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Origin and history

Castellu di Contorba is an archaeological site emblematic of Torrean culture, built on a rocky promontory at 164 m above sea level near Olmeto, in South Corsica. Its elliptical enclosure (40 x 35 m), built of granite blocks, protects a central torra and remains of dwellings. A chicane at the entrance and a murderer in the tower testify to its defensive role, while traces of fire, milling and storage reveal an intense domestic occupation.

The site, occupied between 1520 and 1250 B.C. (carbon dating), appears on the earthworks of the 18th century and was classified as a historical monument in 2010. Its torra, with one floor and probably a mâchicoulis, houses an original entrance room with an "S" corridor leading to the master bedroom. The excavations exhumed a homogeneous dish (bols, jattes, cups) and crows suggesting a wooden ceiling for the upper floor.

The progressive collapse of the monument, aggravated by the removal of later stones, contrasts with its archaeological importance. The local appellations (Casteddu di Cuntorba or Cuntorba) reflect its anchor in island memory. The site illustrates the adaptation of the medium Bronze communities to a steep relief, combining collective defence, agricultural activities and visual control of the Gulf of Valincu.

Recent studies, notably those of Joseph Cesari and Kewin Peche-Quilichini, highlight his originality among the fortified Corsican habitats. The presence of diverticules in the torra and the absence of permanent stairway (scale access) distinguish Contorba from other torrean sites. Its abandonment coincides with the upheavals of the late Bronze Age in the Western Mediterranean.

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