Date: 3600-3200 BCE
Period: Neolithic
Phase: Ġgantija
Location: Qrendi, Malta
Access: Public museum managed by Heritage Malta
Site details
Comprises a North Temple with five apses, a Main Temple with an unusual layout that may have been remodelled during the time it was in use, an irregular building to the east and a set of megalithic blocks once belonging to a structure in the west.
Features
Tall menhir in Main Temple
Enormous 50 tonne megalith in Main Temple
External altar
Oracle hole
Portholes
Blocks with a pitted decoration
Blocks with a spiral decoration
Finds
'Fat lady' statuettes
'Venus of Malta' figurine
Pottery
Remains of a giant 'fat lady' statue
Decorated altar with a leaf design
Mushroom shaped altars
Trapezoid-shaped altar
Orientation
Main Temple - south east
North Temple - south
East Building - possible north
West Remains - not discernible
Interesting facts
Ħaġar Qim is thought to be aligned with the solstices and equinoxes.
The main temple is the only one in Malta to have two entrances. These are on the same axis. It's possible the rear entrance replaced a former apse or niche at a later date in temple's active period.
Unusually the top left apse was turned into a corridor at some point leading to four other apses.
Ħaġar Qim has a menhir on the outside of the main temple which serves no structural function.