The megalithic temples of Malta and Gozo hold a prestigious position as some of the world’s oldest standing structures. Their construction began around 3500 BCE, which is a remarkable architectural achievement considering the limited availability of resources and the absence of metal tools at that time. While our knowledge of the daily lives of the builders prior to their vanishing in 2500 BCE remains limited, the temples they left behind provide valuable insights into the evolution of their artistic style and offer glimpses into their religious customs and beliefs.
The Early Neolithic Period: Unveiling Malta’s Prehistoric Phases
The Early Neolithic Period on Malta witnessed the emergence of distinct phases that shed light on the island’s ancient history.
Għar Dalam Phase: Traces of Malta’s Earliest Settlers
The Għar Dalam Phase, spanning from 5200 to 4500 BCE, takes its name from the remarkable Għar Dalam Cave. Discovered during excavations of the Skorba sites near Mġarr from 1961 to 1963 CE, this cave revealed human and animal remains, pottery fragments, stone tools, and other artifacts. Located beneath two later temples, one from the Ġgantija Phase and the other from the Tarxien Phase, the Għar Dalam pottery exhibited striking similarities to the Stentinello impressed ware pottery found in Sicily, supporting the belief that the initial inhabitants of Malta arrived by boat from Sicily.
The First Settlers: A Community of Farmers
The evidence suggests that the first settlers on Malta were primarily a community of farmers. Radiocarbon dating analysis of pottery fragments led to the recognition of the Grey Skorba Phase and the Red Skorba Phase. The Grey Skorba Phase, characterized by dark grey clay with white particles, witnessed the use of sickle blades, domesticated animal bones, and remnants of wheat and barley—a testament to agricultural practices. Additionally, carved limestone rocks, potentially used as slingshot ammunition, indicated that hunting was also part of their lifestyle. Excavations revealed the remains of oval-shaped houses with pebble and earthen floors, mirroring similar domestic settings found on the nearby island of Gozo. Notably, figurines depicting women, dating to the Red Skorba Phase, were also discovered.
The Temple Period: Unraveling the Magnificence of Malta’s Megalithic Temples
The Temple Period of Malta witnessed the construction of awe-inspiring megalithic temples across the islands of Malta and Gozo. These temples, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, provide a captivating glimpse into Malta’s ancient past.
H3: Żebbuġ and Mġarr Phases: Tracing the Evolution of Temple Construction
The Temple Period is divided into five phases, with the Żebbuġ Phase (4100-3800 BCE) and Mġarr Phase (3800-3600 BCE) marking significant milestones in the development of temple architecture. The Żebbuġ Phase witnessed the transition from rock-cut tombs, standing stones, and small shrines to the grand temples that define the later phases. Notable discoveries from this period include the Ta’ Trapna tombs near Żebbuġ, where human remains, bone and seashell ornaments, pottery fragments, and traces of red ochre paint were found. The Żebbuġ pottery displayed incised lines as decorative elements, often depicting simple shapes like semicircles and triangles. Similar pottery findings were also unearthed at the Xagħra Stone Circle site.
The Ġgantija Phase
The oldest temples in Malta can be dated to the Ġgantija Phase. The best-known temple site from this period is the Ġgantija Temples on the Xagħra Plateau, Gozo. There was extensive restoration work done on the temples in the 2000s CE, and in 2013 CE the complex was opened as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The biggest, oldest, and best-preserved of the two temples that make up the Ġgantija complex is the South Temple, built c. 3600 BCE.
Architecture and Rituals of the Ġgantija Temples
Generally, the architectural structure of these megalithic temples was that of an oval forecourt, which led onto a corridor made up of trilithons. This corridor then led onto an open space with apses built off the sides. The number of apses varied; if there were many, a second trilithon passage was built to accommodate them. This is the case in the South Temple whose five apses are separated by a second corridor. Discoveries of altars and animal remains suggest that the site was used for rituals likely involving animal sacrifices. Other impressive artifacts include a fragment of a beautiful bowl with a repeated pattern of birds incised into it and jewelry in the form of beads, pendants, and buttons made of stone, bone, and seashells.
