To understand the background to these excavations, it is worthwhile to look briefly at the modern history of Malta. From 1971 to 1984, the fiery and controversial Dom Mintoff was Prime Minister: he did not like the professional classes, and the professional classes did not like him. And the archaeologists simply concentrated on surviving. Following a conference in 1985, an invitation was made to Cambridge scholars to initiate a new joint phase of fieldwork. By the time Mintoff’s party had lost power in 1987, the archaeologists had breathed a sigh of relief and decided to celebrate by carrying out a big, spectacular excavation. Where was this to be?
On Malta there are two basic types of monument of the Temple Period, which is now dated from 4,000 to 2,500 BC. There were the temples themselves, and the burial sites, or rather, there are many temples, and one major burial site. Were there any more burial sites?
The most important Temple Site is Tarxien (pronounced Tarsheen), today situated somewhat incongruously in the suburbs of Valletta. However, 500 yards away is the site known as the Hypogeum (Greek for ‘under earth’), or in Maltese, Hal Saflieni which has recently been splendidly restored for visitors. It was discovered and ransacked first by builders and then uncovered by Father Magri in 1901, but subsequently what was left was competently excavated in the 1930s by Sir Thermisticles Zammit, who, among other things, was the real founder of Maltese archaeology. He estimated the original deposits as containing some 6,000 skeletons, set on three intercommunicating levels, accompanied by a number of superbly carved idols. It seemed clear that the temple at Tarxien and the Hypogeum must be related to each other, as shrine and burial place.
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