My visit to the ancient Hypogeum in Malta

[Billy]

My visit to the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and other ancient sites around Malta and Gozo

He everyone, I returned from visited Malta last week after a three weeks stay in Malta and the small Island of Gozo. It has been a mission of mine to return to Malta since I was last there 26 yrs ago to revisit the ancient standing stones sites and mainly the Hypogeum which I was not aware of 26 yrs ago.

My whole trip was planned around when I could have access to the 5000 year old Hypogeum, I had to book my visit a year in advance as their calendar was fully booked months in advance. I pre booked two visits to the Hypogeum. Which now I was very glad I did as I ended up having a memorial experience on my second visit which I will share with you all.

The Hypogeum is a man made underground structure on three levels. Hypogeum is a Greek word for underground. But more accurate is Hypo = under and Geum = Gaia (mother or goddess) and is usually associated with a chamber. A chamber under mother earth is exactly what it is.

The Hypogeum has been built with amazing acustics qualities within the plan. A lost knowledge from the ancient builders as far as I am concerned. As some of you already know I have travelled around the world seeking out ancient structures and temples with acustic properties. India being my last trip which I shared with you all on my Ajanta / Ellora thread. I have also visited sound structures in Greece, Turkey and of course Scotland. But the Hypogeum takes the cake as far as quality of resonance is concerned.
Literally, out of this world.

When I was still in Scotland months before my trip I wrote to Heritage Malta to ask for permission to allow me to test the acustics for a few seconds with my toning skills, which are not that great but I get by. They replied quickly with a definite NO not allowed. I appealed against their decision as I knew through all my previous research that they had allowed some privileged folks Access to test the sound. They replied saying that if I hired a whole group tour for myself then I could test the acustics. There are 10 visitors in each tour group at €38 each = €380. I could not afford this so I just let it go disappointed that I would not be allowed to tone inside the Hypogeum. But things took an unexpected turn for the better when I actually arrived there. :muscle::thumbsup:

The security is very high at the Hypogeum. No cameras, phones or tablets are allowed inside, when you arrive for your tour you have to place everything inside a locker which they give you a key for. It is an audio tour. So you are given small audio device with no earphones. They select your language and you are led through the Hypogeum on a built metal walkway that you are not allowed to stray from.

As no cameras were allowed I have no personal photos to share but there are plenty on the net from earlier times when security was not so strict.

These are pictures from some postcards I bought.
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39141. 39142

This one is from the net.
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There is one room they call the oracle room. Which has a small square cut out of the stone and this is the sound chamber that resonates throughout all three levels when you tone into it. You have to first find the note or key of the structure and when you do, you know it, as your whole chest and body vibrates with the sound. Quite an experience I assure you. :bowing:

My picture limit has been reached on this OP post, so I will continue on the history of the Hypogeum with another post soon. :sun:

[Billy]

There are quite a few mysteries connected to the Hypogeum. A teacher and his group of children disappeared in the tunnels without trace in the 1940's. Although their cries could be heard for days after their disappearance, they were never found. The tunnels under Malta are endless, some say you could walk from one end of Malta to the other underground. Some say you could also walk all the way under the Mediterranean to Italy through underground tunnels.

There were estimated 7000 skeletons found within the chamber's when it was first discovered. These remains had what they termed " long headed skulls" or elongated skulls. At one time you could view those skulls in the museum in Valletta, but they have all now been removed from public viewing.
https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170402/local/hypogeum-missing-children-alien-skulls-and-7000-skeletons.644151

Some theories are that the Hypogeum was a burial chamber. But I think not. It was definitely build as a sound chamber in the first instance and later used as a burial chamber. My opinion.

There are also stories of Giants being spotted under the Hypogeum.
Here is one such story from the 1930s.

https://borderlandsciences.org/journal/vol/17/n02/Jessop_Malta_Cavern_World.html

There have been research projects carried out within the Hypogeum to research the acustics.
http://www.otsf.org/hal-saflieni-project.html

And here
https://antiquitynow.org/2014/05/15/echoes-of-history-the-incredible-sound-effects-of-maltas-hypogeum-hal-saflieni/

From the University of Valletta in Malta.

https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/16630?show=full

A picture of the entrance into the Hypogeum and reception desk.

39144. 39145

Another photo from the net.
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When I actually arrived at the Hypogeum I mentioned to the receptionist at the desk that I had asked for permission to test the sound but was refused. He said that if I could get permission from the rest of the 9 members of my group on my tour. Then I could have a few seconds toning, but I must not disturb the audio tour. So only when the audio stopped ready for the next piece.
The rest of the group were delighted to give me permission. The receptionist told the guide and I managed a few moments of toning near the oracle. :p
Everyone on that tour were quite impressed with that experience. But no cameras, phones or tablets allowed. So no recording.
When I was leaving I thanked the receptionist and the guide for the honour. I said that I had waited over 20 yrs for that moment. He replied. Quote: "well sir you have now been initiated and you are welcome anytime" cool, as I have another visit pre booked next week. He said if the rest of the group give permission I can have another go. I left there feeling overwhelmed, excited, honoured. Wow. :bowing:

I returned for my next visit a week later. One of the benefits of being over 60 was it cost me only €20 instead of €38 to enter which was why I booked two visits.
The receptionist remembered me and told the guide who was a female guide this time that if the group gave me permission then I could do some toning. The group all gave me the ok. Although I respected that no cameras, phones or tablets were allowed. The list did not mention a personal recorder. Which I carried inside my money and passport pouch. Naughty I know but this was a once in a life time experience. I am certain that the lovely Maltese female guide saw what I had.
Then she turned around and said. " If you like, I can leave you at the oracle for the whole tour. But it means you will miss out on the tour " I said I saw the tour last week and I would be gratefully honoured to just listen this time.
Ok she said. But I must not leave the spot until the rest of the tour returns. And only tone between gaps in the audio. I gave her a bow and said thank you. :bowing:

When I was left at the oracle and the tour moved on everything was plunged into total darkness as the lights only come on at each stage of the tour. I fumbled trying to get my recorder ready. When I switched it on it lit up. I was nervous but managed a short recording. Which I took to my sound engineerings friend yesterday to clean up. Because I held it in my hand there was clicks from my fingers and all sorts of background noises from the other visitors and the audio.

I knew at one moment I tuned into the key of the structure but was not sure if I caught it on the recording. But I definitely felt it in my body. My chest was vibrating with the resonance. My friend set it up and I had caught that moment. So I asked him to just loop that moment for me. This he did. There are no added reverb or echo on this wee sample. All pure Hypogeum resonance. :sun:

Excuse the deep breathing and not very good toning. I was nervous and my throat tightened. But it will give you an idea of the quality of sound. Better to listen with earphones.

link to my attempt at toning. MP3 3 minutes long. Have head phones on for a better listen.

http://projectavalon.net/Billy_toning_at_the_Hypogeum.mp3

[Scottoz]

I found your post very interesting, especially the acoustic qualities of these ancient structures, what an amazing place.

