Megalithic temples of Malta: description, history and interesting facts. Megalithic temples of Malta: the most ancient megaliths in history

In addition to beautiful beaches and interesting excursions by cities, many tourists are attracted here by the most big mystery these islands are megalithic temples. They are called buildings of prehistoric antiquity, some of which, the best preserved, are recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Megalithic temples Malta was built starting from 5000 BC, and therefore serve as the basis for periodization ancient history the maltese islands.

There are a lot of mysteries and questions around these structures, the main of which is who built these temples and how? They are of enormous size, have stone blocks of incredible weight in their construction, and at the same time they were built without the use of iron tools, and even more so without modern construction equipment. That's why locals, who lived nearby many centuries later, did not believe that they could be built a common person. As a result, many legends appeared about these temples, including those about the giant people who built them.

It is also noteworthy that the megalithic structures in Malta appeared much earlier than in mainland Europe, and also older than the Egyptian pyramids by at least 1000 years. They are considered the oldest surviving buildings on the planet.

Also, as a result of numerous studies, scientists have established a pattern: in the center of each megalithic complex there are graves, and temples have been erected around them at some distance.

A total of 23 megalithic sanctuaries have been discovered in Malta. By our time, many of them are destroyed or dilapidated, but even the remains are impressive in their gigantic size.

Today, only 4 temples remain in relative safety:

1. Ggantija- This is a complex of two temples with different entrances, but a common back wall. It is considered the oldest megalith and is located in the center. The dilapidated facade of Ggantija reaches 6 m in height, its limestone blocks reach 5 m in length and 50 tons in weight. Therefore, during the construction, the principle of masonry was used - the stones are held due to their weight. Inside the structure, places were found for hanging animals before being sacrificed and an altar.
2. - the largest and best preserved megalith, located near the village of Krendi - 15 km southwest of. It stands on a hill and overlooks the sea and Filfla Island. This is a complex of three temples, it stands out among the rest with figures of gods and animals carved on the walls, mysterious spirals. Around Hajar Kim, the courtyard and facade have also been preserved.
3. - This is a complex of three temples, which from a height all together resemble a clover leaf. Mnajdra stands on a steep coast, not far from Hajar Kvim, stroking the same island of Filfa. Its peculiarity is that it is oriented to the sunrise during the equinox and solstice. Here were found figurines, stone and clay, shells, various ornaments, ceramics, flint tools. And just the absence of iron tools speaks of its Neolithic origin.
4. Tarsjen- the most complex and architecturally interesting megalithic building in Malta, consists of 4 temples with numerous altars, altars, which indicates the deep religious beliefs of the ancient Maltese. The lower part has survived to our times. stone statue ancient goddess at the entrance to one of the temples, which was taken to the museum, and a copy of it was left here.

Ggantija is located on the island of Gozo, on the outskirts of the city of Shara. You can get to this island by public transport, for example, by ferry from Chirkevva (buses No. 645, 45 run to Chirkevva), upon arrival, transfer to a bus going through the village of Nadur, where you need to get off. Then follow the signs, the path from the stop to the temple will take 10 minutes.

To get to the Hajar Kwim Temple, you need to take the bus number 138 or number 38 coming from the airport and get off at the Hajar stop. From Hadraj Kwim you have to walk less than a kilometer towards the coast to see the temple of Mnajdra.

The Tarshien temple is located in the city, you can get to it from the central terminal of Valletta by buses No. 29, 27, 13, 12, 11.

The cost of visiting temples varies from €6 to €10.

The reasons for the end of the ancient civilization in Malta remain a mystery to this day. But to the question why many temples were destroyed, there are several assumptions: climate change, land depletion, the wars that were fought here, as well as the use by later local population temple stones in economic activity.

Exploration of megalithic temples does not stop. If you also want to touch the spirit of the ancient civilization in Malta, perhaps make your own observations and simply admire the amazing, mystical work of the ancient Maltese, make a trip to at least one of the temples. Perhaps it is for you that some secret will be revealed here.

The main mystery of the Maltese Islands are megalithic structures. It is believed that these are temple objects, and that they were erected starting from 4500 BC. But, for many centuries, two main destructive forces acted on the islands: the first - the wars did not subside, and the second - the Maltese population, who needed stone for their own purposes, dismantled ancient temples for building material.

