Mortuary customs in prehistoric Malta

Abstract

The Maltese islands are known in prehistory for the monuments which are generally designated "temples". These impressive monuments immediately suggest two questions to the visitor: where did the temple builders live and where did they place their dead? - and the more curious will add a third question, how did they place their dead? The Anglo-Maltese project started in 1987, and continuing up to the time of writing (1999) with the important analysis of the material, has given an opportunity to study all these enquiries. The wider project was directly or indirectly involved in the more detailed understanding of two domestic sites at Ghajnsielem Road (Malone et al. 1988) and Tac-Cawla (pers. comm. Mark Horton) on Gozo, within the context of regional survey on the island of Gozo. The project has, however, principally contributed to the deeper understanding of mortuary customs in prehistoric Malta through the work at the Brochtorff Circle at Xaghra, where excavation was conceived to answer both questions: where and how did the prehistoric Maltese place their dead.