Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni

Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni
History
Photograph of the Hypogeum by Richard Ellis before 1910
Location	Paola, Malta
Coordinates	35°52′12″N 14°30′23″E / 35.87000°N 14.50639°E / 35.87000; 14.50639
Area	500m²
Material	Limestone
Founded	c.4000 BC (earliest remains)
Abandoned	c.2500 BC
Periods	Saflieni phase
Site notes
Excavation dates	1903–1908, 1990–1993
Archaeologists	Manuel Magri Themistocles Zammit Anthony Pace Nathaniel Cutajar Reuben Grima
Condition	Well preserved
Ownership	Government of Malta
Management	Heritage Malta
Public access	Yes
Website	Heritage Malta

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii
Designated	1980 (4th session)
Reference no.	130
Region	Europe and North America

The Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni is a subterranean structure dating to the Saflieni phase (3300-3000 BC) in Maltese prehistory, located in Paola, Malta. It is often simply referred to as the Hypogeum (Maltese: Ipoġew), literally meaning "underground" in Greek. The Hypogeum is thought to have been originally a sanctuary, but it became a necropolis in prehistoric times, and in fact, the remains of more than 7,000 individuals have been found. It is the only known prehistoric underground temple in the world.^[1]

Description

First Level

The first level is only ten metres below the surface, and it is very similar to tombs found in Xemxija, near St. Paul's Bay. Some rooms are natural caves which were later artificially extended.

Second Level

The second level was opened when the original builders found that the first level was no longer adequate. This level features several apparently important rooms:

The Sleeping Lady of Ħal-Saflieni, National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta

Main Chamber: This chamber is roughly circular and carved out from rock. A number of trilithon entrances are represented, some blind, and others leading to another chamber. Most of the wall surface has received a red wash of ochre. It was from this room that the statuettes of the sleeping lady were recovered. These figurines are currently held in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.
Oracle Room: This is roughly rectangular and one of the smallest side chambers. It has the peculiarity of producing a powerful acoustic resonance from any vocalization made inside it. This room has an elaborately painted ceiling, consisting of spirals in red ochre with circular blobs.
Decorated Room: Out of the Oracle's Room, through the hammer dressed chamber, on the right is another spacious hall, circular, with inward slanting smooth walls, richly decorated in a geometrical pattern of spirals. On the right side wall of the entrance is a petrosomatoglyph of a human hand carved into the rock (Agius).
Snake Pit: The second level contains a 2 metres deep pit which could have been used for either keeping snakes or collecting alms.

The Holy of Holies

Holy of Holies: The focal point of this room is a porthole within a trilithon, or structure consisting of two large vertical stones, which is in turn framed within a larger trilithon and yet another large trilithon. The corbelled ceiling has been taken as a hint that Malta's surface temples, now uncovered, could have been roofed similarly.

Third Level

The lower story contained no bones or offerings, only water. It strongly suggests storage, maybe of grain.

Discovery and recent history

Site map of the Hypogeum made in October 1907

Facade of the museum leading to the hypogeum

The Hypogeum was discovered by accident in 1902 when workers cutting cisterns for a new housing development broke through its roof. The workers tried to hide the temple at first, but eventually it was found. The study of the structure was first entrusted to Father Manuel Magri of the Society of Jesus, who directed the excavations on behalf of the Museums Committee, starting from November 1903. Magri died in 1907, before the publication of the report. Following Magri's sudden death, excavation resumed under Sir Themistocles Zammit. It was opened to visitors in 1908.^[2]

Queen Mary (though not King George V) visited the Hypogeum in January 1912, on their return journey from the Delhi Durbar.^[3]

The hypogeum was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.^[4]

The Hypogeum was depicted on a 2 cents 5 mils stamp issued in Malta in 1980 to commemorate the acceptance by UNESCO of this unique structure in the World Heritage Site list. Excavations took place between 1990 and 1993 by Anthony Pace, Nathaniel Cutajar and Reuben Grima. It was then closed to visitors between 1991 and 2000 for restoration works; and since its reopening, Heritage Malta (the government body that looks after historical sites) only allows entry to 80 people per day, while the site's microclimate is strictly regulated.^[5]^[6]

In 2014, an international team of scientists visited the Hypogeum to study acoustics.^[7]

Tourism

The Hypogeum is a very popular tourist attraction. However, since only 80 people are allowed per day, Heritage Malta recommends tourists to book well ahead of time if they wish to visit. Some last minute tickets are occasionally available from the National Museum of Archaeology or the National Museum of Fine Arts, both of which are located in Valletta. These are available on first-come, first-served basis. The museums open at 9am, but queuing for tickets starts around 7am. As of September 2016, the site is closed for the installation of a new micro-climate-controller.

