Weirdo Island
This piece of land less than a hundred kilometers south of Sicily consists of just a few islands, of which only two are inhabited. It was as if he was deliberately raised from the bottom of the sea to test a person for stress resistance and an ineradicable desire to survive at any cost. Indeed, in Malta there are neither large forests (the Manikata forest is rather a grove), nor natural reservoirs with fresh water.
Yes, the islands have modern cities. Moreover, in the 70s and 80s of the last century, the resorts of Malta were reputed to be among the best in the Mediterranean Sea. But the glory of a tourist paradise is in the past. As well as the amazing ancient civilization that inhabited the archipelago in time immemorial and created structures of incomprehensible purpose, striking both with their cyclopean size and the number of unsolved mysteries. And then, just as unexpectedly sank into oblivion, long before the historians of antiquity were able to record her stay in this world.
There are enough oddities in Malta today. For example, on the facades of some churches, you can find two clock faces: on some the correct time, on others not. Do you know why? And to confuse the unclean!
And yet this cannot be compared with the secrets and mysteries that are literally saturated with prehistoric sights of Malta. Examining them, I wondered over and over again: why have they still not found a worthy reflection on the banknotes of the island republic? After all, you still need to look for more effective advertising to attract tourists to archaeological sites!
No, something, of course, has already appeared on the country's money. For example, the Hypogeum, the holy of holies of the megalithic culture, is the famous underground temple and burial complex. It was accidentally discovered in one of the suburbs of Valletta (capital of Malta) at the end of the 19th century and dates back to 4000 BC. An image of perhaps the most mysterious part of the dungeon was placed in the lower left corner of the long-obsolete Maltese paper pound (lira).
Promotional video:
Malta. 1 pound (lira), 1967-73.
Elements of ancient ornaments were also used in the design of national banknotes of that time (and in 2008 Malta switched to the euro). They, in particular, are decorated with paper banknotes of the 1967 series. These are intricate swirls in the upper right corner of each of the banknotes, hidden under the denomination number. The spirals, according to historians, symbolized the cycle of life in time among the ancient Mediterranean people. At the same time, for inspiration, the artist clearly turned to the stones of the Tarshien temple complex (El Tarjin), which is located not far from the Hypogeum. Today, the originals of the stone blocks are kept in the capital's archaeological museum.
Malta. 5 lire, 1967.
One of the Maltese bargaining chips should also be mentioned, on which a Neolithic altar was even immortalized at one time. The same one with a floral pattern that was found during excavations at Hajar-Im, another megalithic temple complex in Malta. Today it is on display along with the meanders from Tarshien.
Malta. 5 cents, 1972.
And yet, if we consider that before the discovery of Gebekli Tepe in Turkey and the determination of its age at 12 thousand years, it was the megalithic structures of Malta that were considered the most ancient man-made temples on Earth, then such a calm, if not indifferent, attitude to its historical heritage I personally thought it was at least strange.
However, the next year, 2016, the situation changed. The Central Bank of Malta has announced a phased release of the Maltese Prehistoric Complexes commemorative coin series. Since the island republic does not have its own mint, it was decided to mint them in France. Within the framework of the series, it is planned to release seven "two-way vehicles" By the will of fate, the first three of them turned out to be those megaliths, which I now know firsthand. By the way, I visited them in the same sequence as the coins were issued: these are Jgantiya, Hajar-Im and Mnajdra.
Tower of the Giants
So, the first coin “Dzhgantiya” appeared on the Internet auctions in 2016. I well remember the excitement caused by this among the German numismatists, when the coins that were not even put into use were sold out like hot cakes. By the end of the first month of presales (and there were still six months left before the coin went into circulation) the price of this Maltese two-euro coin increased five times against the nominal.
Malta. 2 euros, 2016.
Ggantija translates as "Tower of the Giants". This neolithic structure using the Cyclopean style of masonry, consisting of two temples, is located practically in the center of Gozo - the second largest of the Maltese islands. According to the assurances of scientists, it is one of the oldest (radiocarbon analysis showed about 3600-2500 BC). And, by the way, this is the only prehistoric structure of the archipelago, about the origin of which the descendants of the builders laid a legend. It, of course, features a giant, or rather a giantess named Sansuna. She dragged huge blocks on her head, holding them with one hand. And at the same time, she constantly chewed either magic beans, or bewitched beans. Apparently, this gave her additional strength. She spent the whole day pulling stones in a heap, and it took her all night to implement the Cyclopean project. According to another version, at the time of the construction of the sanctuary, the giantess was pregnant. And the soon born "baby" spent his childhood within the walls of Dzhgantiya.
The coin clearly shows the gigantic stone blocks from which the temple fence is assembled. The height of some of them reaches five and a half meters.
Malta. 2 euros, 2016 (version with colored applique).
