The Temple Builders

The society of the temple builders appears to have thrived in Malta into the early Bronze Age which began around 2, BC , but their numbers seem to have diminished considerably during this period.

The Phoenicians arrived around BC and re-colonised the Maltese islands. It is noteworthy that nothing similar to the Maltese temples has been discovered in Sicily itself, even in the south-eastern region around Stentinello. It appears as if the Maltese temple-building culture represented a singular moment in the development of neolithic culture and technology in a relatively isolated environment.

So far as we know, Sicily's own Proto-Sicanians developed nothing nearly so sophisticated, and the later Sicanians, about whom precious little is known, were doubtless influenced by other Mediterranean cultures to some degree. Another point not to be overlooked is that before people began building actual stone structures they lived in caves or perhaps in very primitive wooden shelters. This was true of farmers as well as hunter-gatherers.

The construction of megalithic and subterranean habitats, whether for worship, burial or habitation, represented a quantum leap in human development because it meant that we could finally begin to control our environment.

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That this was accomplished without the use of metals or other technology is all the more remarkable. The intellectual process behind such development was, for its time, every bit as important as our modern inventions. It required ingenuity, planning and, most of all, cooperation.

More artwork and sculptures appear at the Tarxien temples to provide some clues regarding the interests of the temple builders, what the temples represent and how they were built. Highly decorated stone blocks, reliefs of spirals and domestic animals, the bottom half of a colossal skirted figure, and stone spheres are among the finds.

The spheres may have served as rollers for the megaliths, and the temples show evidence of arched roofing. Archeologists have also found a flint knife and animal bones. It is hewn in rock three stories below ground and beautifully carved imitating architectural elements found in above-ground temples.

It contains paintings in red ochre — they are the oldest and only prehistoric paintings on the Maltese Islands. Remains date from 4, BC until 2, BC. There are several other temple fragments that lie scattered across the islands.

While some structures have survived in reasonably good condition, less is known about them due to lost excavation records or human manipulation before they were investigated. The Bugibba Temple, surviving on the grounds of the New Dolmen hotel in Qawra, serves as evidence that all parts of the island were used by the temple builders.

These massive human-made stone structures defy all present understanding of the technology we assume of those times.

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The external walls are usually constructed in larger blocks set alternately face out and edge out, tying the wall securely into the rest of the building. The space between the external wall and the walls of the inner chambers is filled with stones and earth, binding the whole structure together. The interiors of the buildings are formed of semi-circular chambers usually referred to as apses, symmetrically arranged on either side of the main axis. The number of apses varies from building to building; some have three apses opening off the central court, whilst others have successive courts with four, five, and in one case even six apses.

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The temple builders used locally available stone of which they had a thorough knowledge. They used hard coralline limestone for external walls and the softer globigerina limestone for the more sheltered interiors and decorated elements. Decorated features found within the buildings bear witness to a high level of craftsmanship. These elements consist mainly of panels decorated with drilled holes and bas-relief panels depicting spiral motifs, trees, plants and various animals.

The form and layout of these buildings, as well as the artefacts found within them, suggest they were an important ritual focus of a highly organized society. The Megalithic Temples of Malta are remarkable not only because of their originality, complexity and striking massive proportions, but also because of the considerable technical skill required in their construction. All six components of the property are in a reasonably good state of conservation, although the Tarxien complex is less well preserved than the others.

All their key attributes are within the boundaries of the property. Surviving vestiges attest to the techniques used in the building of these complex structures, and the knowledge and skill of the people who built them. However, the structures are vulnerable to both material and structural deterioration, so research continues to be conducted to identify preservation strategies for the buildings. The six components of the property have a high level of authenticity. They consist of well-preserved remains of megalithic temples, with evidence of different phases of construction in Antiquity.

The components have been recorded in travel accounts since Early Modern times, while photographic records of some components go back to the early s.

Various restoration interventions have been carried out on five of the six components since their excavation. These included moving decorated blocks indoors to protect them from weathering, and capping the surviving blocks with cement. Current conservation interventions are guided by international standards, guidelines and charters.