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Tarxien temples
were discovered in 1914 by local farmers who struck large stone
blocks while ploughing a field. Their discovery was reported
to Sir Temistocles Zammit, Malta’s first director of
museums, who excavated the site in 1915-17. His pioneering
work put our understanding of Maltese prehistory on a solid
foundation.
This site, dating from 3600 to 2500 BC, is the most complex of all temple
sites in Malta and consists of four megalithic structures. The temples are
renowned for the detail of their carvings, which include domestic animals carved
in relief, altars, and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns.
Of particular note is a chamber set into the thickness of the wall between
the South and Central temples, which is famous for its relief of two bulls
and a sow.
The site seems to have been used extensively for rituals,
which probably involved animal sacrifice. Tarxien is also
of great interest because it offers an insight into how the
temples were constructed: stone rollers left outside the
south temple were probably used for transporting the megaliths.
Remains of cremation have also been found at the centre of
the South temple at Tarxien, which indicates that the site
was reused as a Bronze Age cremation cemetery.
For site opening times, see Visiting.
THE BOV TARXIEN TEMPLES PROJECT
On the 23 September 2003, an agreement was signed between
Bank of Valletta p.l.c. (BOV) and Heritage Malta, whereby
BOV committed itself to provide funds for the conservation
and presentation of the Tarxien Temples.
Read the Draft Outline Proposal
for Public Consultation
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