And just one example of a war - in 1943, Malta became a springboard for the Allied invasion of Sicily and attacks on Italy. And the Maltese lands were devastated: Malta went through the heaviest bombardment (within 154 days, 6,700 tons of bombs were dropped on it). Another factor: ancient stone slabs were seized not only by ordinary people. They also went to the construction of harbors and forts, the latter were then actively used by the Order of Malta during the Great (Turkish) siege, they also went to the construction or restoration of cities.
If we take into account the third factor - time, then today most of the temple buildings are piles of ruins: randomly scattered blocks of limestone, ruined remains of walls and fences. In total, the remains of 23 temples have been discovered on the islands to date.



There is not a single temple that has survived in its original form to this day. It is believed that only four of all have survived relatively intact - the temples of Jgantiya, Hajar Kvim, Mnajdra and Tarshin. But, in fact, this is not so: in pursuit of tourist attraction they suffered a different sad fate - an illiterate and poor-quality reconstruction, but in fact - a disgusting remake. In the future, this issue will be addressed separately, but for now we have no choice but to get acquainted with their modern characteristics. Ggantija The temples of Ggantija in Shara (Xaghra - "giant") are located in the center of the island of Gozo and are one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Today, the Ggantija temples are believed to have been built around 3600 BC. The structure consists of two separate temples with different entrances, but a common rear wall. Each of the temples has a somewhat concave facade, in front of which is a platform of large stone blocks. The most ancient temple of the complex consists of three semicircular rooms arranged in the shape of a shamrock. Modern scholars believe that such a trinity symbolizes the past, present and future or birth, life and death. Excavations here began in the middle of the nineteenth century. Scientists have so far managed to extract the entire complex from underground, but have not been able to clearly answer the eternal question: why? Another question they have is about the method of construction. Due to the gigantic size of the megaliths, when some of them reach up to 8 m in length and weigh more than 50 tons, the locals believed in the past that the temples were built by giants. All Maltese megalithic temples are created according to the same scheme. All of them are in one architectural style. Scientists believe that it was a unique civilization. But, there is no answer to the question of why and how this civilization disappeared. Remains unsolved mystery, where did the builders of the temples of Malta go. After all, nowhere else on the Mediterranean coast were found traces of their stay, even a short one. Hagar Qim The Hajar Kwim temple is located near the village of Krendi, about 15 km southwest of the capital of Malta - Valletta. Discovered in 1839, Khadzhar Kvim (lit. "prayer stones") is dated ~ 3600-3200 years. BC. The building stands on top of a hill overlooking the sea and the island of Filfla, and is a single complex of 3 temples surrounded by a common massive wall. This megalithic object of antiquity is decorated with carved spirals, animals and idols, all made of obsidian and flint. Giant limestone slabs form a series of ovals placed at the top of the building. Hajar Kwim is the largest and well-preserved temple complex in Malta. It, having the shape of a clover leaf, consists of four or five apses, has a courtyard and a facade. This design is typical of Neolithic temples throughout Malta. Mnajdra
Mnajdra (lit. "view") lies at the foot of the hill on which Hajar Kwim is located, on a steep stretch of coast overlooking the islet of Filfla. The age of the structure dates back to 3.5-3.2 thousand years BC. His three temples are perhaps the best preserved on the island. It is believed to be oriented to sunrise at the equinox (March 20 and September 22) and solstice (June 21 and December 21). The first and supposedly the most old temple(northeast) has a simple three-apse structure. Its construction dates back to 3600-3200 BC, following the construction of Ggantija. The interior walls have been restored, but the small pillars are original. The nearest temple is the largest of all, but the most impressive is still the lower (southwestern) temple of Mnajdra. True, his facade was badly damaged. Artifacts found on Mnajdra include stone and clay figurines, shells and stone ornaments, flint tools and pottery. It is believed that the absence of any metal objects is one of the signs of its Neolithic origin. Tarxien Temples The Tarshin temples (lit. "large stone slabs") are dated to 3600-2500 BC. BC, this complex, which includes four megalithic temples, is the most complex of all the temple buildings in Malta. Numerous altars, carved images of animals and spirals, the remains of altars - all this is believed to indicate a complex set of religious beliefs of the ancient Maltese. Tarxien is much worse preserved today than Ggantija or Hajar Kvim, but despite this, its grandiose ruins still impress visitors. Hypogeum Hal Saflieni Hypogeum The word "hypogeum" in Greek means "under the ground". The Hal Saflini Hypogeum is an underground rock-cut complex used by temple builders, believed to be both a sanctuary and a burial site. It was discovered in 1902 during construction work. Its three subterranean levels date back to the period between about 3600 and 2400 BC. e. This monument is considered one of the main prehistoric monuments in the world. Hypogeum, or underground cave, is a unique monument and a magnificent example of underground architecture. Excavations at this site have yielded rich archaeological material - pottery, human bones, personal adornments such as beads and amulets, figurines and small animal carvings. The hypogeum consists of halls, rooms and passages carved into the rock, and occupying an area of ​​about 500 square meters. m, a total of 33 rooms, niches and chambers. The rooms, carved in stone, vary in size and shape, and are decorated according to various canons of craftsmanship. The complex is located on three levels - the upper level (3600-3300 BC), the middle (3300-3000 BC) and the lower (3150-2500 BC). The deepest room on the lower level is 10.6 meters below the ground. The upper level consists of a large cavity with a central passage and chambers carved into either side. The middle level consists of a variety of chambers with very smooth wall finishes that give the impression of masonry. The Hypogeum is also interesting because the walls of its chambers are painted with red ocher, an ornament in the form of a spiral. It is believed that this ornament symbolizes prosperity and a source of subsistence, the image of a spiral was associated with the idea of ​​continuation and renewal of life. After 2500 BC. it turned into a necropolis, in which the remains of 30 thousand people were found. In the sacred well were found: the accompanying inventory and figurines, in particular, a terracotta figurine of a sleeping priestess. Some of the chambers today are left for subsequent excavations. Ar Dalam (Ghar Dalam) Ar Dalam Cave is a very important historical site, as it was here that the earliest traces of human settlements in Malta were found, dating back about 7400 years ago. The exposition consists of two parts: the cave itself and the museum, which exhibits many remarkable finds, from animal bones to monuments of human material culture. The cave was dug by a river, with the channel turning at right angles. The cave goes 144 meters deep, but only the first 50 meters are open to visitors. In Valletta, the administrative center of Malta, archaeologists have also found a network of underground tunnels. And there are doubts whether it is underground city Order of Malta, whether the ancient plumbing or sewage. For many centuries in Europe it was believed that the Crusader Knights built an underground city on the Mediterranean island of Malta, and among the population there were rumors about the secret passages and military labyrinths of the Order of the Hospitallers. Already in our time, workers found an underground reservoir right under the town square. Near its bottom, at a depth of about 12 m, they also found a hole in the wall - the entrance to the tunnel. It went under the square, and then connected to other channels. An attempt to pass through these corridors was unsuccessful - they were blocked. All found corridors have a high enough vault so that an adult can easily pass there. However, researchers believe that this is only a small part of the once vast plumbing system.

