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Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
| Site number: | 130 |
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| Type of site: | Cultural | |
| Date: | ca 2500BC | |
| Date of Inscription: | 1980 | |
| Location: | Europe, Malta, Commune of Paola, Island of Malta | |
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| Description: | This gigantic subterranean structure called the Hypogeum was hollowed out in c. 2500 B.C., with the use of cyclopean rigging massive blocks of coralline limestone were hauled up. Possibly the site was initially a sanctuary, but in prehistoric times it was used as a necropolis. --WHMNet paraphrase from the description at WHC Site, where additional information is available. | |
| The Hypogeum in Ħal-Saflieni, Paola, Malta, is a subterranean structure excavated c. 2500 B.C. Thought to be originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times. It is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. The Hypogeum was depicted on a 2 cents 5 mils stamp issued in the Maltese Islands in 1980 to commemorate the acceptance by UNESCO of this unique structure in the World Heritage Site list. It was closed to visitors between 1992 and 1996 for restoration works. It was discovered by accident in 1902 when workers cutting cisterns for a new housing development broke through its roof. The study of the structure was first entrusted to Father Manuel Magri of the Society of Jesus, who directed the excavations on behalf of the Museums Committee. Magri unfortunately died in 1907, before the publication of the report. Following Magri's sudden death, excavation resumed under Sir Temi Zammit. --Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. | ||
| Source: | http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/130 | |
| Reference: | 1. UNESCO World Heritage Center, Site Page. | |