Cheers

Scott

[leavesoftrees]

[SIZE="3"]
The Hypogeum has been built with amazing acustics qualities within the plan. A lost knowledge from the ancient builders as far as I am concerned. As some of you already know I have travelled around the world seeking out ancient structures and temples with acustic properties. India being my last trip which I shared with you all on my Ajanta / Ellora thread. I have also visited sound structures in Greece, Turkey and of course Scotland. But the Hypogeum takes the cake as far as quality of resonance is concerned.
Literally, out of this world.

I have wanted to visit Malta and the hypogeum for many years. I look forward to hearing more about your visit there. Have you tested the acoustics of the King's chamber of the Great pyramid?

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Awesome Billy, thank you for sharing this. Gorgeous tones, and a wonderful experience, I would dearly love to visit the Hypogeum myself some day.

[Billy]

I have wanted to visit Malta and the hypogeum for many years. I look forward to hearing more about your visit there. Have you tested the acoustics of the King's chamber of the Great pyramid?




Awesome Billy, thank you for sharing this. Gorgeous tones, and a wonderful experience, I would dearly love to visit the Hypogeum myself some day.

A Great place for an Avalon gathering. another 7 folks and we can hire the Hypogeum for an hour all to ourselves :bigsmile: I am up for it maybe next year or year after :idea:

So far I have never visited Egypt leavesoftrees. But it is on my bucket list and the king's chamber will definitely be visited.i was always waiting for the hall of records to be found before I visited Egypt.

[Valerie Villars]

Billy, I found your text and audio fascinating. It's amazing how modern structures built for music, have the same general shape.

As I was listening to your audio, a little hummingbird flew in front of me, hovered, and then zipped away. How lucky you are to have visited such a place. Thank you for sharing.

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

A Great place for an Avalon gathering. another 7 folks and we can hire the Hypogeum for an hour all to ourselves :bigsmile: I am up for it maybe next year or year after :idea:

Wonderful, count me in for sure!


So far I have never visited Egypt leavesoftrees. But it is on my bucket list and the king's chamber will definitely be visited.i was always waiting for the hall of records to be found before I visited Egypt.

I would not be surprised if they had been found! (in secret of course). But Egypt is also on my bucket list.

I've visited a number of ancient sites in the past. The two most powerful (in an 'energy' sense) which left lasting impressions on me, were Chichen-Itza in Mexico, and Delphi in Greece. I'd love to return to each one day. :bigsmile:

[Foxie Loxie]

WOW!! What a wonderful Birthday Gift :cake: for me to wake up to the wonderful post & toning! :sing::nod:

Thank you so much for posting your impressions & the articles! Amazing information!! :drum::clap2:

[OmeyocaN777]

Creepy Subterranean Caves That Prove There is Something Strange Going in Our World
with Barry Fitzgerald

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpYxwGhnEkQ&index=7&list=FLFurslqR-whoBc9gakjG48g&t=0s

These chambers like Hypogeum are stargates. Look at the symbol at 19'15" and compare it with Hypogeum.
After go to 43'20"... he speaks about Hypogeum.
My personal view of this thread is, it depends on the frequency you can open a portal to a different place or dimension.
But this specifical frequency that Barry speak of, it opens the "doorway" to the "snakes" realm.....so better we must leave that alone...!!!!
I was with Jad this equinox in Delphi (Corycian Cave) and we make a healing ceremony with bubble orgonite.
I think that is a much better approach for these energy places.
Go to these power places (ley lines) of mother earth and make a healing ceremony...help her evolve!!

[ichingcarpenter]

I so wanted to go there when I lived in Europe but didn't make it so thank you for your personal experience adventure and photos.


From Sicily down to Malta something major was happening at the time of Gobeki Tepe when the sea level was much lower. and Malta mysteries are this old which is older than they tell us.

For example just in 2015 :


9,350-Year-Old Stonehenge-Style Monolith Found in Mediterranean Sea


The man-made monolith is at least 9,350 years old. It weighs about 15 tons and is broken into two parts.

It has three regular holes of similar diameter: one that crosses it completely on its top, and another two at two sides of the monolith.

There are no reasonable known natural processes that may produce these elements, according to Dr Emanuele Lodolo from the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics in Italy and Dr Zvi Ben-Avraham from the University of Haifa and Tel Aviv University in Israel, who found the monolith.

“The monolith is made from stone other than those which constitute all the neighboring outcrops, and is quite isolated with respect to them,” the scientists said.

“It is composed of calcirudites of Late Pleistocene age, as determined from radiocarbon measurements conducted on several shell fragments extracted from the rock samples.”

The monolith was found on the Pantelleria Vecchia Bank, a former island of the Sicilian Channel.

The island, according to the archaeologists, was dramatically submerged during a flood around 9,300 years ago.

“The obtained age falls chronologically within the beginning of the Mesolithic period of the SE Europe and Middle East,” Dr Lodolo and Dr Ben-Avraham said.


http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/science-stonehenge-monolith-coast-sicily-03121.html

[Johan (Keyholder)]

Billy, I was in the Hypogeum about twelve years ago. And it is indeed a fascinating place. I wasn't at that time aware of toning, maybe it would have been easier to do then, than now.

The Egyptian King's chamber of the great pyramid I have visited twice leavesoftrees. Something to never forget. The first time the chamber was intact, and it is surprising how small it really is.
The sarcophagus fills up a large part of the room, which I found very odd. The second time, they had made a huge hole in one of the walls to put a ventilator in! At least 1 meter diameter, how crazy is that?
There were only a few hundred visitors allowed a day, then. And the condensation was enormous inside. The room is quite a way walking inside the pyramid, and that is why people's breath cause the condensation
I think. Still, ruining that room was "sacrilegious" in my opinion.

Then Delphi, was also a special place. The omphalos has always fascinated me, as well as the stories of the "E at Delphi". Lots of explanations, but I believe the real meaning hasn't come up yet.
The hike up the mountain where the Corycian cave is was one of the nicest walks I ever made. I remember it was in late February, 2012.

Other powerful place I would like to mention: the shroud of Turin; Magnetic Island and Uluru in Australia; Iona, Scottish island of Mull; Bornholm in Denmark; and Sedona, but in 1978... before the not-so-nice change in this area.

I used to travel a lot, now I have less the occasion. But hopefully, in a not too far future again. Who knows.

[Hym]

Thanks, as always Billy. I appreciate the audio of your sounding. I also appreciate that so many have shared and more will do so.

