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How would you like to visit the only known prehistoric underground temple in the world? The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (which literary means underground cavity) consists of 500 square metres of halls, chambers, and passages dating back to around 3600 BCE. This unique monument, which is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list, was accidentally discovered by a stone mason in 1902.
It is a treasure trove of pottery, personal ornaments, small carved animals as well as larger figurines, and the entombed corpses of over 7000 people, sounds like the props list of an Indiana Jones movie. But that was exactly what a Jesuit priest, Father Magri S.J, discovered after assuming responsibility for the excavations. This surreal archaeologist’s fantasy uncovered a subterranean complex consisting of three levels of rock-cut chambers of diverse shapes and sizes.
The upper level (3600–3300 BCE) opens up to a large hollow with a central passage and burial chambers flanked on either side. One of these chambers still contains original burial deposits. Various smoothly finished chambers meticulously carved using just flint and stone tools make up the middle level (3300–3000 BCE). Here, curvilinear and spiral paintings in red ochre adorn some areas. Several important rooms are found at this level, including the Main Room, the Holy of Holies, and the Oracle Room. The latter, one of the smallest side chambers, has the peculiarity of producing a powerful echo. Curiously, a man’s voice echoes whereas a woman’s does not. The bottom level (3150–2500 BCE) was probably used for storage.
If you’d like to include a journey into an unknown world into your Maltese itinerary, then a visit to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum should definitely top your agenda. However, since only 80 visitors are allowed per day you’d do well to book well ahead.
For more info and availability of tickets visit www.heritagemalta.org
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