The mysterious Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most popular places vacation travelers from different countries. And it's not just the beaches of Malta or its direct connection with the Knights Templar and their untold riches, it's just that there are grandiose sights historical significance- the oldest megalithic temples and religious shrines. Moreover, all these old buildings shrouded in mystery and many mysteries, the answer to which scientists still cannot unravel. No one knows who built the ancient megalithic temples, with the help of what unknown machines or tools they managed to install such bulks and where did these builders go? From the skilled craftsmen of antiquity, only their sanctuaries remained, well preserved to this day.

Scientists suggest that the civilization of the ancient Maltese builders lived at least seven thousand years ago, had a Neolithic culture and erected gigantic stone structures. The oldest man-made religious objects in Malta are a thousand years older than the famous Egyptian pyramids. Megalithic temples are structures assembled from huge blocks of stone, in shape these sanctuaries look like a blossoming flower, but in fact they are “cromlechs” - circular compositions created by vertical installation of slabs. It is interesting that all the Maltese temples and ancient catacombs were built without the use of cementing mortars, from only partially hand-crafted stones. These blocks of stones reach fifty tons in weight and exceed eight meters in height. Which raises a lot of questions, including: how did the islanders of Malta manage to create a large-scale and grandiose architectural megalithic ensemble with their primitive tools? There are so many mysteries and inconsistencies that some scientists even voice a version about the alien origin of these builders.

A small Mediterranean state that can be traveled in a day, which is very attractive for tourists. In addition, there is very developed infrastructure, allowing you to quickly and easily get to any historical sites. In total, twenty-three ancient megalithic sanctuary temples have been found in Malta to date. But, unfortunately, many of them are poorly preserved, as for centuries, local peasants dismantled their walls for their construction and household needs. That is why the Maltese religious megalithic temples, for the most part, can be seen as ruins, but even those amaze with their size and scope of the builders' ideas. Each ancient sanctuary of Malta was erected in a certain era. But even after the appearance of new temples, people continued to bury people in old buildings. All megalithic buildings Malta was built according to the same principle: in the center there were tombs, around which stood temples. Several megalithic temples have been well preserved to this day: Ggantia, Hagar Kvim, Mnajdra, Tarshien, Mdjarr, Skroba, Khal-Saflieni Hypogeum, Ar Dalam.