I add that the upper roof chamber of the palate and it's highly sensitive interactions with the higher senses is our carry-along cave of opening awareness. It is natural and expected when in a relaxed meditative state that the tongue rests up to the upper palate.

It is one of the avenues of transcendence beyond the mundane world, with the ability to heal all those who engage it. The Maya shamans called it the connection to the heavens, so resonance in that chamber of the mouth is always with us.

I encourage anyone to make their own sacred space, a natural place of interconnected resonance. In your home, on your property, etc. Find a cave. Check it out for insects, critters, safety. Base using it on how you feel there and don't be hesitant to leave the space if it doesn't feel right. Oh yeah, and remember to always bring your own inner, habitual critters into the meditative space as that is the best place to face them and choose what you would do with them.

In times past, and only a few now, these spaces were used for healing. The optimum is comprised of individual dome shaped chambers, arranged in a circle and open to the middle larger dome wherein someone or thing, or a representative of it's essence is placed to receive the healing energy of the Naad, the Sound Current, The Song of The Soul that those around the center are creating. Experimentation is always a worthy creation.

I have been saddened, but have learned to accept that challenge without diversion, that humanity does so very little of this self-and-community empowering series of practices, considering that it is an innate channel of such tremendous healing and travel energy unique to the species. It's funny seeing it explored as if it is some rare experience, but it is such. I highly recommend it. Sacredness you carry but sometimes, like me, forget it.

By the way, almost always, it is best sung, chanted and listened to WITH others. Do not forget to allow yourself the time needed to stay there and absorb the universe responding. Be quiet for some time before leaving, or you might miss the beauty of the response, the song resonating within.

If you wish please share your experiences with us here.
Thanks....

[Jayke]

I have wanted to visit Malta and the hypogeum for many years. I look forward to hearing more about your visit there. Have you tested the acoustics of the King's chamber of the Great pyramid?




Awesome Billy, thank you for sharing this. Gorgeous tones, and a wonderful experience, I would dearly love to visit the Hypogeum myself some day.

A Great place for an Avalon gathering. another 7 folks and we can hire the Hypogeum for an hour all to ourselves :bigsmile: I am up for it maybe next year or year after :idea:

So far I have never visited Egypt leavesoftrees. But it is on my bucket list and the king's chamber will definitely be visited.i was always waiting for the hall of records to be found before I visited Egypt.

An Avalon gathering in the Hypogeum! That would be an amazing experience. :sun: The Gayatri Mantra would sound incredible in there; the acoustics sound perfect for it!

I’d probably get scared we might wake some sleeping giants though :idea:

6Kb0q9J8lPA
:wizard:

[FireRat]

What a cool place, thanks for sharing!!
I've always wanted to go to Malta myself! So much history there, and yep an avalon gathering there would be great!

[leavesoftrees]

The Egyptian King's chamber of the great pyramid I have visited twice leavesoftrees. Something to never forget. The first time the chamber was intact, and it is surprising how small it really is.
The sarcophagus fills up a large part of the room, which I found very odd. The second time, they had made a huge hole in one of the walls to put a ventilator in! At least 1 meter diameter, how crazy is that?
There were only a few hundred visitors allowed a day, then. And the condensation was enormous inside. The room is quite a way walking inside the pyramid, and that is why people's breath cause the condensation
I think. Still, ruining that room was "sacrilegious" in my opinion.

Then Delphi, was also a special place. The omphalos has always fascinated me, as well as the stories of the "E at Delphi". Lots of explanations, but I believe the real meaning hasn't come up yet.
The hike up the mountain where the Corycian cave is was one of the nicest walks I ever made. I remember it was in late February, 2012.

Other powerful place I would like to mention: the shroud of Turin; Magnetic Island and Uluru in Australia; Iona, Scottish island of Mull; Bornholm in Denmark; and Sedona, but in 1978... before the not-so-nice change in this area.

I used to travel a lot, now I have less the occasion. But hopefully, in a not too far future again. Who knows.

Yes the king's chamber is very special, I was not aware that they had installed the ventilator. i was there with a group of 6 people, the chamber resonates like no other structure I have been inside. It changes your consciousness quite profoundly!
I would add Maes Howe on the Orkney Islands to your list

What was your experience on Magnetic Island?

[Billy]

Hi guys. Just to say my original intention was to add my visits to other ancient sites, mostly the standing stone Temples on Malta and Gozo into this thread. But I am having second thoughts now as a good conversation has developed in here and I do not want to spoil it.
So I am now thinking that the Hypogeum deserves a thread of its own and we just continue as is in here for now.

Plus it looks like that more Avalonians are quite serious about meeting up in Malta in the future and visiting the Hypogeum and I would suggest other ancient sites. It is a small Island with a treasure trove of ancient sites and history.

If we are serious ?, because I am serious. Then we would have to book the Hypogeum at least a year in advance then work around that date for flights and accommodation. Off season in September or October is a good time to visit weather wise and accommodation drops in price big time off season. But I am open to whatever everyone thinks. I would rather go when there are no school holidays. 2019 or 2020 suits me.
Just putting this out there. :sun:

This was an interesting mural I found just around the corner from my accommodation in Sliema.

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I then met up with Avalon member MalteseKnight and unknown to him that I had already taken a photo of this mural. We got talking about tunnels and portals.

Then he sent me this. He enters in Malta and exits in Italy :bigsmile:

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Plus an interesting interview with Kev Baker interviewing James Swagger. James talks about the Hypogeum, the long headed Skulls found inside the Hypogeum and acustics.

G6jIXN1eAmY

[Justplain]

Regarding the giants' skeletons found in the hypogeum, these type of skeletons, some with elongated skulls and/or six digit fingers and/or two rows of teeth, have been found all over the world, such as Catalina island off California (all the skeletons have been 'lost' by the smithsonian), Europe, etc. In Peracus Peru some of the skeletons that have been found arent necessarily giants, but are bigger than regular people of their time.

These giants have been equated to the Denisovian humans recently found in Russia. A human tooth found in that cave was i believe the largest ever found. So the Denisovian breed are equated with giants.

So, the postulation (speculation) is that those giants were the dominant human species in anti-deluvian times. Some survived the great flood right into fairly recent times, as evidenced by these skeletal remains. These late survivors were likely hybrids with homo-sapiens. The suggestion is that they had trouble reproducing and evetually went extinct.

It is quite possible, actually quite likely, that these Denisovian giants were the rulers of Atlantis and Lemuria. Their increased cranial capacity most likely enabled the advanced tech that produced the Giza pyramids, the global mapping evidenced by the Pirri Ries map and the pyramid structures found all over the world. Another example of their skills is the Maltese Hypogeum.

