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A Guide to Stone Circles (New Edition), Aubrey Burl

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Hal Saflieni Hypogeum - Ancient Temple in Malta in Mainland

Submitted by enkidu41 on Saturday, 20 June 2015  Page Views: 33092

Multi-periodSite Name: Hal Saflieni Hypogeum Alternative Name: The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni, Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni
Country: Malta Island: Mainland Type: Ancient Temple
Nearest Town: Valletta  Nearest Village: Paola
Latitude: 35.869719N  Longitude: 14.506669E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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I have visited· I would like to visit

Catrinm would like to visit

htrismegistus visited on 1st Jan 2024 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 The feeling inside is that of a compressed structure for very short beings - unlike the structures on the surface. The fact that this location and others had essentially mud with mixed bones from various animals and humans is to me indicative that there was a massive flood that caused it. Was this an ancient bunker? The elongated skulls found in it were hidden at the Valletta archeological museum, but some brought out recently for an exhibition. Some of the skulls seem to be permanently hidden. The chamber that resonates with a specific frequency was very impressive but I wish we had had a demonstration of the sound. Book ahead of time as the number of people inside is limited because of conservation efforts.

mlc visited on 1st Jul 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

ChristopherJones visited on 1st Oct 2017 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Some red paintings on the roofs are still visible.

SolarMegalith visited on 23rd Mar 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

lucy78green visited on 4th Dec 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

mona visited on 1st Sep 1983 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Andy B caroline_munns Bjorn have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.83 Ambience: 4.83 Access: 4.5

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 4 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Less than 1 kilometre from Kordin III temple and little more from Tarxien this monument is at its core a rock-cut tomb. But this description is woefully inadequate to do justice. The site was continuously extended by carving out further tombs and other more elaborately carved and decorated areas in clear imitation of the above ground temples.

Chambers have corbelled roofing and two have interior decoration of spirals and honeycomb cells rendered in red ochre, a feature no longer surviving above ground. The chamber at the centre of the site has elaborately carved trilithons, entrances to other chambers. The chambers have side chambers or niches in which the dead were placed. Around seven thousands skeletons have been found, far more than the chambers could accommodate at any one time as bodies and it is clear that the site was used for burials over many centuries.

Undoubtedly the central chambers were used for funeral rites and ceremonies where, in all probability, water from the cistern at the side of the Oracle Room played a part. The Oracle Room contains on its roof branching spiral designs painted in red ochre. To the side is the Oracle Hole opening into a small oval niche. This hole produces an extremely loud echoing sound when spoken into by someone with a deep voice.

The most important and most elaborately ornate room is the ‘Holy of Holies’, a Sanctum Sanctorum, entry to which is through a façade consisting of a portal slab under the centre of a lintel supported by four uprights. This in turn is framed within a larger trilithons and topped by another course of corbelling before the flat ceiling. But astonishingly these features are not built but sculpted with fine technique out of the living rock! In the floor of the chamber is a V-perforation, probably used for libation offerings, its opening closable with purpose-cut stone plugs.

The site is in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Access used to be strictly limited to 80 visitors a day and would be booked up weeks in advance. 2016 update: The Hypogeum is currently CLOSED to the public due to conservation project to create an environmental management system. More details at Heritage Malta.

