METAGEUM ’07: EXPLORING THE MEGALITHIC MIND

Inter-disciplinary international conference
on approaches to understanding the origins of our megalithic legacy

The Caraffa Stores, Birgu, Island of Malta
3rd – 11th November 2007

“Metageum ’07: Conference This event is an international, inter-disciplinary conference on different ways of approaching the thinking and imagination of the Neolithic people who built the megalithic temples in Malta and elsewhere in the world. Speakers range from archaeologists (both academic and independent), through psychologists and artists, to researchers in esoteric subjects.

“This conference is intended to encourage debate and discussion and does not hold any particular position on the interpretation of the temples. It is accompanied by an art exhibition, experiential workshops, and musical performances, all themed in significant ways on the megalithic temples. There will also be daily guided tours to the megalithic temples of Malta.

“So, after the morning plenary sessions, attendees can choose to stay for more presentations at the conference venue, or go on field trips to the temples, or go for one or other of the workshops. …

“Malta is a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, with an unusually rich heritage of megalithic structures, generally designated as ‘temples’. It has the oldest free-standing megalithic structures in the world, dating back to 6000 years ago — a thousand years before the Egyptian pyramids were built, and five hundred years before Stonehenge.

“For some background on the themes of the conference, please see the article written by Peter B. Lloyd in the Malta Independent on 18th March: Metageum ’07: Exploring the megalithic mind.

“Although several of the presentations will be specifically on the Maltese temples, the conference encompasses megalithic temples and ritual structures from around the world. England and Europe are richly endowed with a range of types of megalithic structure. Each country and culture has its own heritage, and the Maltese megalithic tradition was specific to the island.

“Although now ruined, the above-ground megalithic temples in Malta were originally huge, closed-in, multi-chambered buildings, with a single entrance. Malta also possess the uniquely Maltese underground temples or hypogea…”

link courtesy Erik Davis!