The ancient buildings of Malta are majestic and powerful, and even rather rough, but with a romantic touch of millennia, they have a unique look. Unknown builders of the Maltese temples did not make megaliths in any place, their construction and location on the ground had a certain binding. Construction in Malta was carried out in accordance with a certain set of rules, created according to the Chinese doctrine of space harmonization - "Feng Shui", in addition, megalithic sanctuaries hid in their location and binding to the starry sky. In the Mnajdra megalithic complex, all buildings are associated with astronomical phenomena: the winter and summer solstices, as well as the equinoxes.

- are located on the territory of a small Maltese settlement, famous for its beautiful pastoral landscapes, numerous vineyards, farms where natural agricultural products are produced. There are two prehistoric megalithic sights of Malta at once: the Ta’ Hajrat temple complex and the Neolithic Skrob complex. In these places, scientists managed to make a lot of interesting archaeological finds. The temples are small in size, but important in terms of history. These are the oldest buildings on the island of Gozo from the Neolithic period. The ruins of the megalith Ta-Hajrat - "Ta" Hagrat" are dated 3600-3000 BC. A kilometer away is another megalithic complex of Skorba - "Skorba", dated 4400-3000 BC. These structures were found by scientists recently in the sixties Twentieth century Little information has been collected about them, but it is known that in the Neolithic there were located the oldest settlements of Malta.

- was built in the place of today locality Paola, in Malta six thousand years ago. This unique underground religious sanctuary is the oldest temple in the world. Fortunately for contemporaries, it is well preserved. But in order for the temple complex to stand further, the number of people visiting it with excursions is strictly limited. On the day of Hypogeum Khal-Saflieni, no more than eighty tourists can see. That is why travelers planning to book this excursion to the Hypogeum well in advance. The hypogees, like other megalithic Maltese temples, were built to last for centuries, and to ensure this safety, the sanctuaries were built underground. In terms of functionality, this is more likely not a temple complex, but a necropolis - a centuries-old tomb for local residents. Khal-Saflieni temple has many corridors, grottoes, rooms, they are divided into three tiers. There are more than thirty halls, chambers, niches of various sizes and shapes, and the deepest room of the lower tier is a corridor that goes ten meters underground. The walls of the mid-level rooms are very smooth, scientists have suggested that this is masonry. In addition, they were interested in the ornament that adorns all the halls of the complex, made of red ocher: these are patterns in the form of a spiral - a symbol of prosperity and the infinity of life. total area Hypogeum - four hundred and eighty square meters. Over the centuries, about thirty thousand people were buried here. Hypogeum Khal-Saflieni was discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was immediately called the most an unusual pattern underground architecture of Malta. During excavations, scientists discovered unique archaeological finds: bones, ceramics, stone and wooden figurines of animals, miniature figurines, women's jewelry - all this turned the idea of ​​modern people about the Maltese islanders of antiquity. Excavations of the Khal-Saflieni Hypogeum Cave are still ongoing, constantly delighting archaeologists with new finds.

- located on the island of Gozo. This is the oldest megalithic sanctuary, consisting of two temples. Ggantija is similar in shape to a clover leaf, which symbolizes the cult of fertility, as evidenced by the figurines discovered by scientists during excavations. From the largest temple, only six-meter ruins of the facade remained, but they also testify to the former greatness of the megalith in old times. Especially if you take into account the fact that such religious objects were built in the conditions of the Stone Age. The temple has a cyclopean masonry, that is, when the stones are held under their own weight. Here you can see the altar and sacred places-altars, above them animals brought as a gift to the gods were hung up, letting them bleed. There are recessed baths at the entrance to the temple so that parishioners can wash their feet before entering the sanctuary. With another temple, it is united by one common wall. Temples are fenced with large stones, many of which weigh at least fifty tons. The ancient megalithic sanctuary of Ggantija was discovered in the nineteenth century.

- the largest and well-preserved religious complex of Malta, located fifteen kilometers from the country's capital - Valletta. This spacious sanctuary on a hill, consists of three temples, enclosed by stones. Scientists have found on the top of the hill oval limestone slabs decorated with elegant ornaments, as well as figurines - animal figurines and idols-gods made of silicon. This megalith of Malta, like many others, has the shape of a clover leaf, which means that it is dedicated to the cult of fertility. Much to the surprise of archaeologists, the temple of Hajar Kvim has survived to this day almost in its original form.

