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25-628: After being discovered in the late 18th century, the site was excavated in the 1820s before being reburied and forgotten. It was rediscovered in 1964, and major excavations took place from 1987 to 1994. It is the only prehistoric stone-enclosed hypogeum in Europe, and is regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites in Malta along with the megalithic temples and the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni . Recent dating through AMS has added scores of new date estimates of

50-408: A cemetery. Excavations at the site have shown that the bodies of the deceased were dismembered, and the different body parts were buried at separate places. The site was the burial ground of the same community which built the nearby Ġgantija temple, which is now well-preserved. Several other temples might have stood in the vicinity, including at Santa Verna (where a few megaliths which are probably

75-501: Is an underground temple or tomb . Hypogea will often contain niches for cremated human remains or loculi for buried remains. Occasionally tombs of this type are referred to as built tombs . The term hypogeum can also refer to any antique building or part of building built below ground such as the series of tunnels under the Colosseum which held slaves (particularly enemy captives) and animals while keeping them ready to fight in

100-450: Is an underground temple or tomb . Hypogea will often contain niches for cremated human remains or loculi for buried remains. Occasionally tombs of this type are referred to as built tombs . The term hypogeum can also refer to any antique building or part of building built below ground such as the series of tunnels under the Colosseum which held slaves (particularly enemy captives) and animals while keeping them ready to fight in

125-686: The National Archeological Park of Tierradentro , a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southwest Colombia . Other excavated structures, not used for ritual purposes, include the Greco-Roman cryptoporticus . Other cultures also have constructed underground structures, including the dugout , souterrain , yaodong , fogou , erdstall , and kiva . Hypogeum A hypogeum or hypogaeum (plural hypogea or hypogaea , pronounced / h aɪ p ɒ ɡ eɪ ə / ; literally meaning "underground", from Greek hypo (under) and ghê (earth) )

150-401: The 20th century. The Xagħra Stone Circle was first recorded by Jean Houel in 1788. In the 1820s, Otto Bayer excavated part of the complex through a collapsed cave roof, and Charles Frederick de Brocktorff painted several paintings showing the site during this excavation. The site was filled in by the late 1830s, and its exact location was lost over time. The two monumental pillars which formed

175-516: The burials as part of the ERC-funded FRAGSUS project and the ToTL project. The isotopic studies indicate changing dietary and climatic conditions and link with broader changes in the local environment. When first discovered in 1788, the site was simply described as an "ancient structure" without a name or description. After it was depicted in paintings by Charles Frederick de Brocktorff in the 1820s,

200-857: The circle's entrance still stood in 1828, but they were subsequently removed. The complex was rediscovered by the Gozitan researcher Joe Attard Tabone in 1964. It was excavated between 1987 and 1994 by a joint team from the University of Malta , the Maltese Museums Department and the University of Cambridge . The fieldwork and post-excavation study was directed by David Trump, Caroline Malone and Simon Stoddart, assisted by Prof Anthony Bonanno. A succession of student and professional volunteers assisted (see 2009 Malone et al, Mortuary Practices in Prehistoric Malta, Mortuary Customs). These excavations revealed

225-962: The earliest phase dating to 3600–3300 BC. It is a complex of underground chambers, halls and passages covering approximately 500 m (5,400 sq ft) on three levels, partly carved to imitate temple architecture and containing extensive prehistoric art. In Larnaka , Cyprus, the Lefkaritis Tomb was discovered in 1999. Hypogea were also found in Dynastic Egypt , such as at the Northern Mazghuna pyramid , Southern Mazghuna pyramid and Southern South Saqqara pyramid . The hypogea in ancient Palmyra contained loculi closed with slabs bearing sculptured portrait reliefs , and sarcophagi with sculptured family banqueting scenes on their lids. The later Christians built similar underground shrines, crypts and tombs, which they called catacombs . But this

250-790: The earliest phase dating to 3600–3300 BC. It is a complex of underground chambers, halls and passages covering approximately 500 m (5,400 sq ft) on three levels, partly carved to imitate temple architecture and containing extensive prehistoric art. In Larnaka , Cyprus, the Lefkaritis Tomb was discovered in 1999. Hypogea were also found in Dynastic Egypt , such as at the Northern Mazghuna pyramid , Southern Mazghuna pyramid and Southern South Saqqara pyramid . The hypogea in ancient Palmyra contained loculi closed with slabs bearing sculptured portrait reliefs , and sarcophagi with sculptured family banqueting scenes on their lids. The later Christians built similar underground shrines, crypts and tombs, which they called catacombs . But this

275-873: The early 20th century. Parts of the site remain unstudied, and efforts are being made to preserve the complex, since it is fragile and prone to collapse. The site is on government-owned land, and it is managed by Heritage Malta . The remains have Class A protection, and they are listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands . The site is not accessible to the public. [REDACTED] Media related to Xagħra Stone Circle at Wikimedia Commons Hypogeum A hypogeum or hypogaeum (plural hypogea or hypogaea , pronounced / h aɪ p ɒ ɡ eɪ ə / ; literally meaning "underground", from Greek hypo (under) and ghê (earth) )

