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We visited three megalithic temples, some of the oldest structures found anywhere in the world, and a cave which has given scientists an idea of the early animal and human life on Malta.
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On the afternoon we arrived, we didn't have much time to tour. We went to Tarxien Temples, a megalithic structure made around 3000 BC. Ray wanted to visit the nearby Hypogeum, an ancient underground tomb complex, but the number of visitors to it was so limited that it was booked solid for the next two weeks. We'll call ahead next time. |
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Early the next afternoon, we stopped at the cave of Ghar Dalam, which contained thousands of bones of ancient animals, especially hippopotamus. |
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In the museum, there were arrays of bones which had been found in the cave, carefully sorted by type. These were all molars from hippopotamus. Why do you nee virtual reality when you can have a spreadsheet? |
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"Upper Canines" from some creature. |
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Next to the cave, people tilling a field with the container cranes of Pretty Bay in the background. After tourism, container transshipment is Malta's largest industry. |
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We continued to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples which had been closed the previous afternoon. |
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This sign showed us where the "fat lady" sculptures we'd seen earlier in the museum had been found. |
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The Mnajdra temples were similar to the tombs we'd seen in Ireland in 2004. They were both built around the same time (3500 BC), they both featured spiral designs, and they were both aligned with the sun so that it shined on a particular spot during the solstice, and in this case, at each equinox. |
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A scientific instrument, perhaps measuring relative movement of the stones. |
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A fascinating pattern of dots in the rock. Were they counting the months? The number of enemy killed? The village population? Around the temples... |
