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8 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 12 JULY 2024 CULTURE 1000 years older than the first pyramids of Egypt, the monu- mental doorways and cham- bers of Malta's Neolithic com- plexes have intrigued visitors to the Maltese Islands since time immemorial. With an area of just 316sq km, the Maltese Archipela- go is one of the tiniest in the world, yet the islands feature an extraordinary concentra- tion of pre-historic structures. Unparalleled elsewhere in the Neolithic, the form and lay- out of these buildings and the artefacts found within them indeed suggest they were an important focus of a highly organized society. These ex- amples of the earliest groups of free-standing structures in the world are considered to be a milestone in humankind's technological evolution. They display a distinct architectural tradition that does not appear to have been influenced by an- ything beyond Maltese shores. Located on Gozo, Malta's smaller sister island, a pictur- esque 25-minute ferry ride across the channel, the Ġgan- tija megalithic complex was first inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1980. A fixture on the Grand Tour circuit as early 18th century drawings attest, this site was actually be- lieved - on account of the size of its enormous megaliths - to have been erected by a giant- ess who fed on a diet of broad beans and honey, according to Gozitan folklore. Ġgan- tija consists of a five-cham- bered south-facing structure, constructed around 3600 BC, a north oriented edifice built 400 years later, with four aps- es, a terminal niche, and a large open semi-circular forecourt. Notwithstanding its age, the monument survives in a considerably good state of preservation. The Neolith- ic builders made use of both locally sourced Globigerina and Coralline Limestone. The hard-wearing Coralline Lime- stone is used extensively at Ġgantija, while the softer Glo- bigerina Limestone is reserved for inner furnishings, such as doorways, altars and decora- tive slabs. Remains of animal bone dis- covered in this site may suggest communal rituals and feasting. The use of fire is shown by the presence of stone hearths. A number of libation holes in the floor may have been used for the pouring of liquid offer- ings. It is probable that during both ceremonial and day-to- day activities, the Neolithic community would have assem- bled outside the monument, since the large forecourt in front of the two structures was purposely raised by the same builders. Entrance to the Ġgantija Ar- chaeological Park is from an Interpretation Centre that provides visitors with the op- portunity to explore various aspects related to life in the Neolithic period. The centre is also home to a selection of the most significant artefacts dis- covered at various prehistoric sites in Gozo. Ġgantija was later joined, in 1992, by Ħaġar Qim, Mna- jdra, Ħal Tarxien, Skorba and Ta' Ħaġrat and collective- ly listed by UNESCO as the 'Megalithic Temples of Malta'. Their outstanding universal value lies in their originality, complexity, massive propor- tions and technical skill. Another landmark you shouldn't miss, just a few steps from Ġgantija, is Ta' Kola Windmill. This is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands dating from the Knights' period. The 200-year- old building is a living testi- mony to our forefathers' way of life, marked with hardships and daily struggles. The wind- mill, much like the local parish church, was one of the main fo- cal points of village life, provid- ing the villagers with flour for the production of bread, the most staple and indispensable food item at the time. Ta' Kola Windmill's construc- tion follows a plan echoed in most Maltese windmills of the period, consisting of a number of rooms on two floors sur- rounding the centrally-placed cylindrical stone tower. The latter houses the wooden mill- ing mechanism that still incor- porates the original circular grinding stones between which grain was crushed into flour. The exhibits at Ta' Kola, par- ticularly those in the work- shop, belonged to the last miller residing in this windmill and were used to operate and maintain the building and mill- ing mechanism. The first floor is equipped with vernacular furniture meant to recreate a domestic dwelling, common in most local rural areas of centu- ries past. These rooms, though relatively small in size, were meant to accommodate the miller's family, a common ar- rangement during the Knights' and the British period. The various items on display in these rooms all represent a trade, a tradition or a piece of local folklore and will most certainly arouse your curiosi- ty and encourage you to delve deeper into their story and meaning. Explore Ġgantija Archae- ological Park and Ta' Kola Windmill with just one tick- et: https://heritagemalta.mt/ store/c37/ Megalithic wonders of the world