Mnajdra

Middle Temple, Architectural Relief (plan)

This important relief carving depicts a very early type of roofed temple. The relief pictures six horizontal rows, divided into three vertical columns. From bottom to top we see a row of foundation stones, surmounted by squarish wall stones, topped by a row of capitals, underneath three rows of horizontal roofing elements.

The features of this relief appear very similar to an ancient limestone model from Ta'Hagrat in Mgarr, now on display at the museum in Valetta. Evidently both artifacts depict the same type of temple. But would this be the Ggantija phase (3600 BC-3200 BC), or the Tarxien phase (3200-2500) of Maltese temple-building? The Mgarr model was found in the Major Ta'Hagrat temple (Ggantija phase); the Mnajdra relief was found in the Middle Mnajdra Temple (Tarxien phase).

Malta. 1998.