- it consists of three temples and is deservedly considered the best example of ancient Maltese architecture. Many thousands of years ago, next to the entrance to this sanctuary, there was a statue of an ancient locally revered goddess. This statue was about three meters high, today only the lower part of it remains - bare feet and part of a pleated skirt, but this is a copy, and the original is in the museum capital city Valletta. The Tarsjen megalithic complex is the most complex architectural object, despite the fact that it is poorly preserved, it invariably impresses travelers who come to Malta with the refined craftsmanship and talent of ancient architects: mysterious cromlechs have ideal and verified details. The lower temple of the megalithic complex tells us that the Maltese builders had ideas about astronomical phenomena: since every year in September and March, the sun's rays move along the same verified trajectory. The temple has a stone altar, which is decorated with a spiral pattern. There is a hole in the altar, in which archaeologists managed to find the bones of sacrificial animals and a special ritual knife. In addition, scientists found a large bowl in the temple, which was carved from a huge stone slab, but its purpose remained unknown. All these finds made it possible to argue that the Maltese had a whole complex set of religious beliefs many thousands of years ago.

- a giant network of tunnels with traces of human settlements, located on the islands of the Maltese archipelago. This find to this day excites the minds of historians who say that this is most likely an underground city of the knights of the Order of Malta, who created secret labyrinths and passages in the thickness of the earth. Other scientists say that this is an ancient sewer of an unknown civilization of the builders of the Maltese megaliths. This find raises a lot of questions and assumptions, but there is not a single exact answer.

Getting acquainted with a large number of megalithic temple buildings in Malta, the thought involuntarily arises that many millennia ago there was the largest religious center ancient world where pilgrims arrived from other countries and islands of the Mediterranean. Megalithic temples performed not only a spiritual function, but also had the role of administrative, medical, financial and public institutions. For scientists, it is still a mystery - the end of the ancient Maltese civilization, but they were able to establish an approximate date - 2300 BC. The reasons for the disappearance of the great Maltese builders have not yet been found, there are no traces of destructive epidemics, no traces of war, no traces of natural disasters, these people simply disappeared somewhere, leaving only megaliths reminiscent of their existence. These ancient temples of Malta will forever be the greatest monument world cultural heritage. In 1980, the megalithic sanctuaries were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

For tourists planning a trip to Malta and acquaintance with megaliths, it is necessary to book an excursion in advance. approximate price- one hundred and twenty dollars per person. Near all listed ancient religious buildings There are museums in Malta, where there are interactive screens, all archaeological finds are shown there, there are models of megaliths, and guides will tell a lot of interesting things about these ancient structures of the planet.

Thanks to a group of prehistoric places of worship, with ceramics and other artifacts found in them, there was a basis for the periodization of history. Ancient Malta. There are more than 20 temple complexes in total, and one of them is Ggantija, built in 3600 BC. e., on the island of Gozo. It is considered the oldest man-made structure on Earth and is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Megalithic Temples of Malta

Ancient buildings of Malta

Temples, observatories and catacombs located in the Maltese archipelago are among the most mysterious places on our planet. But who built them and for what purpose is unknown. Even Egyptian pyramids were built 1,000 years later. Archaeologists, during excavations, found that the age of this mysterious civilization in Malta about 8 thousand years.

Note! Some megalithic temples were created in the "epoch of temple builders", between the middle of the 4th millennium BC. e. and the end of the III millennium BC. e.

Limestone was used to build megaliths. At a later time, local peasants dismantled the walls of temples for their own needs. Therefore, only ruins remained of many of them.

Ancient megaliths of Malta

Megalithic temples of Malta, features of buildings and mysteries

The entire island is crossed by large and sometimes quite deep ruts, resembling tracks from cart wheels. The distance between them, on average, is 1.4 m. The carts that were used on the island until the 20th century had the same width. But nowhere have even small parts or details of ancient wheels, either metal or wooden, been found.

A version has been put forward that since the tracks are stretched to the temples, therefore, all these blocks of limestone were delivered along them. And for sure, balls from the same stone, 60-70 cm in diameter, served as a kind of bearings when moving the plates. However, many researchers do not agree with this statement, since the cross-sectional view of most of the furrows, even at the present time, looks more like a trough than a semicircle, which is characteristic of the remaining trace from the movement of the ball.

All the megalithic temples of Malta have been studied for a long time, but scientists still cannot accurately determine the origin of the temples built in the Bronze Age. Their construction did not require iron tools and all complexes were built separately. In the construction of megaliths, one principle was used - there was a burial in the middle and all buildings were built in a circle.

The weight of most stone blocks reached several tons. How they were moved in antiquity remains a mystery, since even today it is considered a difficult technical task. Due to the huge size of the religious buildings, the locals believed that they were created by the ancient giants.

Important! Around 2000 BC. e. traces of a civilization that left behind huge megaliths disappear.