In five semicircular apses of both sanctuaries, in the immediate vicinity of the altars, archaeologists have found the bones of sacrificial animals. But it was not possible to find out which deities they were intended for. So far, only theories are put forward on this score and versions are being built. After all, the people unknown to us did not leave behind any written sources. All the more surprising are the assurances of some tourists "advanced" in esotericism, trying to establish places of power among the chaos of stones, as if scattered throughout Ggantia. There, in their opinion, you can improve your health and even completely cure diseases of very specific organs.
However, it should be admitted that the Dzhgantiya complex really makes a strong impression. Even for those who have devoted all their free time to the study of megaliths.
Malta. 2 euros, 2016 (with collectible card).
Well, if you also become imbued with the understanding that we know practically nothing about both its builders and their religious beliefs, then it is easy to feel like the chosen one of fate, who is destined to make another sensational discovery.
Interestingly, on the eve of the coin's release, they tried to attract attention to it at preliminary auctions at online auctions with the image of a banknote, which was not destined to see the light of day. It shows the interior of the oldest land-based sanctuary in Malta. Perhaps this is one of the options for the coin that was rejected. But the layout still lit up on eBay.
Malta. 2 euros, 2016 (non-existent version of the coin).
Just some kind of mysticism
I am sure that even today many people still have heard of the unique rescue operation, which was carried out from 8 to 10 July 2018 in one of the inaccessible caves in the north of Thailand. Millions of people around the world, with bated breath, followed the development of events, praying for the teenagers imprisoned underground and the rescuers coming to help them. In the end, through the efforts of Thai Navy swimmers and professional divers, twelve players of the children's football team and their accompanying coach were rescued from the half-flooded Tham Luang cave. Unfortunately, not without casualties: during the preparation of the operation, one of the volunteer divers died heroically.
Now imagine how the family and rescuers of schoolchildren, who disappeared without a trace even before the war in the dungeons of Malta, must have felt! A note about this tragedy was published in the August 1940 issue of National Geographic. Thirty primary school students, accompanied by two teachers, went to the lowest level of the Hypogeum catacombs.
To prevent the children from getting lost, they were tied with a rope to each other. But as soon as the last of the little cavers descended into the hole (today it is walled up, but it is still located where the portal, depicted on the 1 lira coupon of 1973, leads), a collapse occurred. When it was dismantled, neither schoolchildren nor educators could be found. People seemed to evaporate. True, for several weeks the unfortunate mothers turned to the police with statements that they heard the crying and screams of their children, coming from under the ground …
Well, isn't it mystic! Indeed, despite numerous searches, the missing were never found. After three weeks, the search work was stopped, and the children were declared dead. At the same time, the authorities ordered the bricking up of the passages to all the unexplored dungeons of the island.
Stones for Worship
This is approximately how the name of the Hajar-Im temple complex located on the southern coast of Malta is translated, which, according to experts, is only slightly younger than Jgantia. It is believed that its construction took place between 3600 and 2500 BC. In 2017, two-euro coins were struck with views of this - in every respect - amazing - archaeological site.
Malta. 2 euros, 2017 (color version of the coin).
The builders of Hajar-Ima used globigerin limestone of a pleasant yellowish hue. And on sunny days, despite the fact that this and the neighboring sanctuary are hidden under special sheds, it seems that the megaliths are glowing by themselves. I remember when I looked at the stones, I constantly had to squint. And even in the shade, I barely took off my sunglasses.
Malta. 2 euros, 2017 (with collectible card). The main entrance to Hajar-Im.
By the way, tents over the stones of Malta were pulled relatively recently, only in 2009. On the one hand, they, of course, interfere with inspecting the object. After all, not only the opportunity to enjoy the view of the megaliths against the background of the sea disappears, but the aura of the sanctuary itself is violated. On the other hand, the canopy certainly protects the ancient buildings from the vagaries of nature, which means it prolongs their life and increases the chance for future generations to see the ancient Maltese temples with their own eyes. In addition, the thousand-year-old ruins can now be roamed without an umbrella from the sun, without fear of sunstroke. However, they say that after the final restoration and conservation of archaeological sites - some 15 years later - the protective sheds will still be removed.
Malta. 2 euros, 2017.
Hajar Im continues to keep its secrets that distinguish it from the rest of the Neolithic sanctuaries of the archipelago. And it's not just about the size of the stone blocks and the architectural features of each temple separately. Even if the modern appearance of all the megalithic structures of Malta, without exception, does not correspond to the one in which they appeared before their discoverers in the XIX-XX centuries. And even more so, we do not know how they looked initially. It is enough to look at the engravings and old black-and-white photographs from the excavations to make sure that at least the outer walls of Dzhgantiya, Hajar-Ima, and Mnajdra have already been reconstructed by archaeologists. That often happened and is happening with ancient ruins in other parts of the world.
