Filitosa is a prominent megalithic site in southern Corsica, France. The period of human occupation at the site spans continuously from the end of the Neolithic era and the beginning of the Bronze Age, until around the ancient Roman times in Corsica.
The site was discovered in 1946 by the owner of the land, Charles-Antoine Cesari. Systematic archaeological excavations were initiated in 1954 by Roger Grosjean. Excavated finds of stone arrowheads and pottery date the earliest inhabitation of this fertile area to approximately 3300 BC. Around 1500 BC, impressive 2-3 meter high menhirs were erected on-site. These monuments have been carved with representations of human faces, protective armour, and weapons.
It is thought that these menhirs may have been originally erected by the native population to ward off an invasion by a group of seafaring people called the Torréens (Torreans). However, this protective measure was ultimately unsuccessful: the menhirs were cast down, broken up, and in some cases reused as building blocks by the Torréens. The Torréens subsequently built circular stone structures on the site, known as torri (or torre), which may have been used as ceremonial temples. Today, these torri remain remarkably well preserved.
In total, about twenty menhirs from various prehistoric periods have been identified in Filitosa. They constitute approximately half of the total count of such monumental relics discovered across the entire island of Corsica. Furthermore, the surrounding landscape is geomorphologically fascinating, dotted with numerous wind-carved granite cavities known as tafoni.