It is also quite possible that these Denisovians did not think much of homo sapiens. An artifact documented in Bill's Camelot interview with Klaus Dona shows an inscription of a man wearing a helmet with an antenna that broadcast a signal that made all the people around him obedient (or so it seemed). They may have seen us as inferior. Anyhow, they are gone now, unless some survivors are off planet or underground. Just part of Earth's hidden past.

[Johan (Keyholder)]

Billy, sometime in 2019 or 2020 when there are no school holidays would be good to visit the Hypogeum and Malta. IF we can get a group together here that is. I suppose that if there would be four or five of us, it still would be possible to visit privately, but then at a higher cost per person? You're 64 right? I am 61. I wonder with how many (10?) we would need to be and at what cost for the group. It looks like a great idea anyway, and you can "count me in", if the dates are fitting.

Leavesoftrees, Magnetic Island was a very exceptional experience for me, because it started in 1973. I was in the town of Spa (in Belgium, it's where the name "spa" comes from as this town is known for its baths) when one morning I woke up with the name of a town in Australia in my mind. I was 16 at the time. I had no idea where this came from, I didn't even know whether this place really existed. So, back home I looked it up, and sure enough, that city did exist. In Queensland. The name was "Townsville". I have ever since been interested in Australia and the South Pacific in general (it even became the subject of my MA-thesis and MBA-thesis). Probably it is related to "past lives" there, I had an experience with Captain Cook's Endeavour in the mid 90's and more specifically with a botanist on his boat (Banks).

In 1985 I finally made it to Townsville. 12 years later. I sort of recognized the area (I came in by bus into Townsville) though I had not been there yet. While walking around town, I was wondering what had "attracted" me to this place. And then, suddenly, I saw in a window of a travel agent "Come to Magnetic Island". An island a short ferry ride away. I figured that if I was "attracted" from the other side of the planet to this place, then Magnetic island was maybe where I needed to go. I did go there for three days, had several good experiences there (I enjoyed Horseshoe Bay a lot) and then continued my Australia-trip.

In 2000 I went there again, somehow it felt like the "end of a cycle" and I was supposed to go there. I think I did the right thing, so it felt anyway (though it also was kind of strange...why was it necessary?).

Between 1975 and 2010 I visited a lot of places all over the world, in many cases because I felt "called" to go there, and most times very unusual things happened. So, I never did regret any of these voyages. I just loved to travel too, so that was "a bonus".

[Billy]

Billy, sometime in 2019 or 2020 when there are no school holidays would be good to visit the Hypogeum and Malta. IF we can get a group together here that is. I suppose that if there would be four or five of us, it still would be possible to visit privately, but then at a higher cost per person? You're 64 right? I am 61. I wonder with how many (10?) we would need to be and at what cost for the group. It looks like a great idea anyway, and you can "count me in", if the dates are fitting.

Thank you Keyholder. With the Euro being now equal to the pound, the tour is quite expensive if you are under 59. It is €38 or £38 per person. 60+ as a senior citizen or a student, It drops to €20. I just did a experiment and looked at booking a year from now, September 2019 and all 10 tickets are available for the day and time I had chosen.

39154

39155

It was fully booked up to the end of this year and beginning of 2019, but most bookings were available for later in 2019.

So I say we are in no rush to book ahead for the time being.

If more people are seriously thinking about going, I would create a thread in the members only forum to discuss this further. :bowing:

[Johan (Keyholder)]

I had a look at flights to Malta, from Belgium. A return leaving three weeks from now and staying a week in Malta would be below 50 euro. But next year, around the same time, it would be over 300 euro (if booked now).
Low cost companies like Ryanair adapt the prices according to their bookings, so late bookings could be best. I don't know how it would be from Scotland (or other places) to fly to Malta.
Booking the Hypogeum ticket soon (in case we can get a small group together) and then watching for tickets to fly in the year to come is maybe the better option?
I would certainly combine the Hypogeum visit with a stay on and visit of Malta and Gozo.

[Johan (Keyholder)]

And as an alternative... I looked up Nov 11-Nov 13 for this year. If going with two people, it would cost (from Belgium at least) 150 euro, for 4 flights and 2 nights in a double room in La Valletta. Add the cost for the Hypogeum and a few other costs and it would be "a bargain". But I don't know whether at such a short notice we could get a group together.

[Bill Ryan]

A teacher and his group of children disappeared in the tunnels without trace in the 1940's. Although their cries could be heard for days after their disappearance, they were never found.

That's really pretty spine-chilling. Billy, do you have a link to the story?

[Billy]

Hi Bill. Yes the story is quite distressing. The link is on my second post below the quote you posted above. Here it is again. Scroll down for that part of the Times of Malta article. The missing children episode was also mentioned in the guided tour when I was visiting the Hypogeum. If I remember correctly, the original article was published in the National Geographic magazine.
https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170402/local/hypogeum-missing-children-alien-skulls-and-7000-skeletons.644151

For those interested in maybe visiting Malta and the Hypogeum next year or year after. I have created a discussion thread in the members only section. Hope to see you in there. :sun:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?104410-Proposed-Avalon-visit-to-Malta-2019-2020.&p=1250680#post1250680

[leavesoftrees]

Leavesoftrees, Magnetic Island was a very exceptional experience for me, because it started in 1973. I was in the town of Spa (in Belgium, it's where the name "spa" comes from as this town is known for its baths) when one morning I woke up with the name of a town in Australia in my mind. I was 16 at the time. I had no idea where this came from, I didn't even know whether this place really existed. So, back home I looked it up, and sure enough, that city did exist. In Queensland. The name was "Townsville". I have ever since been interested in Australia and the South Pacific in general (it even became the subject of my MA-thesis and MBA-thesis). Probably it is related to "past lives" there, I had an experience with Captain Cook's Endeavour in the mid 90's and more specifically with a botanist on his boat (Banks).

In 1985 I finally made it to Townsville. 12 years later. I sort of recognized the area (I came in by bus into Townsville) though I had not been there yet. While walking around town, I was wondering what had "attracted" me to this place. And then, suddenly, I saw in a window of a travel agent "Come to Magnetic Island". An island a short ferry ride away. I figured that if I was "attracted" from the other side of the planet to this place, then Magnetic island was maybe where I needed to go. I did go there for three days, had several good experiences there (I enjoyed Horseshoe Bay a lot) and then continued my Australia-trip.

In 2000 I went there again, somehow it felt like the "end of a cycle" and I was supposed to go there. I think I did the right thing, so it felt anyway (though it also was kind of strange...why was it necessary?).

