Arthall Gallery in Victoria is organising a talk intended to provide an illuminating exploration into the ancient funerary practices of prehistoric Malta.

The talk, to be given by Dawn Adrienne Saliba, will examine intriguing parallels and contrasts between the Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni and the Xagħra Circle.

“These two monumental sites offer invaluable insights into the Temple Period’s rituals and belief systems, each complementing the other’s missing information,” says Saliba.

“While the Hypogeum boasts intact architecture with scant documentation of human remains, the Xagħra Circle compensates with meticulously recorded burials and artefacts, despite the destruction of its caves.”

The speaker will discuss evidence of ritual disarticulation, ochre-staining of bones, the presence of animal remains and the significance of statuettes and offering dishes, suggesting complex ritual- practices.

Stone figurines found at the Xagħra Stone Circle, now displayed at the Ġgantija museum. Photo: Hamelin de Guettelet/Wikimedia Commons

Additionally, the proto-theatrical architecture of both sites will be explored, highlighting how the physical spaces necessitated embodied movement and liminal interaction, as visitors navigated around and over the remains of the deceased. This lecture promises to shed light on the ritualistic mysteries of Malta’s prehistoric past.

Saliba is currently doing post-doctoral work in archaeology at the University of Malta, where she is concentrating on ritual performance and proto-theatricality at the Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni.

She is the co-founder of MALTA-ARCH, a collective centred upon advocating for the preservation of Malta’s natural, archaeological, and cultural heritage. Hailing from New York City, she is also a Maltese-American playwright.

Funerary Ritual in Ħal Saflieni and the Xagħra Circle by speaker Dawn Adrienne Saliba will take place at Arthall in Victoria on September 13 at 7pm. For more information, contact Marta Obiols Fornell at arthallgozo@gmail.com or 7705 1564 or visit arthallgozo.com or facebook.com/ArtHallGozo.