Ggantija, Malta

Once the most prominent site on Gozo Island. The importance of this temple complex is only now outweighed by the discovery of the 'Hypogeum II' within and below the nearby Xaghra Stone-Circle.

Numerous figurines and statues were found at Ggantija, suggesting it served as a place of ritual or worship

(Click here for map of the site)

(Scroll down for more)..

The Ggantija Temple complex:

Ggantija was first excavated in 1827. It became a world heritage site in 1980.

Built of immense limestone blocks, placed in a distinctive style, the temple's facade rises to a height of 26 ft and consists of close-fitting slabs of limestone.

The largest stone at Ggantija measures 5m x 8m x 4m = 160m³ (50 tons). As at the Tarxien on Malta, a number of stone balls were discovered at the site and it is believed that they were used for manipulating the stones.

(The top-50 largest stones)

The massive floor slab at the entrance to the temple.

Many of the common features of Maltese temples can be found here.

And some unique to the site...

The southern temple is believed to be the older of the two, dating back to 3,600 BC (2), 3,400 (3). The smaller northern temple and the external facade have been dated to around 3,000 BC demonstrating their use over a long period of time.

The walls of the temples rise to a height of six metres and are thought to have once been covered over. The rough walling of the temple interior was originally smoothed by an application of clay and coated with a thin layer of lime plaster.

Archaeo-astronomy - The alter at the far end of the main temple aligns to the winter solstice (see photo)

(Note: A. Service (1), mentions the 'contemporary cement of the floor')

(Other examples of the prehistoric use of cement)