Between 1975 and 2010 I visited a lot of places all over the world, in many cases because I felt "called" to go there, and most times very unusual things happened. So, I never did regret any of these voyages. I just loved to travel too, so that was "a bonus".

thanks for your story Keyholder. My mother's family lived in Townsville in the late 19th/early 20th century when there was a gold rush on. I only got to visit there for the first time last year. It's a bit like travelling back in time visiting that part of Queensland. I can well imagine what it would have been like in 1985.

[Nasu]

Hi Bill. Yes the story is quite distressing. The link is on my second post below the quote you posted above. Here it is again. Scroll down for that part of the Times of Malta article. The missing children episode was also mentioned in the guided tour when I was visiting the Hypogeum. If I remember correctly, the original article was published in the National Geographic magazine.
https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170402/local/hypogeum-missing-children-alien-skulls-and-7000-skeletons.644151

For those interested in maybe visiting Malta and the Hypogeum next year or year after. I have created a discussion thread in the members only section. Hope to see you in there. :sun:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?104410-Proposed-Avalon-visit-to-Malta-2019-2020.&p=1250680#post1250680

Thank you for posting this Billy. Having read the article you link to I call bs on it. I understand the need to protect the site from over visiting, humidification etc, but in my experience the article is a white wash.

I lived in Malta for nearly four years and obviously got to know many Maltese of mixed ages. The younger Maltese go by what the older generations tell them, as we do in most cultures, however the older generations are very clear about it's past and the subsequent cover ups.

The sculls used to be on display in Valletta, this is where people got the idea of them being unusually elongated, they are now not on display and the story has changed. I knew a very elderly and well respected gentleman who remembered the children going missing, if memory serves me it was in the 1930's era. He remembered many details of his time as a child through the siege of Malta during the second world war, having to eat prickly pear cactus due to the lack of food and rationing, etc, etc. He was very lucid and remembered the searches and horror and suffering of the parents at the time to have lost all those children.

I don't have any definitive evidence to refute the article aside from old timers memories.

The myth is that there is a huge tunnel complex bellow the third lowest floor of the Hypogeum which then leads to other parts of the island. The other myth is that the site was once a gateway to the underworld..

Locals are very sensitive to conspiracies and cover ups. The history, nature and geo position of the island leads to mass baksheesh and Nero money, i.e; high level corruption. Not many people in Malta would take that article at face value, seems to have been written to quash conspiracies and so called misinformation.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth... N

[Billy]

Thank you Nasu for your first hand input, some of the older locals I spoke with also had memories of the disappearance of the children, one retired priest I met who was in his late 80s remembered that children used to play in the tunnels until those children disappeared, then many tunnels were blocked up after that traumatic experience.

As the conversation has died down in here I shall continue with my visits to the ancient temple sites I visited in Malta and Gozo.

My first temple I revisited after 26 yrs was the Tarxien Temple which was very close to the Hypogeum. Only a 15 minutes walk away.

http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/tarxien-temples/
Quote from Heritage Malta.


The Tarxien Temples site consists of a complex of four megalithic structures built between 3600 and 2500 BC and re-used between 2400 and 1500 BC. Discovered in 1913 by local farmers, the site was extensively excavated between 1915 and 1919, with a number of minor interventions carried out in the 1920s, by Sir Themistocles Zammit, Director of Museums at the time.

The earliest of the four structures, located at the easternmost end of the site and built sometime between 3600 and 3200 BC, survives only to near ground level although its five-apse plan is still clearly visible. The South Temple, the most highly decorated of megalithic buildings with its relief sculpture and the lower part of a colossal statue of a skirted figure, and the East Temple, with its well-cut slab walls and ‘oracle’ holes, were built between 3150 and 2500 BC. The Central Temple was constructed with its unique six-apse plan and contains evidence of arched roofing.

Of the four structures, three were substantially reconstructed by Zammit during the excavation itself with further interventions taking place in the 1960s. They contain highly decorated stone blocks and screens, reliefs of domestic animals and spirals, the colossal statue and a number of altars, one of which contained a flint knife and animal bones. Their location and the relationship with the temple itself are our best indications of the type of activities which took place on site. Tarxien has also contributed to the study of the construction of these megalithic structures with the discovery of stone spheres which have been interpreted as being stone rollers, used as aids to transportation of the megaliths. Remains of cremation found at the centre of the South temple indicate that the site was re-used as a Bronze Age cremation cemetery, between 2400 and 1500 BC.

Some of my pictures when I visited.
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[Billy]

Tarxien Temples continued.

The same spiral designs as we find in the Pictish stones in Scotland and all around the ancient world.
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Part of the big mamma goddess that was also found inside the Hypogeum and all other sites, as you will see as we progress through other sites. I think we can definitely say that the idol worshipped in those Temples was female.

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[Billy]

My next visit was to the Hagar Qim and the Mnajdra Temples which are very close to each other on the South side of Malta on the cliff tops overlooking the sea.
The Hagar Qim Temple had a fantastic 3D video presentation of the history and theories of how they were built. They also had artifacts on display which had been found during excavations.

Hagar Qin

http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/hagar-qim-temples/

Quote from Heritage Malta.


The temple of Ħaġar Qim stands on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the islet of Fifla, not more than 2km south-west of the village of Qrendi. At the bottom of the hill, only 500m away, lies another remarkable temple site, Mnajdra found above the Southern cliffs. The surrounding landscape is typical Mediterranean garigue and spectacular in its starkness and isolation.

First excavated in 1839, the remains suggest a date between 3600 – 3200 BC, a period known as the Ġgantija phase in Maltese prehistory. Ħaġar Qim was in fact never completely buried as the tallest stones, remained exposed and featured in 18th and 19th century paintings. The site consists of a central building and the remains of at least two more structures. The large forecourt and the monumental facade of the central structure follow the pattern typical of Maltese Prehistoric Temples. Along the external wall one may find some of the largest megaliths used in the building of these structures, such as a 5.2m high stone and a huge megalith estimated to weigh close to 20 tonnes.

The building itself is made up of a series of C-shaped rooms, known as apses. Walking through the main entrance, one finds a central paved space with an apse on each side. These apses are more firmly screened off than is usual at other temple sites using walls and slabs with square shaped portholes cut through as doorways. During excavations a slab bearing a pair of opposing spirals in relief and a free-standing pillar decorated on all four sides were found in the area. These have been replaced with replicas on site and the originals can be found at the National Museum of Archaeology.
Through the inner passage one finds an apse on the right and a large space on the left. The apse on the right has a curious setting of low stone slabs forming an inner enclosure. At the rear of this apse is a small elliptical hole. The rays of the rising sun on the first day of summer, the Summer Solstice, pass through this hole and illuminate one of the low slabs.