But among the stones of this sacred complex there are peculiar niches, as if imitating window openings. Researchers consider them to be devices for communicating with soothsayers - oracles, as they were called in ancient times. In addition, “walled up” chambers were discovered, communicating with other rooms of the sanctuaries through circular holes made in the wall blocks. It is assumed that some kind of alms were thrown there. Why this was done and whether all these features of megalithic structures were correctly understood by scientists, we will probably never know.
Malta. 2 euros, 2017 (color version of the coin).
Among the most valuable finds of Hajar-Im are two altars, the likes of which have not been found among other Maltese megaliths. Scientists date their appearance to the last phase of the complex's existence, which is slightly inconsistent with the dating (4000-2500 BC) on a plate from a museum showcase, in which the original of one of them is displayed. By the way, it is this exhibit of the Valletta Museum that is captured on the already mentioned Maltese 5 cent coin in 1972.
Hajar Im is the largest of the megalithic structures in Malta. It was expanded and completed several times. And today historians distinguish four temples, of which the southern one is the best preserved. It was he who decorated the second coin of the series. And he also owns the largest monolith ever used in the construction of the Maltese megalithic structures. In any case, we do not know anything about the larger ones. This giant, built into the facade of the southern temple, is 7 meters long and 3 meters high. And it weighs about 25 tons.
Giant boulder.
Hajar-Im is connected with the neighboring temple complex of Mnajdra by a path about half a kilometer long. It is interesting that in the old days, with the onset of spring, when the rocky slopes around the megaliths were covered with the first still timid flowers, local residents placed poles with birdcages on both sides of this path. The loud chirping of feathered captives on the ground baffled migratory birds returning from their African winter quarters to Europe. And those, to the delight of the islanders, in great numbers fell into trapping nets stretched between the poles. Probably, the distant ancestors of the Maltese practiced similar hunting methods in order to at least slightly diversify the poor island diet.
Mnajdra and astronomy
The Mnajdra temple complex is located on a steep coast overlooking the tiny islet of Filfla. Its modern name literally translates to "species". The complex includes three prehistoric temples that are five and a half millennia old (generally accepted dating). Excavation of structures made up of blocks of coral limestone began in 1840 - just a year after the discovery of the ruins of Hajar Ima. And in 2018, they were immortalized on a commemorative coin.
Malta. 2 euros, 2018.
Scientists continue to speculate about the meaning of Malta's stone buildings. And they try to explain their appearance, among other things, also by the extensive knowledge of the ancient islanders in astronomy. At the same time, they refer to the location of the complexes relative to parts of the world or their similarity with certain constellations. In the case of Mnajdra, they are almost sure that the temple was built taking into account the sunrise on the days of the equinox (March 20 and September 22) and the solstice (June 21 and December 21). Models of buildings in the museum assigned to the archaeological park demonstrate these assurances of historians quite clearly. Moreover, before the appearance of modern protective overlaps above the megalithic structures, the local cultural and historical society "Heritage of Malta" even arranged excursions to the temples on the very days of the equinox and solstice.so that tourists can see with their own eyes the predictability of the play of sunlight on the ancient walls of Mnajdra and Hajar Ima.
For a long time, researchers doubted whether the megalithic temples of the ancient Maltese were originally hidden under canopies or roofs. Currently, the prevailing opinion is that the temples did have roofs.
An ancient petroglyph from Mnajdra depicting a sanctuary with a roof.
The hallmark of the Maltese complexes can be safely considered a kind of "doorways" framed by huge hand-crafted monoliths. The largest of them were used in Tarshien and in the construction of the main entrance to Hajar-Im. This certainly bears witness to the connection between Maltese prehistoric sanctuaries and dolmens and tumulus (domed tombs) scattered throughout Europe. It may well even be that it was they who inspired the builders of megalithic structures in France, Germany and other countries to carry out their own sacred projects. Which, by the way, once again indicates the existence of a global megalithic civilization in ancient times. With renowned centers in almost all parts of the world.
Jersey. 1 pound, 2010.
Venus Paleolithic
The most valuable finds made in the oldest Maltese temples are sculptures of anthropomorphic (humanoid) creatures. They look very strange. They have huge bodies, as if swollen by a terrible disease, and relatively small heads, hands and feet. Researchers consider these figurines to be female, and the hypertrophied bodies are explained by the presence of some mysterious cult among the ancient islanders. Today strange figurines can be seen in almost all museums in the country.
An ancient figurine at the Valletta National Museum of Archeology.
By the way, similar sculptures were also found during excavations in other countries. For example, in the territory of Thessaly (a historical region in the northeast of Greece), as well as in Anatolia (Turkey). This is where the terracotta figurine on the 2010 silver 50 lira Turkish coin, issued in a commemorative set of three coins entitled “Istanbul - European Capital of Culture”, comes from.
Turkey. 50 lire, 2010.
There are many questions to these amazing works of art. For example, not all Maltese puffs can be classified as female. There are enough images where it is difficult to unambiguously determine sex characteristics. One of them in 2006 was captured on a trial version of a Maltese bargaining chip.
Text and photo author: Rolf MEISINGER