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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2021 5 HERITAGE Heritage Malta celebrates the start of autumn in a unique way at Mnajdra THE Autumn Equinox, herald- ing the start of a new season, will be celebrated with guid- ed tours organised by Heritage Malta at Mnajdra on the 21st and the 22nd of September. Opposite the main entrance of prehistoric Mnajdra, a door- way flanked by two large blocks covered in small drilled holes marks the place where a curi- ous occurrence happens at the start of every new season. As the sun rises on the first day of spring and autumn (the Equinoxes) and the first day of summer and winter (the Sol- stices), its rays align perfectly and light up specific parts of this passageway. Although it is not clear whether these orien- tations were intentional, they are so systematic that this is very probable. In prehistoric agricultural societies, observation of the motion of the stars, the moon and the sun was closely relat- ed to the changing seasons and times of planting and harvest- ing crops. On the 21st and 22nd Sep- tember, Heritage Malta invites you to experience first- hand this millennia-old phenome- non at the megalithic site of Mnajdra, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During each guided tour, visitors will see the first rays of the rising sun light up the central passage in the South building, just as it did in the site's heyday over 5000 years ago. A tour will al- so be given of the surround- ing Natura 2000 site and the Central and East buildings at Mnajdra. Complimentary cof- fee and snacks will be offered to participants before the tour. In order to guarantee that all visitors get to observe this phe- nomenon whilst respecting so- cial distancing measures, only a limited number of tickets are available for this event. Tick- ets may be purchased from all Heritage Malta sites and muse- ums or via the following links: 21st September: https://shop. h e r i t a g e m a l t a . o r g / i n d e x . a s - p?eventid=783 22nd Septem- ber: https://shop.heritagemal- ta.org/index.asp?eventid=782 Tickets cost €30 each, with a discounted price of €20 for Heritage Malta members. Participants for these events are to meet at 6:15am outside the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Visitor Centre. Attendees must wear a face mask and respect social distancing measures.