The large space on the left holds three high so-called ‘table altars’ and a doorway to an additional chamber reached by three steps. Three more chambers form part of this building but these can only be reached through doorways along the outer wall. Much of interest has been unearthed at Ħaġar Qim, notably stone and clay statuettes of obese figures which are also found at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

Some of my pictures.
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This stone weighed 20 tons.
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The stone on the far side of this apse has an elliptical hole cut. They also called that an oracle hole. The hole is cut diagonally through the slab and when the sun on the summer solstice shines through the hole. The ray is a very fine laser which sets on one of the small stones at the front of the apse with great precision.

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[Billy]

More from Hagar Qim.

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An impression of the remains of a stone base that held two female idols.

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[Foxie Loxie]

Thanks, Billy! What you contribute is SO appreciated! :sun:

[Billy]

The Mnajdra Temples are only a 15 minutes walk away from the Hagar Qim Temple.

http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/mnajdra-temples/


Mnajdra is found in an isolated position on a rugged stretch of Malta’s southern coast overlooking the isle of Fifla. It is some 500m away from Ħaġar Qim Temples. It consists of three buildings facing a common oval forecourt. The first and oldest structure dates to the Ġgantija phase (3600 – 3200 BC). The second structure to be built was the South Temple, constructed in the early Tarxien phase (3150 – 2500 BC). The Central Temple, inserted between the other two, was the last to be built. Remains to the north-east and south of these buildings indicate that these three structures are only the best preserved of a larger complex.

The South Temple has its entrance set in a concave monumental facade and leads to two rooms, or apses. On the left-hand side, a decorated porthole doorway (a square-shaped opening cut in the centre of a stone block) leads into a small chamber. The apse to the right has a small rectangular opening which connects it to a chamber within the thickness of the walls accessible only from the rear of the building and a porthole doorway at the top of a small flight of stairs leading into another small chamber. Within the latter chamber is a small niche accessed through a small porthole slab set within a trilithon. This arrangement features on the Maltese 5, 2 and 1 euro cent coins. The four horizontal courses at the top of the walls in this area are perhaps the best indication of what the building’s roof would have looked like.

Opposite the main entrance is the doorway to the second set of apses flanked by two large blocks decorated with small drilled holes. This doorway and the decorated blocks mark the position of the rising sun on the first day of spring and autumn (the Equinoxes) and the first day of summer and winter (the Solstices).

Mnajdra’s Central Temple is built on an artificial platform and has an unusual facade in that it has two doorways, a central porthole doorway and a second open doorway with a single step to its left. The first pair of rooms are built in well-finished smooth upright stone blocks supporting two horizontal courses. There is an engraving of a temple facade on a large upright next to the doorway into the inner apses. These apses hold a central covered niche and a porthole doorway in the left-hand apse, leading to a small chamber built into the thickness of the wall.

In the East Temple, the low rubble walls visible today are modern reconstructions; they follow the original plan of this structure as indicated by the torba (crushed limestone) floor which survived. The upright stone blocks in the main doorway and in the entrance to the central apse are original. Two of them retain several irregular lines of drilled holes which have been the focus of many studies and theories on their possible meaning.



Reasons to Visit
1. Mnajdra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed as part of ‘The Megalithic Temples of Malta’ in the World Heritage List. They are “an outstanding example of a type of building which illustrates a significant stage in human history”.
2. A dedicated visitor centre offers information about the site in a fun and interactive manner.
3. The South Temple at Mnajdra is aligned in a manner that it marks the position of sunrise on the first day of each season; the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes and the Summer and Winter Solstices.

Some of my pictures.

The walkway from one temple to the other,
The Mnajdra Temples sit on the cliff top
Overlooking the sea.
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[Billy]

More from the Mnajdra Temples.
For some reason I felt very attracted to this temple. I stayed here much longer than the other temples I had visited so far.

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The security guard took a photo of meself :p

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[Billy]

Even more from the Mnajdra Temples.

They discovered that the small holes drilled into the stones represented the movement of the stars.

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Some of the models of what the site looked like originally that was displayed in the museum exhibition.

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This was the last temple I visited in Malta itself. My daughter and grandson joined me for a holiday later this day. We stayed one more week in Malta before moving to Gozo for another week, where we all visited the even older Ggantija Temples in Gozo. Which will be the next installment. :bearhug:

[Foxie Loxie]

Nice to see a picture of YOU!! :bigsmile: Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your amazing journey with us...what a treat! :flower:

[scotslad]

Billy (or anyone else) I wonder if you've got any theories or explanations of the cart ruts/tracks on around Malta and Gozo if I recall, some apparently over cliffs and even going into the sea and appear to have been made centuries ago? Thanks

[Nasu]

Billy (or anyone else) I wonder if you've got any theories or explanations of the cart ruts/tracks on around Malta and Gozo if I recall, some apparently over cliffs and even going into the sea and appear to have been made centuries ago? Thanks

The locals believe that the island was once much larger and was perhaps even connected to Sicily. Who knows. But they do stop or "go over" many cliff edges, suggesting that at one time the land continued. The stone in Malta is very soft, allowing it to be carved and moved with relative ease, but saying that, to have produced these ruts would have still required centuries of use, with most likely metal rimmed wheels.

The topography is in constant flux, so the local's theory of cataclysmic change holds water imho, this is evidenced by the recent loss of the azure bridge, a natural rock formation which attracted many visiting tourists. One day it simply broke away and fell into the sea and now is gone for ever... N

[Foxie Loxie]

A pre-diluvian culture? Seems as though I've heard there are such "cart marks" in the Canary Islands, as well?

[Billy]

Billy (or anyone else) I wonder if you've got any theories or explanations of the cart ruts/tracks on around Malta and Gozo if I recall, some apparently over cliffs and even going into the sea and appear to have been made centuries ago? Thanks

Hi scotslad and welcome to Avalon from a fellow Scot. :highfive:
Although I knew about the Cart ruts in Malta, I did not go to see them on this trip. I did see them 26 yrs ago but one time is enough as I do not find them as exciting as the Hypogeum and the Temples.
Yes some of the ruts go into the sea and they can still see them continuing on the sea bed in some places.
As Nasu explained, At one time Malta was a much bigger island and may have been connected to southern Europe before the Mediterranean was flooded.

The cart ruts/tracks are a bit of a mystery and they are all over the island and have been found in other countries.

My own theory is quite simple. I do not think they were not created by wear and tear. Or by ET's, I think they were cut into ground by hand for the purpose of unloading supplies from ships when the docks were much further out in the sea from where they are now.
My theory again is It is possible that they filled the ruts with seaweed to allow easiness of travel plus the ruts would help avoid any accidents of a cart sliding of course or tipping over.

Yes they are interesting and worth investigating. This site is good for information.
http://www.cartrutsmalta.com

Some pictures of the cart tracks.
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The last picture is from Turkey.

