Malta: Sacred to the Gods

In the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea  ̶  south of Sicily, north of Libya, and east of Tunisia  ̶   lie the islands of Malta. They make up a small archipelago with a 7,000-year-old history and the stunning physical evidence to prove it.

The first people to arrive on the Maltese Islands were thought to be from southern Sicily, its closest neighbor. It’s easy to question that theory, since the megalithic structures constructed by these Neolithic people and their artifacts unearthed by archaeologists bear no resemblance to the Sicilian culture (at least what’s been discovered so far).

So who were these Neolithic travelers really? Perhaps the mystery will be revealed in our lifetime  ̶ perhaps not  ̶  but needless to say, all who travel to Malta and gaze in wonder at what these ancient peoples created can’t help but be awed by the legacy in stone they left behind.

Considered to be one of the oldest surviving free-standing structures in the world, the Ġgantija megalithic temple site (a local fable alleges a female giant built it) is on Gozo, the second island in the archipelago, and dates from about 3800 BC.  From the artifacts found, it’s possible to deduce that the temple complexes on both Gozo and the main island of Malta were dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility, although the exact nature of their beliefs have so far been veiled by the mists of time.

While Ġgantija is the oldest UNESCO World Heritage site on Malta and the first to be rediscovered in the modern age, it hasn’t yet given up all of its secrets. Continuing excavations constantly unearth new information and will perhaps one day reveal who these people were and their beliefs. Nevertheless, the Maltese have taken care to protect their national treasures, and like all the megalithic sites, it’s well-organized for visitors.

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum on the Island of Malta is the only known example of a subterranean structure surviving from the Bronze Age. Due to its location underground, access is limited and must be arranged in advance of the visit.

It’s a fascinating city of the dead, unlike catacombs found elsewhere. There is a structure with pathways and chambers, and at the center is a large vaulted cathedral-like room – all carved underground. The ceiling in the cathedral is a clear-cut series of ascending carved circles, while paintings of spirals in red ochre decorate the walls and ceiling of the passageways leading to it.

The stones don’t indicate how the area was illuminated, and they don’t show any evidence of smoke or fire from the use of torches. So how did these ancient peoples fashion such intricate and precise architectural details such as columns and arches without light? And what was the room used for? Did they worship or participate in ceremonies in the dark?

Recent evidence has shown that when sound is introduced, possibly from drums or flutes, the room vibrates at a specific tone that’s scientifically known to alter consciousness and send the listener into an altered state of being. Human bones have been unearthed as well as votive figurines of the Fertility Goddess, but the evidence suggests that the bones were unceremoniously heaped there after decomposition was complete, compounding the mystery. 

My schedule didn’t permit visiting all 20 megalithic temples, but I did get to visit Ħaġar Qim (pronounced jar im). The site is extensive and so well-defined that I could almost feel the presence of the people who built and used (worshiped at?) these structures. They are called temples and constructed out of the naturally honey-tinted limestone native to the islands, but again, their purpose is unclear.

Ħaġar Qim was built on the crest of a ridge overlooking the sea to the south and the broad plain to the north that extends over the entire southern end of the island – an effective defensive position more suited to a settlement then a temple site. It’s a mystery why a relatively small population would expend so many manpower resources to build such an extensive temple complex.

The mystery deepens because not more then 500 meters down the hill to the west is another “temple complex” called Mnajdra. Excavations of decorated clay vessels with intricate designs, flint tools, and a representation of a human head fashioned in clay have been unearthed at this site. But so far, there’s no evidence of habitation.

Both sites are currently referred to as an Archeological Park and reached after passing through a museum, where there is an informative video and many artifacts on display. For information, visit www.heritagemalta.org.

Around 2500 BC, construction stopped, and the temple builders mysteriously disappeared. This gave rise to the alternate theory that the islands may have been considered Sacred to the Gods and used only as a center for worship and religious practices for all the prehistoric nations surrounding the islands.

This could account for the number of different temple complexes. Since stone can’t be carbon-dated, we don’t know when the different structures were created, by whom, or over what period of time. There is no evidence of a natural catastrophe that damaged the site. So scientists have speculated that it was abandoned when the religious beliefs of the people changed, or perhaps war or climatic changes forced them to move as happened with so many ancient populations.

Once the temple builders departed, others were eager to take their place. The modern Maltese cultural mosaic is richer for having integrated the diverse influences from cultures like the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Castilians, to the Knights of St John, the French, and finally the British. All have left their mark with monuments and monumental edifices, works of art and religious beliefs, languages (English is the second official language after Maltese which is Semitic in origin), as well as agriculture and cuisine.

For more information, check out: www.visitmalta.com or www.tourism.gov.mt.