'' built circular stone structures on the site, known as ''[[Prehistory of Corsica#Bronze Age|torri]]'' (or ''torre''), which may have been used as temples. The ''torri'' are remarkably well preserved. This theory had been disputed by later works of F. De Lanfranchi, M.C. Weiss and [[Gabriel Camps]].<ref>[http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/corsica_(Enciclopedia-dell'-Arte-Antica)/ CORSICA Enciclopedia dell' Arte Antica (1994)]{{in lang|it}}</ref>

In total, about twenty menhirs of various times were counted in Filitosa. They constitute approximately half of the total staff of these monuments in Corsica.

==Layout==

The site of Filitosa is approached down a track through an ancient [[olive]] grove. The first monument to be seen is a rock overhang and surrounding wall. Then the visitor comes upon the central monument. Various hut platforms are all around, and the track leads a further 50m to the Western Monument or ''torri''. From there, one can enjoy a view down the hill to a stone alignment of five megaliths, set around the base of a 2000-year-old olive tree. Behind the olive tree is the [[quarry]] from which the megaliths were extracted.

==References==
<references>
<ref name=grosjean>Roger Grosjean (1961). [http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/piot_1148-6023_1961_num_52_1_1486 Filitosa et son contexte archéologique dans la vallée di Taravo (Corse): recherches et fouilles 1954-1959] (in French). In: ''Monuments et mémoires de la Fondation Eugène Piot'' '''52''' (1): 3-96. {{doi|10.3406/piot.1961.1486}}</ref>
<ref name=carrington>Dorothy Carrington (1971). ''Granite Island: A Portrait of Corsica'' Longman, London. {{ISBN|0-582-12630-4}}</ref>
</references>

==External links==
{{commons category|Filitosa}}
* [http://corsicami.free.fr/corsa_filitosa2.htm Pictures]
* [http://www.filitosa.fr/en/ Filitosa official website]

{{coord|41|44|50|N|8|52|17|E|region:FR-H_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{European Standing Stones}}

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[[Category:Bronze Age Europe]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Corse-du-Sud]]
[[Category:Megalithic monuments in France]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Corsica]]
[[Category:Former populated places in France]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Corse-du-Sud]]