Location: Paolo, Malta Map
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is located in Paolo on the
island of Malta is the only known prehistoric underground temple.
Underground complex date back to the third millennium BC. The temple
is located at a depth of 11 meters under the surface carved from a
solid rock using some preexisting natural cave structures. In total
religious pagan complex consists of 33 rooms located on three levels
on the total are of 500 square meters. Multiple stairs, ladders and
passages unite the whole system into one huge man- made cave. Later
the temple was transferred into a necropolis for the dead.
Archaeologists found remains of over 7,000 people, several altars,
vases, ornaments and many figurines including two sleeping women.
The last two figurines are kept in the Museum of Archaeology in
Valletta, Malta. Some historians suggested that the temple had
importance in cult of fertility. Located underground it was probably
the closest ancient people could approach the goddess of the Earth.
Additionally some suggested as in other later cultures of the
Ancient World this temple had priestesses perform all the
sacraments. Unfortunately scarcity of description leaves us little
clues either support or deny this theory. Another theory exist that
an oracle once lived here. Due to his proximity to the kingdom of
the dead he could predict the future. This drew many pilgrims to the
island that allowed extensive digs that expanded the Hypogeum. But
this is also just a theory that has very little credible evidence.
Hypogeum was originally re- discovered accidentally in 1902 by
construction crew who were putting sewer system here. Even though
the builders realized the structure was unique they kept it secret
and used it as a dumping ground for their construction material. It
was not until Catholic Jesuit priest father Emmanuel heard about the
find, then the workers stopped destroying the site. Subsequent
archaeological digs discovered thousands of bones from humans and
animals alike. After death of father Emmanuel in 1907 another
archaeologist, Sir Themistocles Zammit, took over digs inside
Hypogeum.
The first level is probably the oldest part of the
underground system. It appears that several natural caves were
united into one by passages. The second level of the cave is
probably one of the most fascinating in the structure. Its main
chamber was probably the center chamber for the whole temple.
Figurines of laying women were recovered from here. Additionally
color pigments covered the walls of the room suggesting key
importance in a pagan cult. Other rooms include the Oracle's Room,
Snake Pit, and Decorated Room. The third level of Hypogeum contained
only water upon its discovery. It might have been used as a cistern
for storage of water.
Then traveling to Hypogeum of
Ħal-Saflieni, don't forget that this an UNESCO Heritage Site so it
is kept under strict safety measures for future preservation. Only
80 people are allowed to enter per day so book your trip.
Additionally don't litter or leave any graffiti on the walls. Don't
make us look bad before the descendants.
Discovery
As early as 1899, when a house was
being built in the Maltese city of Paola, the subterranean temple
complex (hypogeum) was struck by chance. The construction workers
broke through the roof of the middle level while building a cistern.
However, the find was not reported to the authorities until 1902, as
the builders feared that construction work would be interrupted.
They were proved right: the construction work was stopped
immediately after the sensational discovery became known. In the
meantime four houses have been demolished in order to have full
access to the underground temple. Skeletons of around 7,000 people
have been found in the caves.
Construction
The hypogeum of
Ħal-Saflieni consists of many underground passages, halls and niches
and extends over three levels. The top level used to be above
ground, has been overlaid by rock over the millennia and is well
below today's street level. The middle and lower levels were
originally underground. The passages were driven up to 10.6 meters
deep into the soft limestone with stone and bone tools and gradually
widened over about 1300 years. The total area of the hypogeum is
around 500 m². The walls and ceilings are partially decorated with
ocher-colored paintings, consisting of decorative, winding tendril
patterns and discs. In the room known as the oracle chamber, there
are spirals made of red ocher that look like a plant pattern. In
addition, a black and white checkerboard pattern was found.
Furthermore, in the neighboring rooms one encounters a combination
of discs, hexagons and semi-spirals. A room called All Saints' Day
is particularly impressive: a complete facade with a threshold and
orthostats was carved into the rock. A cantilever vault completes
the ceiling of the room. In the bottom there is a V-shaped recess
with a stopper, which was probably used for libations. The space
behind the facade of the Holy of Holies was started but not
finished. This may be related to the mysterious halt to all
construction activities from 2500 to 2000 BC. The following
construction activities are no longer attributed to the Stone Age,
but to the Bronze Age.
Finds
In addition to altars,
skeletal remains were found in the niches. Probably the most famous
find from the complex is a 12.2 cm long statuette, which depicts a
reclining female figure and is called the "sleeping lady". Today it
is exhibited in the Archaeological Museum in Valetta.
Interpretation
The hypogeum is most likely a burial site in which
ritual acts were also carried out. The similarity of the triliths
carved into the rock with the aboveground structures suggest this.
The fact that the here, like most of the Neolithic sculptures found
elsewhere in Malta, are presumably female, led to the assumption
that it was a matriarchal society and that priestesses, fortune
tellers, etc. were buried in the hypogeum. But this view was put
into perspective again, because meanwhile the sculpture of a “holy
family” (man, woman, child) has also been found. A reference to the
nearby temple of Tarxien was also established. According to this,
Tarxien could have been a kind of temple for the living and the
hypogeum a temple for the dead with a burial place.
Sightseeing
The temple complex can be visited to a limited extent
- currently eight guided tours are carried out daily with a maximum
of ten people each.
A second hypogeum was constucted on the
archipelago of Gozo. The underground areas under Brochtorff Circle
are in the excavation phase and are still inaccessible.