How many megaliths are in Malta

There are 23 ancient megalithic structures in the Maltese archipelago. The design of each of them is unique and they are all just gigantic. There are a lot of rocks on the coast, different in size and shape. Some of them have grottoes and caves that go deep underground. There are even several underground temples.

Half-Saflieni - underground temple

Famous megaliths include:

• Khal-Saflieni, the Hekatei (Hypogeum) Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the ceramics of the Ghar-Dalam period, discovered in it, it was possible to determine the estimated age - 4,000 BC. e. Presumably, the temple is dedicated to the cult of Birth and Death. There are 34 rooms on three levels, connected by small tunnels. The total area is 500 m². On the second level is the Oracle Chamber. There is a small niche in it at the level of a person’s face, if you say something in a low voice into it, it will spread throughout the dungeon. The intelligible "echo" does not respond to a female or child's voice. In 1940, a group of schoolchildren with a teacher disappeared in the hypogea. Almost immediately, a collapse occurred in that tunnel. Rescuers who arrived at the crash site managed to find only a piece of a safety rope.
• Ggantija or "Tower of the Giants". In fact, these are two temples, the ruined facade of the larger one is about 6 m high. In its construction, “cyclopean masonry” was used, the stones are firmly held in the walls due to their impressive weight. Next to it, you can easily find a place where sacrificed animals were hung up and a special recess for washing the feet. Inside one of the sanctuaries is an ancient altar, with a niche in which the deities once stood and a hole into which the blood of the victim flowed. The fence surrounding the temples consists of huge stones weighing up to 50 tons, which causes ongoing debate among scientists about the origin of the megalith.

"Tower of the Giants"

• Temples of Mnajdra. There are three in total. Images of temples are placed on coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5 euro cents. These religious buildings, adjacent to each other, are surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape. Each of them has its own entrance. The southern building has survived the most, its façade is less damaged and there is even a bench. On the walls there are decorations in the form of carved spiral figures and special dotted lines. There is a special opening for the oracle and an altar with an hourglass-shaped pedestal.

Temples of Mnajdra

Newer temples are templar structures

At a later time, several dozen more temples were built, which are also classified as megalithic structures. Mysterious ancient people who built them was called the templars.

Most famous structures Templars in Malta:

• Tarxien. The hardest place of worship, consists of four ancient buildings. It is attributed to 3600-2500 years. BC e. In ancient times, a three-meter statue of the goddess stood at its entrance, but only the lower part of the sculpture has survived to this day - the legs and part of the skirt. The original is stored in the Valletta Museum, a copy is installed near the temple. There is a recess in the altar, in which scientists found a ritual knife and bones of sacrificial animals. The building, built by ancient architects, invariably delights tourists and researchers. They also look with interest at a huge bowl carved from a stone slab, the purpose of which has remained unknown.

Megalith Tarxien reconstructed in 1956

• Hagar Quim. (3300 BC) The temple is also called "Standing Stones". This is due to the fact that before the start of the excavations, only the tops of the rocks were visible from the ground, the height of which, as it turned out during archaeological work, reached 5 m. All the buildings of the complex are oriented to the sun in such a way that during the equinox the light falls on the altar.
• Temples of Sorrow and Ta'Hajrat. They were discovered by the standards of history quite recently, in the early sixties of the last century. Despite the fact that these relatively small structures with a non-standard layout have come down to us in a heavily destroyed form, a number of valuable early Neolithic artifacts have been found near them. Megalith Skorba is dated 4400 BC. e., the temple of Ta'Hajrat - 3600-3000 years. BC e.

Hagar Kwim opened in 1839

History of the Templars

The Templar civilization existed on the islands of Malta and Gozo between 4000 and 2400 BC. BC e. Over the entire period, they built more than 30 places of worship. The development of society took place in complete isolation, therefore, there were more and more differences in religious beliefs, traditions and customs. In the megalithic temples of Malta, they carried out ritual burials, decorated them big amount statues. As a result of the isotopic study of the remains, it was found that people ate meat and vegetables. There was almost no seafood in their diet.

What happened to these people next - whether people became victims of the conquerors or, perhaps, moved to more fertile regions of the planet, is unknown. The message about the cataclysm that happened did not reach our contemporaries. It has been established that the builders of megalithic structures did not become victims of terrible diseases, there were no epidemics at that time, but they completely disappeared in a period close to 2900 BC. e. and did not leave any documents or other sources with the help of which one could find out their secret.

Note!"Maltese Templar" is not a Templar at all . These religious figures will arrive on the islands much later. And they will also build temples, but only for more modern technologies and practice the Christian religion.

