Heritage Malta manages Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples, which are two of the most visited sites on the Maltese Islands. They attract thousands of visitors every year, yet few notice how integral their landscape has been in their construction and development, and how their very environment is now threatening the monuments’ future.

One of the most striking factors that is evident during a visit to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra is their setting, which may have changed very little since their construction. Hagar Qim stands proudly on its hilltop, commanding a breath-taking view of the garigue landscape that slopes gently down to the cliffs on its seaward side. Mnajdra, visible from Hagar Qim, is set in a natural hollow some 500 metres downhill from it, while their seaward horizon is dominated by the island of Filfla.

The basic architecture of the two megalithic buildings, constructed some 5,000 years ago, may appear to be very similar. However, there are a number of qualities that define each monument, making it very different from the other.

At Hagar Qim, the main building has a unique plan. It began as a four or five-chambered structure that was extended by the addition of further chambers, possibly to accommodate changes and developments in the activities that it housed. Other particular features are the second doorway in this building as well as the niche that is built into the external wall. These are unique features, not found in any of the other megalithic temples, and seem to indicate that some of the activities that took place in the monument may have radiated outwards into the surrounding landscape, using areas all around the temple.

On the other hand, at Mnajdra there are no apertures or particular features along the external walls of the buildings. The entrances to the three temples here all open onto a large forecourt, indicating that activity outside the buildings was contained in the area directly in front of them. This factor may be linked to the position of each prehistoric building within their landscape, that is, Hagar Qim being on a hilltop and Mnajdra being within a hollow, and it is certainly connected with the activities that took place within these complexes.

The position of the two sites within their landscape has also influenced the materials used in the construction of each monument. The ridge on which Hagar Qim stands is capped with globigerina limestone. When this rock is exposed, it forms large, fairly smooth surfaces, so that it provided a flat area on which the monument could be constructed. Globigerina limestone, which was probably obtained from the immediate vicinity of the site, was used throughout in the construction of this building.

Mnajdra Temples, on the other hand, were partly constructed in lower coralline limestone, which is available as a result of the maghlaq formation in the area. This material was used for areas that were more exposed, such as the exterior walls.

Inside the buildings, where surfaces had a higher finish and where decorative features were to be found, the softer globigerina limestone was used. This was probably transported downhill from near Hagar Qim. It is interesting to note that, although the builders of these complexes knew coralline limestone was a more durable material and therefore more suitable for the construction of the external walls of these buildings, they chose not to transport it uphill from Mnajdra for use at Hagar Qim. This could possibly be because of the sheer weight of coralline limestone, which is a much denser and heavier material than globigerina.

The context of these megalithic temples and their position within the landscape, as well as their natural environment, has not only shaped them during their construction in prehistory but has also continued to transform them throughout their history. Their exposure to wind and rain which, in really rough weather, bear corrosive salt spray due to the buildings’ vicinity to the sea, has resulted in these magnificent structures becoming dangerously deteriorated. This continuous exposure to harsh elements has threatened the survival of important features within these sites.

In a bid to understand the environment of these monuments, and the way environmental factors affect the preservation of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, in May 2005 Heritage Malta launched a detailed study of the environment of these sites. This exercise was carried out in collaboration with the Istituto di Scienze dell’ Atmosfera e del Clima, part of Italy’s Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) and was funded by the EU through pre-accession funds.

Some of the latest equipment in this field was installed within a number of the monuments’ chambers as well as their

immediate vicinity.

This equipment is recording an array of environmental parameters including air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, rainfall and barometric pressure, as well as surface temperature and humidity. Further studies are being carried out regarding vibrations and water movement within the sites, as well as infra-red imaging of sample areas of the monuments.

The whole exercise is, for the first time, providing Heritage Malta with an accurate and profound insight into the relationship between the deterioration of these archaeological sites and their environment.

Heritage Malta is also undertaking a major project to protect these World Heritage Sites from the

environment, by constructing protective shelters over the two sites. This is part of the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples Conservation and Interpretation Project that is being funded by the EU through European Regional Development funding. The information obtained from the environmental monitoring described above helped define the design parameters for these shelters.

The shelters will ensure that Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are protected from their harsh environment while new effective methods are developed for their preservation.

In this way, Heritage Malta is ensuring that that every effort is made to ensure that the achievements of the past will be enjoyed and appreciated by present and future generations.

Article provided by Heritage Malta