Tarschene

• Address: Triq It Tempji Neolitici, Tarsheyen village, Malta
• Phone: +356 2169 5578
• Foundation date: 2800 BC. e.
• Date of detection: 1914.

The Temple of Tarshiens (Tarshiensky temple complex) is considered the oldest on the planet, it dates from 3600 - 3000 BC. Famous for the whole world, the Egyptian pyramids were erected in 2500 BC, and the famous Stonehenge was built only in 2000 BC. The Tarxien sanctuary is the largest in Malta , it is richly decorated with elaborate decorative designs, various ornaments, with a predominance of spiral images, statues and relief figures. As is known, during this period bronze was not yet open, so the carvers used stone tools as their tools. Since 1992, the temple is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which performs an extensive program for the preservation of relics.

How was the temple complex discovered?

In the distant 1914, when local peasants plowed the land, their plow constantly ran into stone blocks under the ground. So the remnants of the temple were first discovered. A year earlier, in the vicinity of the village, the underground ancient sanctuary of Hal-Safelini was found. Therefore, the owner of the land decided that his discovery might also be of archaeological value. He appealed to the director of the National Museum Temistokles Zammit, and he almost immediately began to conduct excavation, where they found the central part of the temple complex. Between 1915 and 1919, remains of four other megalithic temples were found here, all of which are connected and connected by narrow staircases.

Major findings

Scientists, studying the temple of Tarshiens, discovered a lot of interesting facts, giving us the opportunity to unravel some ancient riddles. So one of the four sanctuaries, located on the south side, has interesting reliefs on its slabs. This is an image of domestic animals: pigs with their pigs and two powerful bulls, symbolizing the male principle. Perhaps the drawings have some ritual meanings. In the temple complex was found part of the statue - a woman of appetizing form, though only her legs were preserved. The find itself is now in Valletta in the archaeological museum, and its copy is placed in ruins. Based on the main cult of ancient people, the researchers suggest that this is the Goddess of fertility.

Around the temple complex in Malta is a large number of round stones. According to the scientists, they were used as rollers for moving heavy cornerstones down here. The bowl, made entirely of stone monolith, whose size is one meter high and the same width, is also of interest. There is in the sanctuary and the chamber of the Oracle, which has excellent acoustics. Many valuable artifacts are also stored in the museum in the capital of Malta, and on the excavations there are copies, since natural influences can destroy the originals.

In the temple of Tarsheen, sacrifices were made, skulls and bones of various animals were found here, as well as a huge number of images of goats and sheep. With a more detailed study of the southern sanctuary, one can consider the cracks on its surface that appeared in the Bronze Age. They are the result of burning with fire. Probably, here they prepared for burial and cremation of the dead.

Information for visitors

The flow of those wishing to plunge into prehistoric times is constantly growing, because here one can not only feel the old time, but also learn many new and interesting things. To convey the spirit of the time, fake artifacts are laid out throughout the territory of the Tarshien temple. And information signs, installed everywhere, talk about ancient artifacts. The eastern part of the complex is better than the rest. The visiting card of the architectural monument is the company's doors with the most ancient designs depicted on them. Scientists suggested how the temple looked like originally, and installed a mock-up at the entrance.

At the moment, an extensive set of measures is being carried out to save unique ancient temples. The largest bank of the country, Bank of Valletta (BOV), is financing this project. In the village of Tarsiene, near the temple complex, they plan to build a tourist center. There will be an exposition of the sanctuary, as well as areas for recreation and entertainment. For numerous tourists who come here from all over the world, build hotels, cafes and restaurants. With the increase in the flow of travelers, the infrastructure of the city is growing, which is an important factor for the development of the entire island.

How to get to the Tarschen temple?

You can get to Tarshien from different cities of the country. From Valletta to the village from the bus station there are buses with numbers 81 and 82. To get here from Sliema , you need to get to the city of Paola by bus, and then walk or take a taxi (about one and a half kilometers). If you visit the temple of Tarshien in the summer, do not forget to bring water, a hat, sunscreen and a camera.