Temple and Tomb: prehistoric Malta, 3600-2500 BC

Male, skirted human figure from the Xagħra Circle (Gozo). Courtesy of Heritage Malta, photography © Daniel Cilia.jpeg — Male, skirted human figure from the Xagħra Circle (Gozo). Courtesy of Heritage Malta, photography © Daniel Cilia

First settled in the late 6th millennium BC, between 3600-2500 BC the Maltese archipelago flourished into an astonishingly rich prehistoric culture, producing a wealth of stylised human figures unparalleled by contemporary peoples, as well as the oldest surviving free-standing stone buildings in the world.

Constructed from massive slabs of limestone some 4m high, weighing up to 21m each – all without the aid of metal tools – these megalithic complexes have been interpreted as temples, though their precise function remains enigmatic.

Shortly after its peak, however, this civilisation came to an end in 2500 BC, for reasons that are still unknown. It would be centuries before Malta was inhabited again, by a completely distinct Bronze Age people.

Now a new exhibition at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University, Temple and Tomb: prehistoric Malta, 3600-2500 BC, illuminates these complex and sophisticated prehistoric communities through their intricate stone and clay sculptures.

Appearing in the USA for the first time with the help of Heritage Malta, these objects include figurines and decorative architectural reliefs. Historic photographs, drawings, and watercolours also tell the story of modern investigations of the archipelago’s monuments.

For more information on Malta’s prehistoric temples, see CWA 55.

To read about later activity on Malta, see CWA 58