Morning Lecture: Prehistoric Cultures of Malta - Even though this miniature island has made various other significant contributions to world heritage, there is no doubt that nothing rivals its megalithic temples. Built in the period 3600 - 2500 B.C. by a small community enjoying an extraordinary cultural efflorescence in almost complete isolation, these buildings constitute architectural feats of the highest order. They show an internal evolution in form (from the simple to the more complex,) size of stone blocks used (from small to gigantic,) and in the artistic furnishings with increasingly greater refinement and sophistication. We then board the coach to visit several sites of Neolithic (New Stone Age) Temple monuments – Tarxien & Hagar Qim.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalithic_Temples_of_Malta
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Temple_at_Tarxien_Malta.html
http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbg.cgi/Temple_at_Tarxien_Malta.html/35.869243/14.512097/18
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ħaġar_Qim
Notice how the heritage site is/was in the middle of the city. This one was found when farmer mentioned finding many stones that when removed, showed a building below the farm surface.
We learn about the “sleeping lady” from lecturer; Mr. J Magro Monti. He shows us a small life-size replica he got when a boy around age of 9. He said, this started his “passion” for archeology. Our experience on this tour, and the prior 4 Road Scholar tours, truly validates the slogan – Learning Through Adventure. We haven’t had a lecturer, or guide, who didn’t show their passion for the topic they shared. How great for us!
http://archaeology.about.com/od/neolithic/ss/malta_temples_8.htm
Lunch at a casual area restaurant. Great seafood. Then had a chance to hold an owl what had been trained to fly to a person who had a special leather glove to attract the bird - 2 kewl!
Free time in the area of the restaurant at Wied Zurrieq near the Blue Grotto to enjoy natural scenery. We will board 8-passenger motored boats to view geological layering of limestone that is so important to Malta's 6,000 year history of building.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g1438795-d313274-i28849390-Blue_Grotto_Il_Hnejja-Zurrieq_Island_of_Malta.html
Return to hotel for lecture on Knight of the Order of St. John and the Great Siege.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(1565)
http://www.reformationsa.org/index.php/history/118-the-great-siege-of-malta
Had dinner on our own at local British style sports pub. Whew another “delightful day.”
Photo 1. Is Mr. J Magro Monti during our Morning Lecture: Prehistoric Cultures of Malta
Photo 2. Shows Mr. Monti pointing to tiny Malta islands compared to Isle of Sicily which is part of Italian Republic
Photo 3. The Neolithic “Sleeping Lady” replica statue (-:
Click below for today's online photo album.
https://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/2013C2CDay4of28
