Ancient solar observatory complex, Malta
Temple Builders construction

This is an ancient lunar/solar observatory found on Malta, a variation of the Solar Observation complex found in Peru. Located below the cliffs of Mtahleb chapel and the Cart Ruts of Ta-Baldu are these strange shaped hills.
The sun sets behind the elongated hill ("calendar hill"?) next to the sea.

Have boulders been aligned to mark the progress of the sun during the year by the Maltese Temple Builders? Is it the worlds oldest lunar/solar observation complex?
Or is it just some terraformed/terraced hills?

Ancient Sky Lab?

The hills found near Ras id-Dawwara (Mtahleb) are oddly shaped and have been terraced/terraformed. Was it just to cultivate more land or was it for another purpose? The round hill top closest to the possible "calendar hill" has boulders on that seem to make a line partly around its middle and also go upwards.

The front hill has a small flat section on one side of its top. At the front is a large boulder where you can watch the sun setting behind the elongated hill. During the year the Sun will move along the hill and set in different places.

Stoned Circle of Trust

The front hill has a a group of large boulders, perhaps a small stone circle. The boulders on the left hand side (facing the "calendar hill") make a V shape. The farmer said that his family had not moved the stones and that they were put there by God.

They could just be where boulders where moved to or could they have been deliberatly placed there? These possible marker boulders or stone circle (especially the 2 that form the V) are in a line between the rear and the "calendar hill". Also the winter sun (December/January) seems to set on the side of the "calendar hill" or at the very beginning of its top. This will need to be confirmed further.

Evidence this is a "Temple Builder" Solar Observatory?

No evidence at the moment, only the idea of what you can observe yourself. These may just turn out to be hills but observations will see if there is anything in the idea that this could be a "Temple Builder" Solar Observation complex.

Is there any evidence or similarity from other ancient Solar Observatories around the world? Perhaps from the oldest Solar Observatory that we have discovered and physically proved it is a Solar Observation complex.

The oldest Solar Observation complex is found in Peru and called the Towers of Chankillo. It is a series of thirteen towers on a hill that slopes similar to the possible "calendar hill" seen above in Malta.

The Towers of Chankillo Solar Observatory in Peru is designed to track the sunrise in the East. The possible Maltese Solar Observatory tracks the setting sun in the West. The top of the hills slope the opposite direction. The people of Peru could have chosen any location yet they chose that shaped hill. The Maltese "Temple Builders" did not have such a large area but found themselves with the same type of perfect hill to observe and track our Solar System.

Although the sunset is not as dramatic as the sunrise it still shows you that tomorrow is the solstices/equinoxes or that today was indeed those special days.

Due to the geography of the Island of Malta's East coast it is perhaps harder to have a Solar Observatory for the rising Sun. The Island of Gozo may have more opportunity for a natural large Sunrise Observatory.

Location, location, location | Ras id-Dawwara, Malta

This possible solar/lunar/sky observatory is found close to Ras id-Dawwara, Malta. If you visit the cliff edge Juspatronati Mtahleb chapel (also known as Ta' Monte Caliboon, Nativity of Our Lady) or the Cart Ruts at Ta-Baldu you can not miss observing these hills and possible "Temple Builders" Solar Observatory on the coast.
Google Earth 35°52'29.04"N 14°20'59.55"E

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** Everything Is Electric (EIE) articles index/sitemap

** Yale University - 13 towers of Chankillo, Peru - ancient solar observatory
** University of Leicester - The Thirteen Towers: Peruvian Citadel is Site of Earliest Ancient Solar Observatory in the Americas
** Astronomy study of the Peruvian 13 towers of Chankillo by Armchair Archaeoastronomy .com
** More detail and photographs of the area and the Lost Fortress Of Chankillo around Casma Chanquillo Thirteen Towers Solar Observatory

the Devil wears vulcanized rubber!

Malta does have hedgehogs and the Maltese name for hedgehogs is Qanfud (Algerian Hedgehog - Atelerix algirus). You don't often see live hedgehogs as Malta has one of the highest cars per people ratio in the world and is only a small island. Young hedgehogs beleive that the Devil wears vulcanized rubber, older hedgehogs suspect its Prada and lots of makeup that needs to be applied while driving.