Note: A series of 'semi official' photos of sites in Malta from the 1950s, sent in by Jonzjob, see his page for more.
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Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : Hypogeum of Hal Saflien Site in Mainland Malta (360 degree) The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni was discovered in 1902. The subterranean grave caverns are 11 meters deep. They are 5000 years old and one of the world Image copyright: panoround (Frederic Hutter), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : Catacumbas. Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum, Paola. Isla de Malta. Mar Mediterráneo Site in Mainland Malta Image copyright: Miguel Selas Canga, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Andy B (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 7 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : Catacumbas. Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum, Paola. Isla de Malta. Mar Mediterráneo Site in Mainland Malta Image copyright: Miguel Selas Canga, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : Catacumbas. Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum, Paola. Isla de Malta. Mar Mediterráneo Site in Mainland Malta Una inmensa necrópolis subterránea,constituye uno de los yacimientos arqueológicos más extraordinarios del mundo.Excavado en la roca hacia 3600 a.C Image copyright: Miguel Selas Canga, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum Site in Mainland Malta Photo: Heritage Malta Image copyright: Cultural Policy Images, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Flickr : The Hypogeum in Ħal-Saflieni, Paola, Malta Site in Mainland Malta Image copyright: the_cha (Matt Perreault), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 5 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 3 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 2 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Jonzjob : Hypogium 1 Semi official photo from the 1950s Image copyright: Jonzjob (John), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by Bjorn : The interior of Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. A truly amazing experience. Only 10 people an hour can enter. You need to book weeks in advance to stand a chance to get in. Though there may be standby tickets if somebody who booked does not appear.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by enkidu41 : Plan of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. (Reproduced from 'The Hypogeum: A Jewel of Ancient Malta).

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by megalithicsound : Archaeology of Sound Book is now available: illustrated papers and reports from the conference in Malta, including preliminary reports from Hypogeum Project. “We are not desolate — we pallid stones; Not all our power is gone; not all our fame; Not all the magic of our high renown; Not all the wonder that encircles us; Not all the mysteries that in us lie ” - Edgar Allan Poe

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by durhamnature : Pottery, one of many pictures in "Annals of Archaeology" via archive.org Site in Mainland Malta

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by durhamnature : Pottery, one of many pictures in "Annals of Archaeology" via archive.org Site in Mainland Malta

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by ainsloch : This is a model of the layout of the Hypogeum, found in the museum of archaeology in Valetta.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum submitted by riotgibbon : As close as I got - book, and book early ... (2 comments)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 493m E 97° Tarxien* Ancient Temple
 849m NNE 15° Kordin III* Ancient Temple
 3.0km NE 50° il-Kalkara Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
 3.1km N 8° The Malta National Museum of Archaeology* Museum
 3.2km SW 223° Is-Salib* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 4.0km WNW 298° Ta' Raddiena* Ancient Temple
 4.2km SSE 153° Ghar Dalam Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
 4.2km SSE 153° Ghar Dalam Cave* Cave or Rock Shelter
 4.3km E 93° Il-Bidni* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 4.4km ESE 123° Hal Ginwi temple Ancient Temple
 4.5km SSE 156° Borg in-Nadur Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
 4.6km SSE 156° Borg in-Nadur Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement
 4.7km SSE 155° Borg in-Nadur Temple* Ancient Temple
 4.8km SSE 153° St George's Bay Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
 4.8km SSE 153° St George's Bay Silos* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
 4.9km ESE 123° Tas-Silg* Ancient Temple
 5.3km NNW 331° Tal-Mensija Cart Tracks San Gwann* Ancient Trackway
 5.9km WSW 238° Misrah is-Sinjura* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 6.3km ESE 117° Xrobb l-Għaġin Temple* Ancient Temple
 6.5km S 177° Wied Znuber* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 7.4km SW 231° Hagar Qim* Ancient Temple
 7.9km SW 235° Misqa Tanks* NOT SET
 7.9km SW 233° Mnajdra* Ancient Temple
 8.3km NW 308° Tal-Wej Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
 8.6km NW 315° Triq il-Fortizza tal-Mosta Cart Ruts* Ancient Trackway
View more nearby sites and additional images

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"Hal Saflieni Hypogeum" | Login/Create an Account | 11 News and Comments
  
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Re: Hal Saflieni Hypogeum by mlc on Saturday, 02 July 2022
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It is once again possible (and extremely worthwhile) to visit Ħal Saflieni. Tickets are limited to 60 per day, and it's recommended to book in advance, though I was able to get a "last minute" ticket the same day without too much trouble. A visit lasts one hour, including a multimedia introduction and a guided walk through the site on modern walkways for safety and preservation. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed.
[ Reply to This ]

