gantija temples,gozo&malta

gantija temples,gozo&malta

Ġgantija temples, dating between 4100-2500 BC, are undoubtedly the greatest undertaking of the pre-Phoenician Gozitans. The temples are documented as the oldest free standing structures in the world.

They take their name from the Maltese term "Ġgant" meaning "giant", due to the sheer size and heights of the megaliths.

The site consists of two temples, contained within a single outer wall.

The temples have a common facade but each temple has a separate entrance. The south temple has a five-apse plan and is the older of the two. This temple is also larger and better preserved.

The left apse in the second pair of apses has three niches complete with capstones and some suggest that these might refer to a triple divinity. On the opposite side one finds remains of what was a small enclosure where oracles were delivered.

The north temple is considerably smaller but has a more evolved four apse plan. Its rear apse is however replaced by a shallow niche.

The corbelling effect evident on the walls indicate that some kind of corbelled roofing existed. However some scholars believe that the roofing was made of wooden beams covered with branches and twigs and with a layer of blue clay. Its construction is based on the alternating header and stretcher technique and most of the megaliths exceed 5 metres in length and weigh over 50 tons. The common fore-ground was probably used for external ceremonies and/or as meeting place. It seems evident that rituals held inside the temples basically consisted of sacrifical offerings of domestic animals and perhaps liquid offerings.

Though local legend says that the huge megaliths were transported to the site by a giantess called Sansuna it is highly porobable that stone balls were used as rollers to transport the enormous blocks. These stone balls can still be seen strewn around the site and at the Museum of Archaeology in Victoria