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Origin and history

The Dolmen de Fontanaccia, located in the municipality of Sartène in South Corsica, is one of the most remarkable megalithic monuments of Corsica. Mentioned for the first time in 1840 by Prosper Mérimée under the name of Stazzona del Diavolo ("Forge du Diable"), it was described with precision, accompanied by drawings and measurements. Mérimée emphasized its dimensions, laying the foundations of its later fame.

In 1883, the archaeologist Adrien de Mortillet, during his mission for the subcommission of megalithic monuments, called it "the most beautiful and best preserved monument of the dolmens of Corsica". His observations, supplemented by photographs and detailed readings, became indispensable references. Seven slabs (including three cracked lateral orthostats) were named from A to H and studied for their geological origin: all granite, while the local basement is dolerite. No trace of tumulus or corridor was ever identified.

The funerary chamber, of trapezoidal form (2.60 m long, variable width from 1.35 m to 1.80 m), was 1.70 m high under slab. The excavations, especially those of 2012-2013, confirmed the absence of archaeological deposits, the room being empty from the 19th century. In the vicinity, two other megalithic sites — the alignments of I Stantari (300 m to the north-east) and Rinaghju (400 m to the south-east) — show a dense neolithic occupation.

Ranked a historic monument in 1889, the dolmen benefited from clearing works in 1964 by Roger Grosjean, while he was buried under the maquis. Its exceptional state of conservation, coupled with its isolation on a small height, makes it a major witness to neolithic funeral practices in the Mediterranean. However, successive studies did not reveal its precise use or detailed cultural context, leaving some unsolved puzzles.

The historical descriptions highlight its symbolic role, notably through its former evocative name (Forge du Diable), perhaps reflecting local beliefs after its construction. Today, there remains a key site for understanding island neolithic societies, despite the absence of archaeological furniture.

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