The Acoustic Ecology Of The The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum In Malta by Andy B on Thursday, 27 August 2020
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The Acoustic Ecology Of The The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum In Malta
Rupert Till, Kristina Wolfe, (University of Huddersfield) - Douglas Swanson (Unaffiliated)

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is a unique subterranean Maltese Neolithic sanctuary with a well-documented history of interest in its
acoustics. Following a pilot study, Rupert Till and Kristina Wolfe carried out a first comprehensive acoustic survey of the World
Heritage Site. A range of acoustic metrics were extracted from impulse responses that were captured using a swept sine signal
measurement technique. The results provided a detailed understanding of the acoustic ecology of the Hypogeum, including long
reverberation, very prominent bass resonance, a sense of envelopment, distortion of voices, stimulation of acoustic effects even
by quiet sounds, and a set of individual frequency peaks that correspond to a musical scale.

Analysis of the acoustic behaviour
of a scanned digital model of the space confirmed the results and allowed further study. It allowed the acoustic wave equation
of its geometry to be solved with the assistance of researcher Douglas Swanson, establishing that the coherent musical effect
that is present throughout the monument required multiple walls to be shaped with an accuracy of 15cm or less, suggesting that
the acoustic effects present could not be entirely accidental, although they could have been caused by unconscious rather than
intentional processes. This presentation outlines an interdisciplinary collaborative project, providing a new level of detail in acoustic
study of an archaeological site, and applying new scientific methods to the fields of archaeoacoustics and sound archaeology. This
results in a detailed systematic analysis and understanding of the Hypogeum, revealing the nature of the remarkable acoustics of
this unique site.

Presented at EAA Virtual 2020
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: The Acoustic Ecology Of The The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum In Malta by Andy B on Thursday, 27 August 2020
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    Rupert's talk: The space was modelled as a series of boxes (complex maths!)
    It has frequency peaks that correspond with a musical scale, like a bell. Very unusual for an acoustic space.
    By simulation, if you move any of the walls by only about 3cm it would disrupt the acoustic resonance
    Rupert "It's almost impossible it could be a coincidence"
    He suggests possibly an unconscious processes going on 'sounds really nice' while shaping the chamber. Or more deliberate shaping?

    [ Reply to This ]
    Acoustic Ecology Of The The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum by Andy B on Tuesday, 22 September 2020
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    An archaeoacoustic study of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum on Malta
    Published in Antiquity, 2016.
    Dr Rupert Till, School of Music, Humanities and Media, University of Huddersfield,

    The remarkable subterranean architecture of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum on Maltahas generated many claims about its dramatic acoustic effects, but previous studies have lacked rigour. Asystematic, methodical approach has now been applied to measure the acoustic properties of the site, and to test earlier assertions. The results confirm some, but not all,prior observations, and demonstrate how a sound-based approach can contribute to an understanding of the archaeological context.It is argued that for the people who created the Hypogeum, the acoustics must have had particular significance and ritual power.

    http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/30678/1/archaeoacoustic%20Study%20of%20Hypogeum_Till%20author%20copy.pdf

    http://antiquity.ac.ukdoi:10.15184/aqy.2016.258
    [ Reply to This ]

Singing in the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni by Andy B on Friday, 15 December 2017
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Singing in the Hypogeum
Posted on August 29, 2014 by Ruper Ttill

Music Archaeology Recordings had the opportunity to record in the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni, thanks to the generosity Heritage Malta. The Hypogeum is the only prehistoric underground tomb in the world, and a world heritage site. It has amazing acoustics, as it is carved out of stone, with stone walls, and is sealed underground, all noises reverberating and sustaining hugely. We were luck enough to work with eminent singer Iegor Reznikoff, who many regard as the father of archaeoacoustics. His work on the acoustics of prehistoric painted caves inspired many others to explore archaeology and acoustics. You can hear him singing on the recordings page here.

https://musicarchaeologyrecordings.wordpress.com/recordings/hypogeum-of-hal-saflieni-recordings/

More from Rupert 'Chill' Till here
https://soundcloud.com/rupert-chill
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Re: Hal Saflieni Hypogeum by Jonzjob on Friday, 12 June 2015
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I have already posted this on the Tarxien thread, so please excuse me for the duplication, but I thought it best to cover it on both.