Excursions to the megaliths and to the buildings of the templars

Malta can certainly be called a small state. Therefore, it does not take much time to get to the right place. Although tourists planning to explore any local attraction , tour must be booked in advance. The megalithic temples of Malta have made the island of Malta very significant in the history of the whole world. Not far from the ancient structures there are museums, interactive screens, a map that show valuable finds and relics. Professional guides tell visitors about recent scientific discoveries related to the history of the island.

The huge number of megaliths suggests that in ancient times Malta was the largest religious center the entire Mediterranean. Temples performed not only religious tasks, but also administrative ones. They treated the sick and buried the dead. These are monuments importance for our entire civilization. Megalithic sanctuaries are under protection since they were listed in 1980 world heritage UNESCO.

Among other merits to history, the Maltese archipelago is famous all over the world for the fact that the most ancient man-made buildings on Earth are located here. These are megalithic temples.

A person who first encountered such prehistoric monuments involuntarily raises a number of questions: what kind of temples are they, how many of them, where are they located, for what purpose were they built? Let's start with the basics, what is a megalith in general? In fact, this is any religious building made of huge unprocessed or semi-processed stone blocks, which include dolmens (a burial box covered with a massive flat slab), menhirs (free-standing stones) and cromlechs (circular fences). Maltese megaliths are cromlechs. The most famous cromlechs on the planet are Stonehenge (England) and Karnak (France, not to be confused with the Egyptian temple complex), but the Maltese buildings are older, in addition, they are distinguished by "accuracy" - more than twenty temple complexes are located on an area comparable to a small European city .

What unites them? - material, design features (for example, an entrance form), in many cases the architectural form is similar, resembling flower petals. Some temples are quite primitive, probably not all the details have survived to this day, while others, on the contrary, have a special ornament and are decorated with carvings, for example - Tarshine. In principle, it has not been reliably established that these structures served specifically for worship, but you need to know the Maltese at least a little to understand that they will give everything to the last for the construction of the temple, even if they themselves remain in poverty. This tradition probably goes back to the time of the first settlers.

A separate item in the study of megaliths is the method of building temples. The fact is that all the structures were erected from stone blocks, the size of which reaches 8 meters in length, and the weight is tens of tons. It remains a mystery to this day how people of that era, who knew only primitive tools, could create entire complexes of buildings from such a large building material. However, many are inclined to believe that the legend is true, according to which the temples were built by a different the human race, giant people. Well, sometimes, looking at the majestic walls of the Maltese megaliths, you yourself are convinced of the groundlessness of this hypothesis.

However, there is a version that the ancient builders developed a whole technology. First, a hole was dug under the foundation of the temple with one vertical side and the other, opposite, sloping. The pit was reinforced from the vertical side with logs. Then large stones were rolled up on rollers, they were rolled onto an inclined plane and after that, with the help of primitive levers and winches, they were dragged into the pit. The laying of the block in the desired position proceeded slowly, by centimeters. But in the end, the stone lay down as it should. After the foundation, people began the construction of the above-ground part of the temple, also with the help of winches and scaffolding.

The age of all structures dates back to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic eras (4000-2000 BC). The oldest surviving temple - Ggantija on the island of Gozo - was built approximately in 3600 BC, that is, somewhere 1000 years earlier than the Egyptian pyramids. Ggantija is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest man-made structure on the planet. The rest of the temples of Malta, although less ancient, also have enduring historical value. On the territory of many of them, unique ancient monuments, sculptures, paintings, etc. were found. Many of the finds adorn the exposition of the Maltese Museum of Archeology.

At the moment, many megaliths are open to visit in Malta in almost all parts of the archipelago. Usually temples are united in complexes, that is, two or three structures are hidden behind one name. Here are the most famous of them:

Ggantija

3600 BC, 2 temples
Xaghra city, northeast Gozo
Discovered in 1826

Located on the island of Gozo near the town of Xaghra. They are about 5600 years old, this age has not been "beaten" by any other building in the world, even the famous Egyptian pyramids, it is not without reason that Ggantija is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Built from such huge blocks of stone that the assumption is increasingly heard that the builders were not people at all, but some giants (hence the consonant name of the buildings), they (the temples) form two courtyards, each of which has the shape of a shamrock. Two types of stone were used - soft "tal-franca" for interiors and hard "tal-kuavvi" for walls.
Its forms are symbolic - the shamrock meant fertility, the spiral meant life, the winding lines meant renewed life.

