Tarxien Temples, Archaeological museum in Tarxien, Malta.
Description
Tarxien Temples comprises three connected stone structures decorated with detailed carvings depicting domestic animals, altars, and spiral motifs spread across multiple rooms. The chambers are linked by doorways and passages that guide movement through the complex in a carefully planned sequence.
History
Local farmers uncovered the structures in 1914, prompting extensive excavations by archaeologist Themistocles Zammit who restored five separate temples by 1920. The site dates to prehistoric Malta and ranks among the oldest megalithic buildings in the Mediterranean.
Culture
Stone carvings of bulls and pigs throughout the structures reveal how animals held spiritual importance in the lives of people who built and worshipped here thousands of years ago.
Practical
The site is managed by Heritage Malta with informational panels throughout and a protective shelter installed in 2015 to shield the structures from weather damage. Most visitors need about an hour to explore all the chambers and examine the detailed carvings up close.
Did you know?
The middle temple stands out from other Maltese temples because it has three pairs of apses instead of the more common design found elsewhere on the island. This unusual layout reveals how builders adapted their religious structures to meet different purposes or beliefs.
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