[Billy]

Good morning :sun:

Today I shall continue to share my visit to the ancient site in Gozo which is a short ferry crossing from the main Island of Malta. This site is named Ggantija, which means Giants in Maltese. All the ancient sites in this area have always historically been associated with a race of Giants.
Some of the standing stones at Ggantija are more than 50 tonnes in weight.

There is no protective canopy covering this site as there is on the sites around Malta. But the stone used here that surrounds the site is a much harder heavier stone.

http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/ggantija-temples/

From Heritage Malta.


The Ġgantija Temples in Xagħra, Gozo, are one of the most important archaeological sites in the Maltese Islands and are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site consists of two temples dating back to between 3600 and 3200 B.C.

The name Ġgantija derives from the word ġgant, the Maltese word for giant as the site was commonly associated with a race of giants. Notwithstanding its age, the monument survives in a considerably good state of preservation. This is evident in the boundary wall which encloses the two temples, and which is built in rough coralline limestone blocks. Some of the megaliths exceed five metres in length and weigh over fifty tons.

The hard-wearing coralline limestone is used extensively at Ġgantija, and is one of the reasons behind the preservation of the monument. The softer Globigerina limestone is reserved for inner furnishings such as doorways, altars and decorative slabs. Each temple consists of a number of apses flanking a central corridor. There is evidence of the internal walls having been plastered and painted over, as proven by two plaster fragments with red ochre, now preserved at the Gozo Museum of Archaeology.

Remains of animal bone suggest some sort of ritual involving animal sacrifice. The use of fire is evidenced by the presence of stone hearths. A number of libation holes in the floor may have been used for the pouring of liquid offerings. It is probable that during ceremonial activities, the congregation would have assembled outside the temple complex, since the large forecourt in front of the two temples was purposely raised by the same temple builders.

Entrance to the Ġgantija Temples is from a newly constructed Interpretation Centre that provides visitors with the opportunity to explore various aspects related to life in the Neolithic. The centre is also home to a selection of the most significant finds discovered at various prehistoric sites in Gozo. The Centre is linked to the temple site via an external pathway that provides visitors with unique views of the natural landscape that surrounds Ġgantija.



Reasons to Visit
1. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. One of Malta’s best preserved prehistoric temples dating back to 3600/3200BC.
3. Considered as one of the oldest free standing monuments in the world preceding Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
4. They represent a phenomenal cultural, artistic and technological development in a very early period in human life.
5. An exhibition of some of the most unique prehistoric artefacts discovered in Gozo.


Some of my photos. At this stage my camera phone was full up, so I borrowed my daughter's camera. But now I see the manage attachments link is not uploading those photos. So I have taken screen shots of them and that worked.

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I mentioned earlier that my daughter and grandson joined me for the last two weeks.
Meet my grandson Calhaen. :inlove:

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[Billy]

Continuing from previous page, Ggantija Gozo.

The museum exhibition displayed many of the artifacts found while the site was being excavated.
The fine details and craftsmanship of the very small statues was remarkable. And yet again we find the big mamma goddess.
Two goddesses together, one with a head missing.

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[Billy]

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A drawing of a model of how the site looked originally.

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And last but not least. My daughter and grandson admiring the flowers in the grounds around the site.

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[Billy]

After I visited Ggantija in the small town of Xaghra in Gozo. Not far away hidden under a house is Ninu's cave which was found in the 1800's when the resident was digging for a well.
There is are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites to be seen.

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My grandson at the bird sanctuary.

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If anyone would like a smile. Here is a little video clip of my grandson feeding the birds.
He was mesmerized. :inlove:


http://projectavalon.net/Billy's_grandson_in_Malta_feeding_wild_budgerigars.mp4

[Billy]

After some positive progress this past few months we now have 9 members who have pre- booked the Hypogeum and accommodation for an Avalon gathering in Malta this coming September. I am excited and very much looking forward to this gathering in the Hypogeum and other sites :happythumbsup:

A friend of mine here in Scotland and another Avalon member sent me some links with some research on the acustics properties of the Hypogeum that has been carried out in the past.

Healing with sound in ancient temples.
https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/healing-sound-ancient-temples-111hz-006749


Archaeoacoustic Analysis of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta
Worth a read. Linked here: http://jaanet.info/journals/jaa/Vol_3_No_1_June_2015/4.pdf



MOD EDIT: adding a slightly more robust link to the paper here as the existing one 'blocked' (Tintin Q @13/:19 GMT Sept 13th)



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[RunningDeer]

If anyone would like a smile. Here is a little video clip of my grandson feeding the birds.
He was mesmerized. :inlove:


http://projectavalon.net/Billy's_grandson_in_Malta_feeding_wild_budgerigars.mp4
I'm late catching this post.
Precious, Billy! Handsome, healthy, happy grandson.https://i.imgur.com/QJRrfzn.gif I remember when you announced his arrival. He’s gotten so big. I’ll send the link off to Foxie Loxie. No doubt, it’ll zap joy and healing into her heart.

Thanks for sharing. https://i.imgur.com/Vlz1VQ6.gif

♡

[Billy]

My visit to the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and other ancient sites around Malta and Gozo

He everyone, I returned from visited Malta last week after a three weeks stay in Malta and the small Island of Gozo. It has been a mission of mine to return to Malta since I was last there 26 yrs ago to revisit the ancient standing stones sites and mainly the Hypogeum which I was not aware of 26 yrs ago.

My whole trip was planned around when I could have access to the 5000 year old Hypogeum, I had to book my visit a year in advance as their calendar was fully booked months in advance. I pre booked two visits to the Hypogeum. Which now I was very glad I did as I ended up having a memorial experience on my second visit which I will share with you all.

The Hypogeum is a man made underground structure on three levels. Hypogeum is a Greek word for underground. But more accurate is Hypo = under and Geum = Gaia (mother or goddess) and is usually associated with a chamber. A chamber under mother earth is exactly what it is.

The Hypogeum has been built with amazing acustics qualities within the plan. A lost knowledge from the ancient builders as far as I am concerned. As some of you already know I have travelled around the world seeking out ancient structures and temples with acustic properties. India being my last trip which I shared with you all on my Ajanta / Ellora thread. I have also visited sound structures in Greece, Turkey and of course Scotland. But the Hypogeum takes the cake as far as quality of resonance is concerned.
Literally, out of this world.

