Construction of the Torra Âge du bronze moyen (≈ 1500 av. J.-C.)
Period of construction and domestic use.
Automne 1957
First search by Roger Grosjean
First search by Roger Grosjean Automne 1957 (≈ 1957)
Founding campaign on Torrian monuments.
2001
Searches by INRAP
Searches by INRAP 2001 (≈ 2001)
New archaeological campaign on the site.
2007
Analysis of a glass pearl
Analysis of a glass pearl 2007 (≈ 2007)
Physico-chemical study revealing unpublished data.
16 avril 2021
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 16 avril 2021 (≈ 2021)
Total protection of the site and its perimeter.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
In total, the Torrean monument of Foce, located located Punta di Foce in Argiusta-Moriccio, located on plot No. 133, of section A of the cadastre, with the terraces, all the archaeological remains and the soils included within a perimeter of 25 meters radius around the said monument, as delimited and hashed in red on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by decree of 16 April 2021
Key figures
Roger Grosjean - Archaeologist
Directed the first search in 1957.
P. Tramoni (INRAP) - Search Manager
Conducted the 2001 campaign.
Origin and history
The Torrean monument of Foce is a prehistoric site of the Bronze Age located in Argiusta-Moriccio, in the Taravo Valley, in South Corsica. This vestige, typical of the Torrean culture, consists of a circular torra (round) of 18 meters in diameter at the base, initially 15 meters high and divided into two floors. Today, only 3 meters of height remain, with a single entrance facing south, leading to a central room flanked by three blind rooms and a ramp of access to the upper floor.
The first excavation of the site was carried out in 1957 by archaeologist Roger Grosjean, pioneer of the study of Torrean monuments. A second campaign, led by INRAP in 2001, completed the research. The archaeological material discovered (fragments of jars, grinding wheels, oriental glass bead) attests to domestic use at the age of medium bronze. Partly destroyed in ancient times, the Torra was re-used as a burial place. The site has been listed as a historic monument since April 16, 2021.
Architecturally, the Foce Torra is part of a wider defensive network, including walls of cyclopean enclosures, typical of the Taravo Valley from the middle Bronze. Its plan, with Sardinian influences, includes a subtrapezoal central room, slab-covered rooms, and a helical ramp indicating a higher level. A 2007 physico-chemical analysis of a glass pearl from ancient excavations revealed new information about Corsican societies of the second millennium B.C.E.
The monument illustrates the strategic and symbolic importance of the torri in the social and defensive organization of protohistoric Corsica. These structures, often integrated into fortification systems, served as both habitat, storage and territorial checkpoints. Their distribution in the Taravo Valley suggests a dense and organized human occupation during the Bronze Age.
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