The importance of these pillars goes beyond their presence at Xemxija. Their occurrence imparted a lobed appearance to the chamber itself, probably influencing the shape of the early megalithic temples.
The method of burial in this phase was not dissimilar from that occurring in tombs of the earlier culture. Finds from the Xemxija tomb included remains of a deer, and if this find was of local origin, it signifies the persistence of a forested Malta at least until 3600 BC. The human remains gathered from this tombs were interpreted as belonging to an elite community.
At this phase another change occurs. Tombs were often
accompanied by a number of megalithic above the tombs themselves, a change
which later developed in the Megalithic Remains found associated with burial
hypogea such as those found at Hal Saflieni and Xaghra.
GO BACK
Contact author by
E-Mail