We have just returned from our second holiday in Malta and we managed to get and have a look around the temples the day before they closed for the work on the 'tent', etc. No such luck with the Hypogeum though

My main reason for wanting to visit the sites was because as a youngster of 10 I used to play in the temples. That was in 1954!!! My father was stationed at Luqa and we lived just 200 yards or so away in Paula. The Hypogeum was even closer and I used to play in there too!! Now you need to book months in advance.

I have some photos from the 50s of both the temples and the Hypogeum, which according to Malta Heritage, are official photos and I would like to be able to post them for you, but I have no idea as to how?? Single syllable words for how to please.. We visited Malta Heritage and I gave them a copy, on CD, of all of the photos, Tarxien and the Hypogeum, and they very kindly gave us a couple of complementary tickets for Hagar Qim, an incredible place! Tarxien is to have the same kind of 'tent' to protect it.
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Intact prehistoric necropolis yields clues to sound and brain activity by Andy B on Tuesday, 01 July 2014
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Inside a 5,000-years-old mortuary temple on the Mediterranean island of Malta, scientists have detected the presence of a strong double resonance frequency at 70Hz and 114Hz. Enclosed stone sites like Malta's Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Newgrange passage tomb, and various cairns characteristically have an acoustic response to sound somewhere within 70 to 130 Hz. This is now being identified as a "megalithic range". Laboratory testing indicates that exposure to particular resonant frequencies within this range can have a physical effect on human brain activity.

In the publication from a recent conference on Archaeoacoustics: The Archaeology of Sound, Dr. Paolo Debertolis reports on tests conducted at the Clinical Neurophysiology Unit at the University of Trieste in Italy: “…each volunteer has their own individual frequency of activation. Those volunteers with a frontal lobe prevalence during the testing received ideas and thoughts similar to what happens during meditation, whilst those with occipital lobe prevalence visualized images.” He goes on to state that under the right circumstances, “Ancient populations were able to obtain different states of consciousness without the use of drugs or other chemical substances.”

What is astounding is that five thousand years ago the builders exploited the phenomenon, intentionally using architectural techniques to boost these “super-acoustics”. A radio frequency spectrum engineer observed that in Malta's Hypogeum, “The Oracle Chamber ceiling, especially near its entrance from the outer area, and the elongated inner chamber itself, appears to be intentionally carved into the form of a wave guide.”

Project organizer Linda Eneix points to other features: “The carving of the two niches which concentrate the effect of sound, the curved shape of the Oracle Chamber with its shallow “shelf” cut high across the back, the corbelled ceilings and concave walls in the finer rooms are all precursors of todays’ acoustically engineered performance environments.” She says, “If we can accept that these developments were not by accident, then it’s clear that Ħal Saflieni’s builders knew how to manipulate a desired human psychological and physiological experience, whether they could explain it or not.”

Why?

In the same conference publication Emeritus Professor Iegor Reznikoff suggests that Ħal Saflieni is a link between Palaeolithic painted caves and Romanesque chapels … “That people sang laments or prayers for the dead in the Hypogeum is certain, for
a) it is a universal practice in all oral traditions we know,
b) at the same period, around 3,000 BC, we have the Sumerian or Egyptian inscriptions mentioning singing to the Invisible, particularly in relationship with death and Second Life, and finally
c) the resonance is so strong in the Hypogeum already when simply speaking, that one is forced to use it and singing becomes natural.”

More information and links to sound clips are on the web site
http://www.archaeoacoustics.org/news-and-events.html
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Re: Hal Saflieni Hypogeum by wyrdy on Saturday, 27 March 2010
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This is a must visit place. I went in here two years ago. It is amazing! Book on line before you go as they only admit 10 people per hour. Book here https://maltaticket.com/index.asp?page=heritage
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Re: Hal Saflieni Hypogeum by tfar on Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Condition:4
Ambience:5
Access:5
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