When I was still in Scotland months before my trip I wrote to Heritage Malta to ask for permission to allow me to test the acustics for a few seconds with my toning skills, which are not that great but I get by. They replied quickly with a definite NO not allowed. I appealed against their decision as I knew through all my previous research that they had allowed some privileged folks Access to test the sound. They replied saying that if I hired a whole group tour for myself then I could test the acustics. There are 10 visitors in each tour group at €38 each = €380. I could not afford this so I just let it go disappointed that I would not be allowed to tone inside the Hypogeum. But things took an unexpected turn for the better when I actually arrived there. :muscle::thumbsup:

The security is very high at the Hypogeum. No cameras, phones or tablets are allowed inside, when you arrive for your tour you have to place everything inside a locker which they give you a key for. It is an audio tour. So you are given small audio device with no earphones. They select your language and you are led through the Hypogeum on a built metal walkway that you are not allowed to stray from.

As no cameras were allowed I have no personal photos to share but there are plenty on the net from earlier times when security was not so strict.

These are pictures from some postcards I bought.
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This one is from the net.
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There is one room they call the oracle room. Which has a small square cut out of the stone and this is the sound chamber that resonates throughout all three levels when you tone into it. You have to first find the note or key of the structure and when you do, you know it, as your whole chest and body vibrates with the sound. Quite an experience I assure you. :bowing:

My picture limit has been reached on this OP post, so I will continue on the history of the Hypogeum with another post soon. :sun:

Hi everyone. It is now a year since I visited the Hypogeum in Malta, next weekend I return along with nine other kindred souls of which 8 are Avalon members.

After a hard struggle this past few months, yesterday I received official permission to take my traveling didgeridoo, singing bowls and my small hand held zoom recorder inside the Hypogeum with me, I am absolutely delighted that permission from Malta Heritage has been granted with the help of a great man Narcy the head tour guide whom I met last year.

My traveling didgeridoo that I bought in Gozo last year.
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We will also be visiting other ancient temple sites around Malta and hopefully Gozo.

I am very excited about this trip and meeting up with fellow Avalonians.:sun:

[Tintin]

:bump:

See Post #44 (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?104395-My-visit-to-the-ancient-Hypogeum-in-Malta&p=1270295&viewfull=1#post1270295) with link to Archaeoacoustic Analysis of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta paper

[greybeard]

Vibration plays such an important part in life.
There is nothing but energy in movement--vibration--also emotion.
Chris

[Billy]

:bump:

See Post #44 (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?104395-My-visit-to-the-ancient-Hypogeum-in-Malta&p=1270295&viewfull=1#post1270295) with link to Archaeoacoustic Analysis of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta paper

An introduction to the archaeoacoustic analysis paper.

Journal of Anthropology and Archaeology
June 2015, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 59-79
ISSN 2334-2420 (Print) 2334-2439 (Online)
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.
Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development
DOI: 10.15640/jaa.v3n1a4
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15640/jaa.v3n1a4
Archaeoacoustic Analysis of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta
Prof.agg. Paolo Debertolis1
, Dr. Fernando Coimbra2 & Linda Eneix3

Abstract
Recently we studied the acoustic properties of the underground Ħal Saflieni
Hypogeum in Malta. Identified as “architecture in the negative”, it is a unique
prehistoric complex, intentionally sculpted with features that mirror megalithic
temples above ground. It is known that the Hypogeum was used in the Neolithic
not only as a depository for bones, but also as a shrine for ritual use. In a room
known as the “Oracle Room” set in the second level of the hypogeum, we have
been able to detect the presence of a strong resonance effect: a double resonance
frequency at 70Hz and 114Hz.

With a male voice tuned to these frequencies it is possible to stimulate the resonance phenomenon throughout the hypogeum. It was further detected that percussion instruments can stimulate the resonance by their harmonics.
Laboratory testing indicates that these frequencies have a strong effect on human brain activity. Since it is likely that the chambers served as centers for social or spiritual events, the resonance of the chamber cavities would have supported human ritual chanting and mystic consciousness.

Introduction
Archaeoacoustics is a recent interdisciplinary field of study, using different parameters to examine ancient sites for overlooked technology that operates on the human emotional sphere. Archaeology has most often focused on visual appearance and physical objects, although the past was not a period of silence.

1 Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Chair of Dental Archaeology, Project SB
Research Group on Archaeoacoustics (SBRG), Italy
2 Quaternary and Prehistoric Group, Centre for Geosciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
3 Mediterranean Institute of Ancient Civilizations, The OTS Foundation, United States and Malta.

Debertolis, Coimbra & Eneix 61

Archaeoacoustics, as mentioned before by several authors (Errico & Lawson,
2006; Scarre, 2006), has similar methodological problems with Archaeoastronomy
regarding the determination of deliberate actions by prehistoric human beings, or the
intentionality of their monument building acts (Coimbra, 2014). However, as C.
Scarre (2006: 9) referred, “the archaeoacoustics of prehistoric contexts is potentially a
vital part of the understanding of the lived experience of past societies”.

The Maltese Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
It’s generally accepted that the first time man arrived on the Mediterranean islands of Malta was in 5,200 BC. Through archaeological excavations and the use of carbon 14 dating, the construction there of a number of megalithic temple complexes is placed from around 3,600 BC (Pace, 2004). Many researchers have tried to analyze and study the Maltese temple building culture. The most widely known were: Zammit, Ugolini, Ceschi and the British archaeologists Trump and Evans.

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground complex dug into the rock. It
was accidentally discovered in 1902 during construction work and had been
undisturbed until then, from the time of its abrupt disuse (around 2,500 BC) by the
culture that made it. The first description of eerie sound behavior and odd echoes in
the site came in 1920. Writing for the National Geographic Magazine, William Arthur
Griffiths pointed out that “Here it was noticed only a few months ago that any word
spoken into this place (the Oracle Room) was magnified a hundred-fold and audible
throughout the entire underground structure.

A curved projection is specially carved out of the back of the cave near this hole and acts as a sounding-board, showing that the designers had a good practical knowledge of sound-wave motion. The impression upon the credulous can be imagined when the oracle spoke and the words came
thundering forth through the dark and mysterious places with terrifying
impressiveness” (Griffiths, 1920: 465).

The complex consists of a system of chambers and passages that develops
into three distinct underground levels until reaching a maximum depth of about 11
meters and covering an area of about 500 km2

. From first glance this immense work seems to be the result of a well organized and advanced civilization. The Hypogeum is known to date back to at least 4.000 B.C., if not slightly earlier. According to Pace
(2004) Zebbug Phase pottery from this period has been discovered on site.


A plan of the layout of the Hypogeum.

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Read more via link above posted by Tintin.

[Bill Ryan]

Copying this new post by Helvetic on his thread: (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?1383-The-Continuing-Search-For-The-Truth&p=1654690&viewfull=1#post1654690) :thumbsup:


Hypogeum | Malta's Ancient Subterreanean Mystery

Source: Geographics youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@geographicstravel)

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