Filitosa (3300 BC)
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 Roman times in Corsica. The site lies on road D57, a few hundred metres from the hamlet of Filitosa, 5 km west of Sollacaro, in the canton of Petreto-Bicchisano, arrondissement of Sartène, north of Propriano in the Corse-du-Sud département. It is located on a hill, overlooking the Taravo valley.
History
The site was discovered in 1946 by the owner of the land, Charles-Antoine Cesari. 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 menhirs were erected. They have been carved with representations of human faces, armour and weapons. It is thought the menhirs may have been erected to ward off an invasion of a group of people called the Torréens (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 torri (or torre), which may have been used as temples. The torri are remarkably well preserved.
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.
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, where the megaliths were extracted from.
The cache
Before you can find the cache you will have to do some research. This can be done at the site (in wich case you will have to pay an entrance fee) or on the internet (and if you really don't have a clou you can allways ask me ;-).
Answer the following questions, climb on a rock like the people that build this site and find the cache at:
N 41 44.ABC
E 8 52.DEF
Question 1.
When was the first part of Filitosa build ? 4300 BC (A=2), 3400 BC (A=4), 3300 BC (A=6) or 2100 BC (A=8).
Question 2.
Who erected the menhirs around 1500 BC ? Homo Erectus Corsic Anus (B=8), The Toreans (B=6), Asterix and Obelix (B=4), Aliens (B=0) or the people that were concurred by the Toreans (B=2) or
Question 3.
Where does "Dinosaur" refer to ? The only known footprints on Corsica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex (C=5), the dog that guards the site (a very large dog) (C=6), one of the guards (a very old guard) (C=7), a rockformation called "The dinosaur" (C=8) or the local drink (in old Corsican: "D'ino sa-ur"(C=9).
Question 4.
This is the front of one of the famous menhirs. Wat does the back look like ?
A (D=0), B (D=2), C (D=4), D (D=6) or E (D=8).
Question 5.
This is the entrance to one of the stone houses. Which entrance to a small cave can be found inside ? 
A (E=6), B (E=8), C (E=0), D (E=4) or there is no cave at all here, that is the other house (E=2).
Question 6.
These are the famous five statues, placed in a semi-cirkel, located near the 2000 year old olive tree. Put them in the right order, from left to right, when standing in front of the statues and with the olive tree behind the statues. D-A-C-E-B (F=1), B-E-A-D-C (F=0), E-B-A-C-D (F=5) or C-E-D-A-B (F=3).
Final location
The cache is located near some big stones. You will have to do some climbing or stretching. Look for a small green waterproof cylinder. Put the cache back the way you found it (or better if it was visible)
Though it can be really quiet here, there are also moments there are a lot of muggles around. So use stealth when needed…
Happy caching!
Marrakesj
