Name Class Date Started. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

Transcription

1 Name Class Date Started OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

2 Dear Friends Welcome to the third book in this series! We hope that you have enjoyed the first and the second books. This booklet is designed to help you ENJOY history and to learn many interesting things about OUR STORY. History is fun and that is the most important thing in our lessons. We want you to enjoy them. We would also like you to TAKE PART by sharing your knowledge with your friends and your teachers. Do not be afraid to discuss and share your opinions about the information in this booklet in class and at home. Throughout the booklet, you will also be asked to perform some tasks and jobs. We would like you to put in your best effort and also to do that little something extra which will enrich your knowledge. Enjoy OUR STORY and make sure that you ask your teacher for help if you cannot perform any of the tasks or if you cannot understand any parts. To the parents: This booklet aims at helping your children acquire some important skills in the study of history and to think critically about the material presented. Only A VERY SMALL fraction of the material has to be memorised (this will be pointed out by the class teachers). DO NOT make the children memorise any passages or answers to given questions. Our main aim at this stage is to build the foundations which later on will help the children to acquire a love for the subject and to develop a critical mind set. Your children may need some help in some tasks presented in this booklet, however do not let them become too dependent on your input in some cases adequate supervision/ monitoring may be enough. Make sure that you take all the safety precautions if your children are surfing the net to help them with any of the tasks. Should you have any queries or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher. Please note that while the bulk of the book is in English, Maltese has been used in parts where a translation would have had a negative effect on the quality of the material. Note that in tests/ exams the boys can answer either in English or in Maltese. Please note that teachers may opt to leave out some material which does not fit in their Scheme of Work. On completion of this booklet, the children should have achieved these targets: 1. Appreciate the rich temple culture of the Maltese islands. 2. Know something basic about the main temple sites. 3. Know about the Hypogea (Hal Saflieni and Xaghra). 4. Appreciate the great skill and craftsmanship which went into the building of the temples. 5. Understand that there are various theories about pre-history. 6. Become familiar with some of the main artefacts from the Maltese temple period. 7. Start using historical artefacts to glean information Ideally, this booklet should be complemented with visits to the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and some other sites mentioned in these pages. Visits to all these sites cannot be fitted in the school calendar, so parents are encouraged to take the children on visits for them to appreciate and understand better what they have learnt in class. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle College Junior Section 2013 OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

3 It is the year 4000 B.C and something strange happens in Malta. Archaeologists think that there was a change in the population of our islands. The people who had lived in Malta up to then vanished and a new group of people took their place. That is strange! Vanished?! What happened to them? I have been doing some research about this nothing is so sure because we do not have any writing from the period. However, here are some ideas of what might have happened to the first people in Malta. There might have been some disease which killed off all the population There might have been a disease which killed all the crops in the fields and the animals in the farms The weather might have become drier and drier Archaeologists believe that the most likely reason is the dry weather. Most probably, year after year, less rain fell over our island. Crops and animals died of thirst. In time, the people who lived here just could not take the dry conditions any more. They packed up their belongings and left for Sicily. In time, a new group of people arrived and settled again on our island. It is this new group of people which around the year 3600 B.C started building the temples. In the following pages we are going to have a look at some of the most famous of these temples. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

4 The first temples were very simple, however gradually the temple builders built larger and more beautiful structures. Here is a timeline of some of our temples. The diagrams show only the floor plan which has survived to our day. Notice how in time the size of the temples and the number of rooms got bigger and bigger. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

5 Here is the location of the more famous prehistoric sites around the Maltese islands. Iċ-Ċirku tax-xagħra It-Tempji ta Kordin Il-Ġgantija L-Ipoġew ta Ħal Saflieni Skorba u Ta Ħaġrat Ħaġar Qim u l-mnajdra Għar Dalam Tempji ta Ħal Tarxien OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

6 Imagine that you are an archaeologist studying the Maltese temples. Which of these statements are true? (tick your choices with a sign) On the next page there are the answers for these points BUT do not cheat! Discuss first and then see what the archaeologists say. The temples had a roof The people who built the temples were not very clever Animals were killed as sacrifices inside the temples We can be sure that the statues found in the temples represent a Mother Goddess or the Goddess of Fertility Dead people were buried inside the temples OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

