Ancient Temples of Malta

On the sun drenched island of Malta, south of Sicily, and North of Tunisia, temples can be found which date back as far as any in the known world. Such a variety and quality of temples have been found on this little island, that visitors, historians, archaeologists, and students from around the globe have travelled to view their wonders, which span the archipelago of the three islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino.

With a history full of Knights, invading and marauding empires, and strategic importance, Malta is, in many ways, a living museum to the great architectural forces of the past two thousand years, but its temples predate everything else by a long shot, and give an insight into times as far back as 5400 B.C; the earliest date from which evidence of settlers on the island has been found.

The Maltese Paleochristian catacombs of Abbatija Tad-Dejr are richly decorated, and some of the most important Christian catacombs South of Rome. Dating back to the late Roman, and Byzantine period, Mass was still celebrated here until 1575, and the site, on the outskirts of the town of Rabat is still open to the public today. These are an excellent example of the history of Christianity on the island, but further back, other religions were dominant on the island.

The Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, on Malta’s neighbouring island of Gozo date back to between 3200 – 3600 BC, with a boundary wall containing Megaliths (large single stones) exceeding five metres in length and weighing over fifty tons. The name Ggantija is Maltes for ‘giant’ and local folklore tells of a giantess named ‘Sansuna’ who built the temples in a day by carrying the huge stones on her back with her baby under her arm. Many of the temples on Malta and Gozo have been linked to the idea of fertility, motherhood, and the cycles of life and the stars. Ggantija is thought to be the oldest free standing structure in the world, and is still open to visitors today.

The temple at Hagar Qim also dates back to the ‘Ggantija’ phase of Malta’s history – between 3600 – 3200 B.C. It is known for the precision with which the giant megalithic stones have been placed together, a precision and level of skill which can only be compared to the architects of the Valley Temple, next to the Sphinx in Egypt – which the temples at Hagar Qim predate significantly. Statues of  what are thought to be a ‘mother goddess’ have been moved from the temple to the museum in Malta’s capital, Valletta, and the theme of the Mother Goddess pervades the structure with its womb-like configuration, and phallic menhirs marking its entrance. Evidence of rituals and worship have been found here, and at the neighbouring temple of Mnajdra where the skill and artistry of the architects seems to have grown further. Although some of the finest specimens of megalithic temples in the world, many of the island’s heritage sites are in need of conservation, and Maltese bodies such as ‘Heritage Malta’, and ‘Din L-Art Helwa’ have begun to carry out the necessary work and fundraising to ensure these important structures survive.

There are many other temples, and religious sites on the islands, with a variety of different visitors; those wishing to study these amazing structures, those who’ve just come to get a glimpse of the past, artists who want to paint them, and students and families having a picnic in beautiful surroundings. Whatever people’s reasons, the temples stand as monuments to culture and civilisation in Malta, and are much loved by this forward-looking island which embraces its unique and mysterious past.