Spirits of Stone and Megalith

Corsica's prehistoric monuments—menhirs, dolmens, and especially the unique statue-menhirs with carved faces and weapons—remain active in island consciousness. These aren't mere archaeological artifacts but dwelling places for the Antichi (the Ancient Ones).

The Filitosa Guardians

At Filitosa, statue-menhirs stand in formation, their carved faces weathered but watchful. Local tradition maintains they're warriors turned to stone, guarding against an invasion that hasn't yet come—or has been perpetually arriving for millennia.

The stones demonstrate preferences: - Some accept offerings (flowers, coins, food) - Others repel them (items left disappear or are found violently scattered) - Certain stones heal specific ailments when touched properly - Most unsettling, some speak—not audibly but directly into visitors' minds

Jean-François Cesari, guardian of Filitosa, interviewed 2003: "I've worked here thirty years. I know which stones are safe for tourists to touch, which to rope off. Not from archaeological concerns—from experience. The warrior with the sword throws people who mock him. The faceless one makes pregnant women miscarry if they get too close. But the guardian stone, the one we call U Babbu, he protects. Children who get lost always end up by him, safe, sometimes claiming an old man led them there. There's no old man employed here."

The Speaking Stones

Throughout Corsica, certain rocks possess oracular powers. Unlike mainland standing stones, these often appear ordinary—granite boulders distinguishable only by location and accumulated tradition.

Methods of consultation vary: - Sleeping against the stone brings prophetic dreams - Pouring wine or oil into natural depressions activates responses - Speaking questions at sunset, returning at dawn for answers found in new lichen patterns - Most reliable but dangerous, bleeding onto the stone creates permanent connection

The stones' messages come obliquely: through dream symbolism, through patterns interpretable only by specialists, through synchronicities following consultation. They never lie but often speak truths humans prefer not to hear.