7 The temples were almost certainly roofed over and we have proof of it. This little stone model of a temple was found at Ta Ħaġrat and it is approximately 5000 years old. It shows a temple with a ROOF and most probably it is a copy of the real thing. The way the walls of the temples are built also seems to show that they were meant to have a roof. This is what the facade of the temple at Tarxien might have looked like. This drawing is based on an engraving (a picture scratched in the stone) which was found at the temple by archaeologists. This is what the facade of the temples at Tarxien and most of our temples look like today. This doorway was rebuilt by archaeologists when the temples were discovered. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

8 So what happened to the roofs? Did they just disappear? Archaeologists think that parts of the roof were made of wood, branches and animal skins. In time this material rotted and disappeared. The big stones used in the roofs fell down and were used by other people to build houses, walls, etc. The people who built these temples were surely VERY clever! Some of the stones which make up the temples are simply HUGE! Even with modern machines, it would be a problem to move them. Prehistoric man must have been extremely well organised to move these huge blocks of stones. Also the people who worked on these temples could not be working in the fields to grow their own food so the village was organised enough to make enough food for these people who were not working in the fields. Some people also think that these temples were planned according to the movement of the stars and the sun. Can you find other signs of intelligence of these people? Archaeologists have found remains of animal skeletons inside temples. In Ħaġar Qim, they even found an altar in which they found a flint knife that might have been used to kill the animals for sacrifices. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

9 Surely some of the most famous things which were found in the Maltese temples are the statues of the Goddess of Fertility or the Mother Goddess. Some of these statues are really huge (for example the one found at Tarxien) while others are much smaller. Some statues are standing, while others are seated. Some are completely naked while others are wearing what looks like a skirt. Some archaeologists believe that prehistoric man in Malta worshipped Mother Nature in the form of a female goddess. Nature was extremely important for prehistoric man they lived very close to it. They depended on the fields, the weather and their surroundings for their living so it is not surprising that they offered sacrifices to nature and worshipped it too. Some believe that even the layout of the temples was inspired by the Goddess. The head The breast The hips and legs However, we have to be careful! Not all archaeologists agree with this. Some point out that the statues do not show women at all! Since we do not have anything written down, we cannot be too sure of what these statues represent. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

10 No remains of human skeletons were ever found in the temples so we can conclude that they were not used as a cemetery. There are other places which were used to bury dead people in the most famous are the Hypogeum in Paola and the Brockdorrf circle in Xag]ra, Gozo. So what went on inside the temples? Again, we cannot be 100% sure as we do not have any writing, but many curious things have been found out which give us hints. For example, we have already seen that most probably some form of animal sacrifices were offered on altars. Archaeologists have found secret little rooms in the thickness of the walls in some of the temples. These rooms have little windows or holes into the temples. We think that a person, maybe a priest could have sat in these secret rooms. People would have walked inside the temple and asked for advice and left offerings. The person inside the room The Oracle Hole would have talked out of the hole to the at Ħaġar Qim people outside. The booming voice would have impressed whoever was listening. This was called the Oracle. Can you try to imagine what other things might have gone on inside the temples? OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

11 Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Temples were built between the years 3300 and 2500 BC. They are considered to be the most beautiful temples built on our islands. These temples can be found near the village of Qrendi. This is what Ħaġar Qim looks like today Not so long ago, these two temples were covered with a huge tent. This was done to protect them from the heat of the sun, the rain and the wind. Several statues were found at Ħaġar Qim these are the famous fat ladies of Maltese prehistory. Archaeologists have made another famous discovery in this temple. This is a little statue of a naked woman. This statue is known as the VENUS OF MALTA. This statue is made of clay and it is very detailed. It was made around the year 3000 B.C. Can you notice something in common in these statues from prehistory? I suggest that you visit the fantastic temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra. It makes for a wonderful day out. If you cannot go there, you may want to pay a virtual visit to the place by logging on this site: OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

