A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com – The Neolithic cultures of Malta left a legacy of some of the most magnificent temples. It is believed that ancient Malta’s natural surroundings deeply inspired the building traditions of its people.

Hagar Qim – Model. National Museum of Archaeology. Image credit:  Enrique Íñiguez Rodríguez (Qoan) – CC BY-SA 4.0

Ancient builders used limestone as a primary material for their creations because the country that covers over 300 square kilometers (including the outlying islands of Gozo and Comino) is basically composed of this material.

They created many megalithic temples and expressed their religious beliefs through these mighty structures. One such temple is Hagar Qim, located on the south coast of the island of Malta. It is one of the most mᴀssive megaliths and one of the best preserved.

Most temples of Malta face towards the southeast, which would have meant warmth and sunlight all year round. In the case of Hagar Qim (Haġar Qim, Qrendi), for example, evidence for the alignment with the equinoxes and solstices has been discovered by archaeologists.

Hagar Qim ruins, Malta. Image credit: jkb- CC BY-SA 3.0

It means that the calendar was of great importance to these ancient people. In one of the chambers (apses) of the main temple, there is a hole through which the rays of the rising sun fall on the summer solstice day.

Not much is known about this structure. The temple of Hagar Qim was excavated for the first time in 1839 and dated back to c. 3600 – 3200 BC. It stands on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the islet of Filfla.

Figurines Of Fat Female Bodies

During the restoration work in 1949 at Hagar Qim, four small figurines of fat women’s bodies were found in this temple – now on display in the National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta.

Similar figurines were also found in several other places across Malta. This idol is believed to represent the Mother Goddess. Excavations also revealed certain features possibly ᴀssociated with fertility rituals, such as statues (sculptures) with solar alignments and a megalith considered phallic. An altar with a concave top was probably used for animal sacrifices, as the animal bones were unearthed, while the screened doorways at the Hagar Qim complex may indicate possible use by oracles.

No burials exist in the temple or the area surrounding Hagar Qim, nor have any human bones been discovered in Maltese temples.

Maltese temple statuary. Figurines from Ħaġar Qim, National Museum of Archaeology of Malta. Image credit: Hamelin de Guettelet – CC BY-SA 3.0

All what is today known about the mysterious Hagar Qim site, is based on archaeological evidence and other observations made by the early excavators of the megalithic sites of Malta. It is known that

“the temples replicate the tombs. ​There is an abundance of pottery, and all the attendant sherds, some of which could be pieced together to form restorable jars, jugs, bowls, lids, ladles, vases, cups, large convex covers for large shallow plates, as well as lithic tools for grinding, found in situ in both temple and tomb, although the pottery in the temple appears to differ from pottery in the tomb.

Fat Lady figurines and large standing statues of same were found inside the temples.

This intriguing evidence — the abundant querns, clay, stone and ceramic pottery, the broken sherds and small Fat Lady figurines in addition to a huge nine-foot-high standing statue of same whose damaged remains were found still standing inside the Tarxien temple, as well as damaged, almost unrecognizable remains of large Fat Lady statues still standing at Hagar Qim…” ¹

The excavation also uncovered decorated pottery. The best examples can be seen at Malta’s National Museum of Archaeology.

Hagar Qim, Malta. Image credit: Gerd Eichmann – CC BY-SA 4.0

The architecture of Hagar Qim is typical of prehistoric Malta. The temple is circular with a clear line of sight through the central pᴀssage, which is very different from the other temples, which have a single entrance/exit facing onto a ceremonial forecourt.

The circular rooms, with altars and some ornamental elements, are included in the complex.

The Hagar Qim’s shape resembles a cloverleaf with walls consisting of two parallel walls at a distance of two meters. The length-width ratio is approximately 40 to 30 meters; some of the megalithic blocks are over six and seven meters high, which makes the tallest of any of Malta’s temples.

The walls of the temple were made of several meters high stone blocks. One of the most mᴀssive is a horizontal block with a height of 3 meters. Its width is 6.40 meters, and it weighs almost 20 tons. Another of the impressive megaliths is 5.20 meters high and rises above the neighboring blocks.

Temple of Hagar Qim. Image credit: Dagmar Hollmann – CC BY-SA 4.0

Many stones are decorated with spiral designs. It is unclear whether there was once a rooftop or not. According to researchers, the walls of Hagar Qim do not seem to be made to wear megalithic roof plates.

Hagar Qim itself consists of a single temple unit. However, it is possible that the complex initially consisted of four temples, the best preserved being the southern one. Malta’s structure and other megalithic temples are said to be amongst the most ancient religious sites and the oldest standing stone structures on Earth.

Malta’s Neolithic builders used softer limestone for the temple’s interior and hard material for the external walls. However, limestone as a building material is never hard enough to withstand rough weathering during a millennia-long period in harsh coastal conditions. The Hagar Qim structure was not able to survive in pristine conditions.

Written by – A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

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