The southern temple of Ġgantija dates to around 3600 BC, and the complex is dated to about 3600 to 2500 BC. The site has two temples and an incomplete third, of which only the facade was partly built. The southern temple rises 19.7 feet (6 m).
The plan is clover-leaf shaped, with five large apses connected by a central passage, and archaeologists believe the apses were originally roofed. The builders used limestone and had no wheel or metal tools. The article says small spherical stones were possibly used as ball bearings to move the blocks, but marks the claim as needing a citation.
The site was cleared of debris in 1827 without proper examination. The Museums Department excavated in 1933, 1936, 1949, 1956 to 1957 and 1958 to 1959. UNESCO listed the temples in 1980. The site is open to the public, lightweight walkways were installed in 2011 to protect the floor, and a heritage park opened in 2013.
Comments