Temple Artefacts

The figurines found at Mnajdra include extreme expressions of the human body (part animal and part human forms) along with a range of limbs and other body parts such as torsos, legs, phalli and a head. Currently the artefacts  are on display and in the archive at The National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and in the Ħagar Qim/Mnajdra Visitor Centre. During 2005 and 2006, Bernadette Flynn worked with curators at Heritage Malta  to photograph the artefacts using an object rig rotated through 12 or 16 views.

 

Items in this showcase are identified from a range of sources including: John D. Evans 1971 survey of the island’s prehistoric antiquities; Themistacles Zammit and Charles Singer’s 1924 article  ‘The Neolithic Representations of the Human Form from the Islands of Malta and Gozo’. Isabelle Vella Gregory has more recently updated the survey in ‘The Human Form in Neolithic Malta’ magnificently presented with photographs by Daniel Cilia.

Animal like figurine, height 7.2cms

Animal like figurine, height 7.2cms

Lump of clay built with grey core. Body covered with raised scales with open beak or mouth. . Found under torba floor in chamber 4, South temple by Ashby in 1910.

Rough clay figurine, height 6.5cms.

Rough clay figurine, height 6.5cms.

Stylized human form. Right arm is over the body, left side of the body is broken away. Flat base. Found in pit in chamber 4, South temple by Ashby in 1910.

Clay Head, 8.5 cms high

Clay Head, 8.5 cms high

Head with long neck and hair style. Found by Ashby in 1910. Evans suggests that the puffed out cheeks may indicate a pathological condition.

Clay statuette, 6.6.2x3.1 cm.

Clay statuette, 6.6.2x3.1 cm.

Flat base. Incised lines on front and back

Female torso of fine, lightly baked red clay, 4.4 x 5.4 x 3.8 cms.

Female torso of fine, lightly baked red clay, 4.4 x 5.4 x 3.8 cms.

Limbless torso made of clay. Hole socket in top of neck. Found by Zammit in 1915-1917. Head and arms broken off and back flat. Slightly polished.

Female torso of lighly baked red clay (front), height 5.1cms

Female torso of lighly baked red clay (front), height 5.1cms

Form with defined spine. Zammit and Singer considered the enlarged abdomen and spine as indicative of wasting associated with a large abdominal tumor.

Female torso of lighly baked red clay (back)

Female torso of lighly baked red clay (back)

Found under torba floor in chamber 4, South temple. Found by Ashby in 1910.

Spikey lump of clay, length 3.7cms

Spikey lump of clay, length 3.7cms

Found under platform in front of middle temple.

Clay head, 1.8 cms high

Clay head, 1.8 cms high

Indistinct features. Found by Ashby in soil on forecourt brought from interior by excavators

Clay figurine, 7.5x4.4x1.9cms.

Clay figurine, 7.5x4.4x1.9cms.

Elongated body, pinched head and short stubby arms. Holes are visible on the bottom of the figurine. Found by Ashby in 1910.

phallus, height 5.7 cms.

phallus, height 5.7 cms.

Soft globigerina limestone. Square base with horizontal and vertical scratchings. Found in 1910 by Ashby.

Twist of clay. lenght 5.3cms

Twist of clay. lenght 5.3cms

Two rolls of clay twisted around each other. Found by Ashby in pit in inner chamber (chamber 4) of South Temple.

Clay Twist, lenght 5.2cms

Clay Twist, lenght 5.2cms

Clay Twist, length 3.8cms

Clay Twist, length 3.8cms

clay twist, lenght 3.8cms (different view)

clay twist, lenght 3.8cms (different view)

Clay twist, 3.8cms (different view)

Clay twist, 3.8cms (different view)

leg of statue, height 3 cms.

leg of statue, height 3 cms.

Grey lightly baked clay. Found in room 1, South temple, Ashby 1910.

leg of statue (different view)

leg of statue (different view)

legs of standing statue, Length 3cms, breath 1.2 cms

legs of standing statue, Length 3cms, breath 1.2 cms

Divided down the middle with indication of buttocks.

Neck of large jar, height 24.5 cms

Neck of large jar, height 24.5 cms

Broken neck from larger jar. Unpolished buff grey ware, decorated with vertical fluting with remnants of white paste.

Pottery-sherds

Pottery-sherds

Dish with crinkled rim, height 12 cms x max diam 38 cms.

Dish with crinkled rim, height 12 cms x max diam 38 cms.

Shallow vessel, buff colour with grey core. Found by Ashby in 1910.

Shouldered Cup, height 5.5cms, diam. 8.6cms.

Shouldered Cup, height 5.5cms, diam. 8.6cms.

Scratched decoration of branching spiral motifs filled with white paste. Found by Ashby in 1910.