Mnajdra

3000-3500 BC, 2 large temples and 1 small
South of Malta
Discovered in 1840

The ruins of the temple lie at the foot of the hill on which Hajar Im is located. The shape of a trefoil is also observed here. The most impressive building in the complex is the third temple, with its best-preserved façade and terrace built between 3150 and 2500 BC. The stonework shows an excellent knowledge of building technique, and the concave, corbel-supported form of the walls indicates the possibility of a domed structure such as a roof.
Another temple has a specific astronomical purpose. On the days of the Equinox, March 20th and September 22nd, the rays of the sun pass right through the main gate of the temple and illuminate the main axis. During the summer solstice (June 21st), the rays of the sun illuminate the edge of the megalith to the left of the main gate, connecting the first pair of rooms with the interior.
At the winter solstice (December 21st) the same effect can be seen on the corresponding megalith on the right.
On Friday, April 13, 2001, on the eve of Easter, the temples of Mnajdra were damaged by unknown vandals. About 60 boulders that made up the buildings were moved and broken.

Hagar Im (Hagar Qim)

2700 BC, more than 2 temples
South of Malta
Discovered in 1839

This mega stone temple complex is adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and prophetic chambers, all made of obsidian and flint, without the use of any tool. Giant limestone slabs form a series of ovals placed at the top of the building, which some archaeologists compare in age to statuettes of the Mother Goddess. The view of the Mediterranean and the nearby island of Filfla is one of the best in Malta. Hajar Kim and its neighbor, the Mnajdra temple, are located near the village of Krendi, about 15 km southwest of Valletta.
Several statues are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Valletta.

Tarxien

2100-2800 BC, 4 temples
City of the same name, northeast Malta
Discovered in 1913

The Tarshin megaliths were discovered by peasants cultivating fields near the town of the same name. The peasants informed the then director of the Maltese Museums, Sir Themistocles Zammit, about their find - large blocks of worked stone. The southern temple is famous for its elaborate prehistoric bas-reliefs depicting domestic animals and geometric figures. On the wall between the South and Central temples, carvings of two bulls and a sow with piglets, a symbol of fertility, were found. One of the Maltese goddesses of fertility also originates from here: in front of the temples, the lower part of a four-meter statue depicting a very obese female person is installed. Apparently, the temples of Tarshin were intensively used by ancient people for religious ceremonies - animal bones, a bowl for sacrificial blood carved in stone and a kind of flint knife, as well as a decorated altar found in the South Temple, testify to frequent sacrifices. After some time, the megaliths lost their significance as temples and in Bronze Age began to be used mainly as a place of cremation and burial of people.

Sorrow (Skorba)

3000 BC, remains of several temples
City of Zebbiegh, west of Malta
Discovered in the 1960s

The complex includes two temples. The remains of the temples indicate that their shape was also in the form of a shamrock. Skorba was built on the site of an ancient settlement, archaeologists have discovered many huts to the west of the temple. In one of these huts, 11 coral limestone handmills were found dating from 3600-3200 BC. Slate and obsidian have also been found.

Ta "Hajrat (Ta" Hagrat)

3600-3000 BC, remains of two temples
City of Mgarr, west of Malta
Discovered in 1923-37

It is located just a kilometer from Skorba. As happened with many of the island's temples, Ta-Hajrat was discovered by accident. In 1916, residents noticed an unusual mound of stones. And the owner of this land even tried to use some stones to build his house.
Behind the gates, impressive in size, there is a corridor, on the sides of which there are huge columns made of coral limestone (almost all temple complexes), three on each side, on which stone slabs are installed as partitions. The corridor is paved with large stone blocks laid with great precision. He leads to central courtyard with three semicircular rooms. On the walls of the apses, traces of cantilevered masonry are visible, indicating that the temple may have been covered with a roof.

Tal-Adi

3000-3300 BC, remains of several temples
North of Malta northwest of the city Burmarrad
Discovered in 1927

Tas-Silg (Tas-Silg)

3000-3300 BC, the remains of one megalithic temple and some other buildings from different eras of antiquity.
East of Malta, near the city of Marsaxlokk
Discovered in 1963-72

The temple was constantly rebuilt either by the Phoenicians, or by Catholics, possibly by Christians. On the east side, the wall is interrupted by a threshold block with 3 holes. In the western part there is a concave masonry, which can be the foundation of the building. These two features may indicate that the monument may have had 2 entrances opposite each other. A statue of a "fat woman" was also found, which was deliberately mutilated and hidden in a recess under one of the facade blocks.
The complex is usually closed to the public, but you can ask for permission to view the monument from the Malta Cultural Authority "Heritage of Malta".

Bugibba (Bugibba)

Neolithic temple
The north of Malta, the city of Bugibba, is located on the territory of the New Dolmen Hotel
Discovered in 1928