|
The Hypogeum
The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is a unique structural masterpiece
carved in the living rock. The monument seems to have
served primarily as a cemetery over a period spanning
several generations.
The origins of the monument are unclear, but pottery fragments
dating to the Zebbug phase suggest that the site may have
become a cemetery by around 4000 BC. The Hypogeum remained
in use till about 2500 BC.
The site is located on a promontory, overlooking a valley
with Malta’s western landscape providing a panoramic backdrop
to the monument’s entrance.
The site is located a few hundred metres to the North
West of the prehistoric ‘temple’ site of Tarxien. Originally,
the Hypogeum may have been marked by a surface megalithic
monument or enclosure.
The underground cemetery reaches a maximum depth of just
over 10 metres below the current road surface. In all,
the site covers an area of about 500 square metres.
The Xaghra Stone Circle
Like the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the Xaghra Stone Circle,
was used for funerary rites. It was also built on a promontory
to the West of a major megalithic site, that of Ggantija
Evidence suggests that this site was utilized for burial
purposes over the period 4000 - 2500 BC. The Neolithic
people at the time made use of a number of natural caves.
The Xaghra Stone Circle was originally marked by two entrance
monoliths which seem to have been 14 -16 feet high. Although
the exact position has not been located, they seem to
have been aligned with the Ggantija Temple.
These monoliths together with several other megaliths
formed part of a wall which circled the entire site. This
circle was approximately 45 m in diameter.
The interior is composed of a central ritual area entered
through a huge stone threshold and down steps into the
rough caves. The central chamber is subdivided into two
distinct sections by a series of elegant megalithic trilithon
altars and a massive stone bowl.
Burials were concentrated in smaller caverns, surrounded
by rough coralline stone walls.
The most important discoveries from the Xaghra stone circle
may prove to be the rare but remarkably preserved human
remains.
|