Other Temples from the Ġgantija Phase
Another temple of note from the Ġgantija phase is the main temple of the Ħaġar Qim site on Malta. First uncovered in 1839 CE by J. G Vance and then excavated further by Themistocles Zammit in 1909 CE, this temple has a paved central area of smooth stone slabs leading onto an original four apses, though more rooms were added later on in the temple’s construction. As suggested by the archaeologist David H. Trump, the right apse was likely used as an enclosure for sacrificial animals, and the animal bones discovered at the site also point towards animal sacrifice being a likely use for the temple. Similarly to the Ġgantija complex, altars were also found at the Ħaġar Qim temple – most striking of all being the one discovered close to the trilithon entrance with plant decoration in relief. The northern temple of the Ħaġar Qim complex is much older than the main temple and has five apses.
The Saflieni Phase
The Saflieni Phase takes its name from the intricate underground burial complexes of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, the biggest hypogeum in Malta, made up of three levels cut into a limestone hill. The first level of the temple is composed of burial chambers cut into the side of a crater made at the top of the hill. The middle and lowest levels were then built down into the hill over time, with the lowest level being 10.6 meters (35 ft) below today’s ground level. Found at this site were the remains of approximately 7000 individuals, with some of the bones being lavishly covered in red ochre. This practice suggests a burial ritual where the mourners painted the bones red to symbolize the blood of life. The dead were buried together with some personal belongings and offerings including pendants and painted pottery, as well as figurines of so-called ‘fat-ladies’ and animals.
Architecture and Art of the Saflieni Hypogeum
The decoration inside the hypogeum is that of wall paintings of spirals and honeycomb designs in the same red ochre paint found on the bones. A small nook in the wall was also found that creates echoes, which would have been powerful and haunting background noise to the burial rites. Some of the doorways are made to look like the trilithon entrances found in the temples above ground, showing that the hypogeum may have had a religious significance.
The Ta’ Ħaġrat Temple
The minor temple from the Ta’ Ħaġrat complex is also dated to the Saflieni phase. This 6.5-meter (21 ft) long temple is much smaller than the temple from the Ġgantija Phase and is built using smaller stones. The temple can be entered from the eastern apse of the major temple and contains an oracle apse as part of its design.
The Tarxien Phase
The Tarxien Phase marks the golden age of temple building on Malta and is characterized by intricate decoration, including spiral designs, and well-polished pottery. The most impressive temple complex is the Tarxien Temples themselves. This group of four temples, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was discovered in 1913 CE by a local farmer before being excavatedby Sir Themistocles Zammit in the following few years. The site was then restored in 1956 CE. Three out of the four temples found at Tarxien are dated to the Tarxien Phase (3000-2500 BCE) and the fourth one, which is in worse condition, can be dated to the Ġgantija Phase. The architectural structure of these temples is the same as the apse design used in the Ġgantija temples, though the Central Tarxien Temple is unique in its six-apse plan; four of these apses are placed after the first corridor and another two are separated by a second corridor.
The Significance of the Tarxien Temple Complex
The Tarxien Temple Complex in Malta provides valuable insights into the religious practices and construction techniques of the prehistoric population.
H3: Ritual Practices and Artistic Expressions
The discovery of altars and animal carvings on the stone walls suggests that animal sacrifice was one of the purposes of the Tarxien temples. Notably, a relief depicting a bull and sow was found in a chamber between the Central and South Temples. Impressive artifacts, including a large ‘mother goddess’ statue with a pleated skirt and a stone slab depicting a procession of 22 goats, were discovered in the South Temple.
Construction Techniques and Stone Spheres
The Tarxien Temples offer insights into the construction methods employed for the megalithic temples in Malta and Gozo. The presence of stone spheres outside the South Temple suggests that the builders used these spheres to roll the massive limestone slabs, as the wheel had not yet been invented. Similar stone spheres were found near the northern temple of the Ħaġar Qim complex, indicating the widespread use of this technique during the temple building phases.
The Mnajdra Complex and Astronomical Alignment
The south temple of the Mnajdra complex, which belongs to the early Tarxien Phase, showcases the technological achievements of Malta’s prehistoric population. Situated near the Ħaġar Qim site, the temples were initially excavated in the 19th and 20th centuries. The south temple features a two trilithon passage design and is astronomically aligned. Sunlight illuminates the second passageway and the two megaliths on either side during the equinoxes and solstices. The purposeful nature of this alignment remains uncertain due to the lack of written evidence, although scholars such as Frank Ventura and George Agius have suggested its significance.
Shared Forecourt and Temporal Phases
The south temple of the Mnajdra site shares an oval forecourt with two other temples. One of these temples was constructed much earlier during the Ġgantija Phase, while the other was built later in the Tarxien Phase. This spatial arrangement provides insights into the temporal development and coexistence of different temple construction phases.
