. Discovery. Science. DISCOVERY 203 of megaliths usually surrounds such buildings the entrance of which is found in the middle of a semicir- cular forecourt. The Tarxien monument consists of three separate buildings raised in succession, though joining each other. The first temple consisted of two double apses, with a corridor in the middle leading to the north-west to an open space, in which a dolmen stood, probably, against the wall, and to the south-east to an entrance marked by a high threshold. The pillars limiting the corridor are enormous blocks of limestone over 6 feet high, and the ap
. Discovery. Science. DISCOVERY 203 of megaliths usually surrounds such buildings the entrance of which is found in the middle of a semicir- cular forecourt. The Tarxien monument consists of three separate buildings raised in succession, though joining each other. The first temple consisted of two double apses, with a corridor in the middle leading to the north-west to an open space, in which a dolmen stood, probably, against the wall, and to the south-east to an entrance marked by a high threshold. The pillars limiting the corridor are enormous blocks of limestone over 6 feet high, and the apses are made of large hammer-dressed slabs standing erect. The floor is made of a thick This second temple was made larger than the first, for instead of the usual two oval enclosures it has three, parallel to each other, but decreasing in size from south to north. The oval space to the south is the largest, measuring in length about 60 feet, the next about 40 feet, and the following one about 30 feet. Two short dolmenic corridors connect the three oval chambers. The passage between the first and second oval chambers is barred by a slab on end, about 3 feet high, decorated in front by two symmetrical spirals in relief. This would show that the use of the two northern chambers was restricted to the priests, who entered. Fig. I.—GENERAI, view OF, AND ENTRANCE To, THE TAKXIUN TEMPLES, MALTA. layer of a beaten white, clayey earth over a bed of stones. The apses were originally domed over by layers of masonry consisting of hewn stones. A small window, between two of the wall slabs of the north-eastern apse, looks into a room which probably was the seat of an oracle. It would seem that the Stone Age people consulted oracles and sooth- sayers very frequently, for similar rooms more or less secluded, with structural features which suggest that they were shut off by a veil, are found in all the Maltese megalithic temples as well as in the Hj'pogeum, or underground temple,
Size: 2186px × 1143px
Photo credit: © Paul Fearn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcontribu, booksponsoruniversityoftoronto, booksubjectscience