12 This altar is one of the most famous objects which was found at Ħaġar Qim. A tree is carved in the stone. Prehistoric people used nature for inspiration, but sometimes they used patterns too. The altar is covered in tiny holes this type of decoration is very common in Maltese temples. It is called Pitting. This is the type of tool which might have been used to drill these holes. This curious stone was found at Ħaġar Qim too. Archaeologists think that it represents something in particular. Imagine that you are the archaeologist who found this stone. What would your ideas about it be? OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

13 The Pedestal Altar. The altar which you see in the temple today is only a copy. The Oracle Room inside the temple This group of stones is one of the most famous views in this temple. The stones are huge and archaeologists wonder how prehistoric man managed to move them in place!!! This is the main gate into the temple. It faces south. Most probably the door faces south so that they could make most of the sunlight during the day. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

14 The prehistoric temples at Tarxien were built around the year 3000 BC. There are actually four temples in the site. These temples were found in 1914 AD by a farmer who was ploughing his fields. Big stones kept turning up when he was digging, so the farmer called the authorities. We are lucky that at the time, a very clever archaeologist was called to study this place. This archaeologist was Sir Temi ammit and he went directly to the spot to study the big stones. Dr Zammit was a very good archaeologist and thanks to his work at the Tarxien Temples, we have learnt a lot about Maltese prehistory. This is what the facade of the temple looks like today, but as we have seen in page 7, it looked very different when it was first built. The doorway which you see today has also been rebuilt in modern times. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

15 A lot of interesting things were found at Tarxien Temples. Luckily for us, Sir Temi Zammit left very good notes about his discoveries. Many interesting things were found in this room let us call it Room 3. This temple is unique in Malta it has six rooms instead of the usual two! The main entrance of the temple. Keep in mind that originally it looked very different. The big statue was found here. Let us look at some of the most famous of these objects. If you visit the temples at Tarxien, keep in mind that most of the objects which we will be discussing in these pages are modern copies. The original objects (statues, carvings, etc.) were moved to the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. One of the most famous remains at this temple is what remains of a giant statue. This statue is unique, not just because of its size but also because the person it represents is shown standing and not sitting. The statue seems to be wearing a skirt, but we cannot be sure whether it shows a man or a woman. The picture on the right shows you the size of the statue compared to an adult. On the left you can see what remains of the statue. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

16 A lot of carvings of different animals were found in the temples. Some of these animals are carved in blocks of stone while others are carved in the temple walls. Look at these two pictures of these remains. Can you recognise some of the animals shown? Remember that animals were VERY important for prehistoric man. They were very precious. Some archaeologists think that the carvings show the animals which were offered as sacrifices to the gods. These sacrifices were the best things which the people could offer to the gods. In other places, the decoration consists of spirals. Here are some examples from Tarxien. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

17 In Room 3, the archaeologists found this extremely interesting carving on the walls of the temples. What is so interesting about these two stones? I can only see scratches and cracks!! Let us try to make it easier for you Here is a line drawing of the objects which are carved on the rocks. What do you think the carvings show? Choose one of the objects shown on the carvings and draw it in the box below. Why do you think the people who built this temple carved these objects on the walls? OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

18 During the work on the temples, Sir Temi Zammit noticed these round stones. Some were scattered outside the temples while others were found under the huge blocks of stones. Have you got any ideas what these stones could have been used for? You can use drawings to explain yourself. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

19 The Hypogeum is an underground prehistoric site in the village of Paola. It is surely one of the most famous sites from our prehistory. The word HYPOGEUM comes from Greek and it means UNDER THE GROUND. The Hypogeum was discovered by accident in 1902 when workmen were building a set of new houses. They were digging a well when they broke through the roof. At first they tried to hide their discovery but eventually it had to be reported to the authorities. The Hypogeum was closed down in It was beautifully restored and opened again in Only very few visitors are allowed in every day, so if you want to visit this magnificent place, you have to book some weeks before. This is done to protect this unique structure. Too many visitors can cause a lot of harm to the place. If you cannot visit the Hypogeum, you may want to try out this site for a virtual visit: mples/hypo/hypo.html The Hypogeum is a WORLD HERITAGE SITE protected by UNESCO this means that it is important not just for the study of Maltese history but also for the whole world. There are other Hypogea (that is the plural of Hypogeum) in Malta. Another hypogeum can be found close to the one at Paola in the village of Santa Luċija. There is also another one at Xagħra in Gozo. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