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300-418: The excavations and identifies a range of pathologies and health issues in the prehistoric population. The Xagħra Stone Circle is regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites in Malta. It is the only stone-enclosed hypogeum in Europe, and the only prehistoric necropolis in Malta which was properly excavated – no records were kept when the human remains and artifacts at Ħal-Saflieni were cleared in

325-528: The gladiatorial games. The animals and slaves could be let up through trapdoors under the sand-covered arena at any time during a fight. An early example of a hypogeum is found at the Minoan Bronze Age site of Knossos on Crete . Hogan notes this underground vault was of a beehive shape and cut into the soft rock. The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Paola, Malta , is the oldest example of a prehistoric hypogeum,

350-422: The gladiatorial games. The animals and slaves could be let up through trapdoors under the sand-covered arena at any time during a fight. An early example of a hypogeum is found at the Minoan Bronze Age site of Knossos on Crete . Hogan notes this underground vault was of a beehive shape and cut into the soft rock. The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Paola, Malta , is the oldest example of a prehistoric hypogeum,

375-447: The remains of an important temple were found) and Ta' Ġesù. The earliest tombs at the site date back to between 4100 and 3800 BC, during the Żebbuġ phase (although new chronology suggests the start date is probably closer to 3800 BC) of Maltese prehistory. There was limited activity from 3800 to 3000 BC, but pottery and dated bones demonstrate that burials were taking place in the caves and rock cut tomb, even though much of this material

400-458: The remains of one of the largest funerary complexes in the Mediterranean, and led to a better understanding of the society who built Malta's megalithic temples. About 220,000 human bones belonging to between 450 and 800 individuals were uncovered during the excavations, along with some animal bones and a series of artifacts, including figurines and architectural fragments. The human remains archive

425-582: The roof. The structure finally collapsed at some point before 2000 BC. When excavated, parts of the roof were found sunken into the top of the cave in the East Cave zone. During the Bronze Age , the site was probably used for non-funerary domestic purposes, and remains from the Tarxien Cemetery and Borġ in-Nadur phases were uncovered in the area. The land was subsequently used for agricultural purposes until

450-590: The saint and bishop Benignus (d. c. 274) was buried in a large sarcophagus in a chamber tomb in the Roman cemetery. By the sixth century the tomb had long since fallen into disrepair and was regarded as pagan, even by Bishop Gregory of Langres. Hypogea were constructed across the pre-Columbian New World during the first millennium AD. Some of these tombs were over 10 meters in diameter and contained two or three free-standing columns, ornamental pilasters , and side chambers. The largest concentration of these hypogea are found in

475-542: The saint and bishop Benignus (d. c. 274) was buried in a large sarcophagus in a chamber tomb in the Roman cemetery. By the sixth century the tomb had long since fallen into disrepair and was regarded as pagan, even by Bishop Gregory of Langres. Hypogea were constructed across the pre-Columbian New World during the first millennium AD. Some of these tombs were over 10 meters in diameter and contained two or three free-standing columns, ornamental pilasters , and side chambers. The largest concentration of these hypogea are found in

500-648: The site was commonly referred to as the Brochtorff Circle , although it is not known who came up with this name. The site eventually became known as the Xagħra Stone Circle or the Gozo Stone Circle . According to the archaeologist David Trump, these names are misnomers because 'Stone Circles' in northern Europe and the British Isles refer to a different type of Neolithic structure. In 2009, Trump coined

525-498: The term Xagħra Circle as the name best describing the site. The Xagħra Stone Circle originally consisted of a walled enclosure surrounding caves which were used as a necropolis. It has some similarities to the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni , a prehistoric funerary complex on the main island of Malta. However, Ħal-Saflieni is a man-made carved structure, while the Xagħra Stone Circle consists of natural caves which were adapted into

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550-618: Was further analysed as part of the FRAGSUS ERC Advanced Project, headed by Caroline Malone, and published as vol 3 of the Fragsus Monographs, see references below. The new work has extracted aDNA from three individuals, showing that people originated from the eastern Mediterranean area as well as from the Adriatic-central Europe area in the third millennium BC. The new work also examines the 11000 teeth recovered in

575-448: Was only a difference in name, rather than purpose and rituals, and archaeological and historical research shows they were effectively the same. Werner Jacobsen wrote: Like other ambitious Romans, the bishop-saints of the third and fourth centuries were usually buried in hypogea in the cemeteries outside the walls of their cities; often it was only miracles at their tombs that caused their successors to adopt more up-to-date designs. In Dijon

600-448: Was only a difference in name, rather than purpose and rituals, and archaeological and historical research shows they were effectively the same. Werner Jacobsen wrote: Like other ambitious Romans, the bishop-saints of the third and fourth centuries were usually buried in hypogea in the cemeteries outside the walls of their cities; often it was only miracles at their tombs that caused their successors to adopt more up-to-date designs. In Dijon

625-432: Was probably reworked when the site was expanded and elaborated during the later Ggantija and Tarxien periods. Thus most of the site activity dates from 3000 to 2400 BC, associated with the insertion of megalithic stones into the subterranean complex to form compartments for burial areas. The caves in which the complex was built were prone to collapse, and they weakened over time so megaliths were used in an attempt to stabilize

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