References

↑ "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum". UNESCO. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
↑ "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum". Heritage Malta. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
↑ Fortescue, John (1912). The Royal Visit to India 1911-1912. London: MacMillan.
↑ "Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November, 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932, as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939.". Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016.
↑ "The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum". maltassist.com. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
↑ Pace, Anthony (2004). The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum Paola. Santa Venera: Midsea Books Ltd. ISBN 9993239933.
↑ "International team of scientists to study hypogeum acoustics". Times of Malta. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.

Jim Diamond. "Malta Temples". Retrieved October 22, 2006.
Agius, A.J. The Hypogeum at Hal-Saflieni. Freedom Press. Malta. P. 19.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni.

Coordinates: 35°52′12″N 14°30′23″E / 35.87000°N 14.50639°E / 35.87000; 14.50639

European megaliths

Armenia	Metsamor Zorats Karer

Azerbaijan	Gobustan Rocks

Bulgaria	Beglik Tash Garlo

England	Arbor Low Avebury Barbrook One Birkrigg Boscawen-Un Boskednan Brown Willy Cairns The Bull Ring Burnmoor stone circles Castlerigg Craddock Moor Devil's Arrows Doll Tor Drizzlecombe Duloe Fernacre Gardom's Edge Goodaver Grey Wethers Hoarstones Hordron Edge Hurlers Leper Stone Long Meg and Her Daughters Mên-an-Tol The Merry Maidens Mitchell's Fold Nine Ladies Nine Stones, Altarnun Pipers Rollright Rudston Monolith Scorhill Stannon Stanton Drew Stonehenge Stripple Swinside Trippet

France	Barnenez Tumulus of Bougon Caixa de Rotllan Carnac Menhir de Champ-Dolent Dolmen de Bagneux Broken Menhir of Er Grah Filitosa Gallardet Dolmen Gavrinis Harrespil Kerzerho Locmariaquer megaliths Mane Braz Paddaghju Peyre-Brune Tremeca Verziau of Gargantua

Germany	Altendorf Denghoog Fraubillen cross Harhoog Lancken-Granitz dolmens Lohra Megaliths in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Niedertiefenbach Oldendorfer Totenstatt] Riesenstein Route of Megalithic Culture Sieben Steinhäuser Wotanstein Züschen

Ireland	Ardgroom Beltany stone circle Bohonagh Brownshill Dolmen Brú na Bóinne Carrigagulla Carrowmore Castlestrange stone Creevykeel Court Tomb Drombeg Gaulstown Portal Tomb Glantane East Grange stone circle High cross Knocknakilla Meehambee Dolmen Piper's Stones Poulnabrone dolmen Reask Templebryan Stone Circle Turoe stone Uragh Stone Circle

Jersey	Jersey Dolmens La Hougue Bie

Malta	Megalithic Temples (Borġ l-Imramma Borġ in-Nadur Buġibba Debdieba Ġgantija Ħaġar Qim Ħal-Ġinwi Kordin Mnajdra Qortin l-Imdawwar Santa Verna Skorba Ta' Ħaġrat Ta' Marżiena Ta' Raddiena Tal-Qadi Tarxien Tas-Silġ Xemxija Xrobb l-Għaġin) Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni Xagħra Stone Circle

Netherlands	Hunebed

Northern Ireland	Aughlish Ballynoe Beaghmore Corick Drumskinny Legananny Giant's Ring

Poland	Brąchnówko Grzybnica Odry Węsiory

Portugal	Almendres Cromlech Anta Grande do Zambujeiro Cunha Baixa Dolmen

Russia	Dolmens of North Caucasus Thunder Stone Megaliths in the Urals Russian Geoglyph

Scandinavia	Picture stones Runestones Stone circles Stone ships

Scotland	Balquhain Callanish I II III IV VIII X Carlin Cat Stane Clach an Trushal Colmeallie Drybridge Easter Aquhorthies Lochmaben Stone Pictish Ring of Brodgar Sheldon Stenness Steinacleit Strichen Yonder Bognie

Ukraine	Boundary stones

Wales	Barclodiad y Gawres Bedd Arthur Bedd Taliesin Bodowyr Bryn Cader Faner Bryn Celli Ddu Bryn Gwyn stones Capel Garmon Carreg Coetan Arthur Carreg Samson Coetan Arthur Foel Chwern Llanfechell Lligwy Burial Chamber Maen Llia Maen Madoc Meini Hirion Moel Tŷ Uchaf Parc Cwm long cairn Penrhos Feilw Pentre Ifan St Lythans burial chamber Trefignath Tinkinswood Tŷ Newydd Burial Chamber Whetstones

General articles	Standing stone Dolmen Henge Menhir Stone circle Stone row Concentric stone circle Recumbent stone circle Chambered cairn Harrespil Photographs of stone circles Middle Eastern megaliths

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