When they talk about megaliths, they immediately recall Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland or Karnak in France, although the most ancient megalithic structures are located on the small Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. They are also notable for the fact that, as a rule, they do not stand apart, but form huge complexes - cromlechs.
Calypso, who lived on the island of Gozo and captivated Odysseus, Roman patricians who spent the summer in Malta, the Apostle Paul, who converted its inhabitants to Christianity, an ecological disaster, Saracens, crusaders, hospitallers, pirates - all this will be later … In the meantime, Malta and Gozo are green islands with countless groves and fields, among which mysterious giant structures rise.
The oldest of the Maltese megaliths - Ggantija - is located in the northeast of the island of Gozo. It was built around 3400-3000 BC. e. (All dates were obtained using radiocarbon analysis, but perhaps someday they will find a better method, and who knows how old these stone giants will be.)
The existence of the megalithic complex Dzhgantiya was discovered in 1826. Unfortunately, the excavations were returned much later, in the middle of the 20th century, when the temple was already badly damaged.
The word Ggantiya means "giant, huge" or "giantess" and is very suitable for the megalith. It consists of two separate temples with different entrances, but a common back wall. The temples have a somewhat concave façade, in front of which is a platform of large stone blocks. The oldest temple in the complex consists of three semicircular rooms arranged in the shape of a trefoil. Scientists believe that this trinity symbolizes the past, present and future, or birth, life and death.
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Hagar Qim dates back to around 3300 BC. e. This name translates as "standing stones", because before the excavations, only the tops of huge boulders were visible above the ground. Some of them are more than five meters high.
This complex is located on the island of Malta, southeast of La Valletta. The skill of the architects of antiquity is striking, who perfectly fitted horizontal and vertical stones to each other. The geometric and mathematical calculations used by the builders are surprisingly accurate. Temples depict the movement of the Sun from sunrise to sunset, and during the equinox, the sun's rays fall directly on the main altar.
In this temple, a terracotta figurine of a complete nude woman was found, called the Maltese Venus. Now this 13-centimeter figurine is in the National Museum of Archeology of Malta.
Hypogeum Gel Saflienė.
The Gal Saflienė hypogeum differs from all other megaliths. The word hypogeum in translation from Greek means “underground”. Indeed, this is a multi-level underground temple, extending 12 meters into the ground. And besides, Gal Saflienė was used as a burial place. The burial places of the priestesses of the ancient cult of the mother goddess, as well as numerous amulets and animal bones were discovered here.
The hypogeum is also interesting in that the walls of its burial chambers are painted with red ocher with a spiral ornament. This ornament symbolizes prosperity and a source of food, the image of a spiral was also associated with the idea of continuing and renewing life.
Tarxien, Malta's largest temple complex, consists of four buildings. It was discovered by accident: workers literally stumbled upon it. It is interesting that people of the Copper Age performed rituals and ceremonies here, and in the Bronze Age the temple was used as a burial place. Several stone balls of different sizes were found at one of the entrances. It is believed that they were intended to transport huge boulders.
During the excavations of Tarxien, archaeologists discovered many ceramics, jewelry, daggers, beautifully decorated vessels, thanks to which this megalith is considered the most beautiful prehistoric monument in Europe.
These are just a few megalithic temples of the Maltese archipelago, and there is also Mnajdra, and Sorrow, and Ta Hagrat, and Bugibba, and Tas-Silj, and how many more are probably not open!..
Nadezhda Nesterenko