In Gozitan folklore, the Neolithic temples of Ġgantija were actually believed -on account of the size of their enormous megaliths- to have been constructed by a giantess fed on a diet of broad beans and honey. Now, circa 5600 years later, the temples are celebrating another giant milestone.
This year commemorates the 40th anniversary since the Ġgantija Temples were officially inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Way back in 1980, only a limited amount of sites worldwide had made it onto the hallowed roll call. That same year the City of Valletta and the Ħal Saflieni Hypoguem were also accorded UNESCO status. “Considering that we are a small country in the Mediterranean, that speaks volumes about the richness of our cultural identity, doesn’t it?” asserts Daphne Sant Caruana, Principal Curator for the Ġgantija Temples at Heritage Malta
The Ġgantija temple complex evolved over three main phases of development. The South Temple, which was the first to be constructed around 3600 BC, consists of a five-chambered unit. “It is important to consider that these temples were once roofed, and the atmosphere inside would have been very different from the open-air sensation visitors experience today,” Sant Caruana reveals. 400 years later, the temple builders felt the need to extend the site, so they built a second smaller temple, cited as the North Temple featuring four apses and a terminal niche. Finally, another generation of stonemasons embarked on a massive endeavor to construct a large open semi-circular space in front of the site referred to as a forecourt or plaza. 
It would not necessarily have been religion in the way we understand it today, but it is likely that they were places designed to host some form of ceremonial rites.” The striking animal depictions carved in relief found at Tarxien temples, for instance, appears to point towards the importance of agricultural activity. “Since the temple builders were farmers and depended entirely on the land and their livestock for survival, one cannot exclude the possibility that these monuments hosted some form of communal rites associated with agricultural produce and seasonality.” We are still learning about these singular sites and the Maltese Temple Culture phenomenon. “That is perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects I find about archaeology. Nothing is taken at face value. One quite literally has to dig for information. Our understanding of these sites is in fact, constantly evolving.” Daphne remarks animatedly.
