Temples of Tarxien

Description

The lower part of a colossal statue of a figure wearing a pleated skirt stands as a sentinel of the dawn of civilization in the highly decorated southern temple of the Neolithic complex site of Tarxien. Discovered in 1913 by farmer Lorenzo Despott, the site consists of a complex of four megalithic structures built in the late Neolithic period and then readapted for use in the early Bronze Age. Only the lower part of the walls remains in the easternmost structure, the oldest part of the complex. However, it is still possible to see its concave façade and its five rooms. The vast archaeological excavations, undertaken between 1915 and 1919, were led by Sir Themistocles Zammit, director of the museums at the time. The southern structure is rich in prehistoric art, including low-relief sculptures of spirals and animals. Domestic animals depicted include goats, bulls, pigs and a ram. The large number of animal bones found in this complex, most of which were found in specific areas, indicates the importance that these animals played at the time. The eastern building follows the traditional design of these megalithic structures with a central corridor flanked by a semicircular chamber at each site. Evidence of vaulted roofs in the unique six-apse central structure, the last of the four to be built, helps visitors imagine what these temples might have looked like when they were covered. The passages between the different areas of the complex are sometimes blocked by physical barriers, suggesting that some parts of these buildings were only accessible to a part of the community. A large fireplace in the corridor between the first apses and a smaller one in the corridor between the second pair of apses of the central structure attest to the use of fire inside. Although we know little about what went on in these buildings, the evidence suggests that they were important structures at the heart of the lives of the island’s Neolithic inhabitants. In the early Bronze Age (after 2,000 B.C.), newcomers to the islands turned some areas of the site into a cremation cemetery, leaving a rich record of customs and artifacts.

Reduction

-30% discount on the entrance fee. (Valid in all national museums and temples).
-10% off in the store.

Monday to Sunday (Closed on Good Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day): 09:00 – 16:30