20 The Hypogeum is divided in THREE levels. Let us visit each level in turn and try to learn about its use. This was the original entrance of the Hypogeum. A small temple stood here the temple is very similar to the one at Xemxija. In prehistoric times this temple was out in the open air. It must have been the first stage before entering the world below. Archaeologists think that some special ceremonies were held here before going deeper into the ground. This room is called The Holy of Holies. It is believed that this was a very special place in the Hypogeum The painted rooms delicate spirals painted in red decorate the walls and ceiling of this room The Sleeping Lady was found here. The remains of over 7,000 people were found in the lowest level of the Hypogeum OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

21 The Hypogeum is a labyrinth of over 40 rooms. Most of it was dug by prehistoric man by hand using tools made of flint, animal bones and wood. Parts of it are just cave like rooms, but in other parts, the decoration is fantastic. Archaeologists are not too sure about what went on in there, but from the remains which were found, we can try some guesses. What is a bit unfortunate is that Fr Manwel Magri the person who first explored the Hypogeum was sent on missionary work abroad before he could finish his work. Fr Magri died abroad and his notes about his work in the Hypogeum were never found! However, archaeologists have tried to make guesses about what went on in there from the remains which were found. Here are some of their conclusions: 1. The Hypogeum was used to bury dead people in. Most of the remains and bones were found in the lowest levels. What is strange about this burial place is that nearly all the bones which were found were in a confused pile. Archaeologists think that the bodies of the dead people were buried two times. First they left the dead body in one of the special rooms in the middle level together with offerings, statues, etc. Then when the body had rotted away and there remained nothing but bones, the remains were collected and buried again in the lowest levels of the Hypogeum. In the first burial, the bodies were buried in the sleeping position. Some archaeologists believe that this represented the way we lay in our mothers wombs before we are born. Maybe these people believed that with death, you were going back into mother earth to get born again into another life. Perhaps that is why the burial place was deep inside the ground in such grand surroundings. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

22 2. Archaeologists think that the Hypogeum may have been used for special ceremonies. Oracle holes were found here too and the decoration of the rooms makes us assume that special ceremonies connected with life and death were carried out here. Some archaeologists believe that people may even have slept in the Hypogeum in order to feel in touch with the land of the gods or the dead and then they were reborn when they went back outside. But of course, we cannot be too sure of any of this as there is no writing which tells us so. THE SLEEPING LADY This famous statue was found at the Hypogeum. It is a very delicate statue with a lot of beautiful details. It is made of clay. Archaeologists have many theories of what it could represent. Some think that it may show a dead person who was buried inside the Hypogeum. Others think that it may represent a priestess or the oracle. Some others say that she is sleeping as part of that ceremony which we talked about further up in this page. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

23 Here is one of the most famous rooms inside the Hypgeum. Let us look at it closely. This is the main room in the Hypogeum. It may have contained a number of people during some special ceremony. Keep in mind that this is all under the ground so the whole space had to be cut and carved in!!! Imagine also the echoes and the play of the tiny flickers of light of the lamps on the walls. Look at the roof of The walls are smooth this room this may and very highly give us a clue of what finished. Some very the roofs of the talented persons temples above the must have worked at ground looked like. this as the rock walls are very smooth. Compare the rough walls with the smooth walls of the rest of the room. These niches may have contained statues or offerings. Somebody must have followed a very good plan when making this room. Can you find some similarities between this and other temples above ground? OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

24 The Xagħra Stone Circle is a very important site in Gozo. It is an underground cemetery too. The good thing about its discovery was that it was studied by modern archaeologists very recently so they could use more scientific and accurate methods than those which were used in the studying of the Hypogeum. Though the Hypogeum at Xagħra is not open for visitors, some objects which were found there can be seen in the Museum of Archaeology at the Victoria Citadel in Gozo. Here are some important things which were found in other prehistoric cemeteries in Malta and Gozo. Can you guess what they were used for? This set of statues were carved in stone and they were found at the Xagħra Stone Circle in Gozo. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

25 These objects were found at Xagħra too. OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section

26 OUR STORY Mario Ellul, De La Salle Junior Section