6,000 years ago, around 4,000 BC on Malta and the neighboring island of Gozo, something extraordinary was happening. The surviving archaeology shows us that the inhabitants began to construct buildings with the purpose of ritualizing death and the celebration of life. This was a key step in our development and growing awareness of self.
One of the best examples of this is the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum found near the capital city of Malta, Valetta. It is located just three miles (5 km) away and is an underground complex of corridors and alcoves, formed from the local Globigerina limestone.
When building this structure, the builders expanded the already existing caves in order to make it more complex. Over the centuries, it seems that they excavated deeper and deeper so that they could create a temple, cemetery, and funeral hall.
It stayed standing for millennia until, unfortunately, the overground entrance was destroyed by industrialization during the nineteenth century. Visitors today have to enter through a modernized lobby that descends a railed walkway. It takes you through a chronologically tiered journey through the underground chamber and burial places.
History of the Hypogeum
The Hypogeum was first rediscovered in 1902 when workers installing cisterns for new homes broke through the roof of the structure. At first, the workers attempted to hide the temple, however, enough of it had been exposed that people began to take an interest.
Initially, the structure was studied and investigated by Manuel Magri. He directed the excavations on behalf of the Museums Committee. During these excavations, a large portion of the Hypogeum was excavated and there was an exposure of grave goods and human remains.
Unfortunately, they were not cataloged properly and, almost unbelievably, they were discarded. Magri died in 1907 while conducting missionary work in Tunisia and along with this loss, his report was also lost. Much of the data he gathered was also discarded.
The excavation was continued under Sir Themistocles Zammit, a Maltese archaeologist, who salvaged what he could from the site. Zammit began publishing regular reports in 1910 until 1911. He deposited many of the finds in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valetta.
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Despite this, visitors were allowed in 1908 while excavations were ongoing. The houses that were meant to be built on top of the site were demolished and replaced with a museum. There were few excavations that followed this until 1990 and they continued through to 1993.
It was under the direction of Anthony Pace, Nathaniel Cutajar, and Reuben Grima. During this time, the Hypogeum was closed to visitors. This was the case until 2000 for restoration works. In the last couple of decades, the Hypogeum has allowed visitors but has closed regularly for repairs and to improve the environmental management system.
The Site Itself
Archaeological excavations indicate that there was once a shrine on the surface that marked the entrance of the Hypogeum. The destruction of the shrine likely helped to shield the lower structure from discovery for so long.
Unfortunately, there is little that remains of the original entrance to the Hypogeum. The underground structure looks to have originated from an already existing cave which was expanded by cutting into the rock using tools made from antlers, chert, obsidian, and flint.
The upper level of the Hypogeum was made up of burial chambers that date from the early phase of the Maltese Temple Period. The lower chambers date from later. It seems like the site may have been used as early as 4,000 BC until around 2,500 BC. This has been indicated by pottery found on site and the evaluation of some human remains.
The temple itself uses the direction of light from the surface in order to penetrate the lower chambers. It would highlight the intricate patterns on the walls and ceiling with red ochre. It had wall spots, honeycombs, and spirals.
It is believed that one of the chambers was referred to as the “Holy of Holies” (much like the final inner chamber in Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem). It appears to have been designed so that the light made during the winter solstice illuminated its façade from the opening above it.
There are other aspects of the construction which hint at its function, as well: in the middle chamber, a resonance niche cut can be found. It has been referred to as the Oracle Room and was designed for chanting and drumming, the sound extending throughout the rest of the Hypogeum.
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There have also been a broad range of objects recovered from the site. There were many intricately decorated vessels of pottery, stone and clay beads, shell buttons, axe heads, carved figures of animals and humans, and amulets.
The most impressive and notable of these has been recorded as the Sleeping Lady. This was a clay figure which is thought to represent some kind of mother goddess. The figures themselves range from realistic to quite abstract in style though many of them focus on the veneration of the dead as well as spiritual transformation.
The figures show that there were complex techniques being used in this society. A large pottery bowl that showcases both stylized and naturalistic themes represent the qualities of this civilization.
A Complex… Complex
The Hypogeum is made up of an entirely underground complex that has three levels hewn into it. There is a mixture of halls and chambers that are all connected through a labyrinthine series of steps and doorways.
The upper level is thought to have been the first occupied first whilst the middle and lower levels are the expanded chambers as the settlement continued to grow. The middle chambers appear to be similar to those found in Megalithic Temples across Malta.
It has become an extremely popular attraction in Malta. So much so that visitors are encouraged to buy tickets months in advance when visiting. In 2016, the site was closed so that it could go through a 1.1-million-euro renovation.
It reopened in 2017 which allowed for a new climate control system and to expand the visitor center. Whilst it fell out of use in around 2,500 BC, it has remained remarkably well preserved.
Even though it was excavated poorly in the early 20th century, the site remains one of Malta’s finest archaeological gems of this period, and a rare look into our ancestors as they found themselves and discovered who they were.
Top Image: The central chamber of the middle level of the Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni. Source: xiquinhosilva / CC BY 2.0.
By Kurt Readman
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