2092) Tarxien Temples, Malta: "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" depicting UNESCO World Heritage List featured Megalithic Temple Complexes in Malta: Sixth €2 Commemorative Coin in the Series: Date of Coin issue: 26.10.2021:

2092) Tarxien Temples, Malta: "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" depicting UNESCO World Heritage List featured Megalithic Temple Complexes in Malta: Sixth €2 Commemorative Coin in the Series: Date of Coin issue: 26.10.2021:

The Central Bank of Malta has brought out the sixth €2 Commemorative Coin in the series of Seven Coins titled "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" on 26.10.2021, which depicts the Tarxien Temple Complex.

All seven Megalithic Temple Sites which will be covered in the coin series are on UNESCO World Heritage List.

About the Megalithic Temples of Malta:

The Megalithic Temples of Malta are several pre-historic temples, seven of which have been placed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites List.

Built during three distinct periods (between 3,600 BC to 700 BC) on the island country of Malta, they are some of the oldest free-standing structures on Planet Earth.

These Megalithic Complexes are the result of local innovations in a process of cultural evolution. 

During the Ggantija phase (3,600 - 3,000 BC), several temples were built, culminating in the large  Tarxien Temple Complex, which was in active use until 2,500 BC. It seems that after this period the Temple building culture in Malta became lost in the obscurity of time.

In 1980, the Ggantija Temples (two sites) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list - Hagar Qim and Mnajdra (both in Qrendi), Ta'Hagrat Temples (in Mgarr), , Skorba Temples (in Zebbiegh) and Tarxien Temples (in Tarxien).

Apart from these seven, there are several other Megalithic Temple sites, which have not been included so far in the UNESCO World Heritage List, some of them dating back to the Neolithic Period (5,000 - 4,100 BC) and the last few to the Bronze Age (2,500 - 700 BC).

Adds the UNESCO book/publication titled "Treasures of the World" in my personal library:

"The seven megalithic temples that make up the World Heritage Site in Malta and Gozo are outstanding examples of structures that represent a major development in culture, art and technology. All date from the third millennium BC and each it the result of an individual development, differing from the others in plan, execution and construction techniques.

The two temples of Ggantija on the island of Gozo are notable for their gigantic Bronze Age structures. On Malta, the temples of Hagar Qim, Mnajdra and Tarxien are unique architectural master-pieces, given the limited resources available to their builders. The Ta' Hagrat and Skorba complexes show how the tradition of temple-building was handed down in Malta. Each one is remarkable for diversity of form and decoration. The temples of Malta are the 'oldest free-standing monuments in the world'.

The elaborate rituals to which the temples are testimony are a remarkable manifestation of the human spirit, especially on a remote island at such an early date".

The Tarxien Temples Complex:

The Tarxien Temples are an archaeological complex in Tarxien, Malta, dating back to around 3150 BC.

The Tarxien Temples consist of three separate, but attached, temple structures. 

The main entrance is a reconstruction dating from 1956, when the whole site was restored. 

At the same time, many of the decorated slabs discovered on site were relocated indoors for protection at the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. 

The first Temple has been dated to approximately 3100 BC and is the most elaborately decorated of the temples of Malta. 

The middle Temple dates to about 3000 BC, and is unique in that, unlike the rest of the Maltese temples, it has three pairs of apses instead of the usual two. 

The East Temple is dated at around 3100 BC. 

The remains of another Temple, have been dated to 3250 BC, further towards the East.

Of particular interest at the Temple site is the rich and intricate stonework, which includes depictions of domestic animals carved in relief, altars, and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns.

                            Entrance to a Temple

                        A Stone Relief showing Bulls and Rams 

Demonstrative of the skill of the builders is a chamber set into the thickness of the wall between the South and Central temples and containing a relief showing a bull and a sow.

                                                A Temple Altar

Excavation of the site reveals that it was used extensively for rituals, which involved animal sacrifice. 

Tarxien provides rare insight into how the megaliths were constructed - stone rollers were left outside the South Temple. 

Also, evidence of cremation has been found at the center of the South Temple, which is an indicator that the site was reused as a Bronze Age cremation cemetery.

The large stone blocks were discovered in 1914 by local farmers ploughing a field.

The discovery of the complex did much to further Malta's national identity, solidly confirming the existence of a thriving ancient culture on the island. 

The Commemorative Coin:

On 26.10.2021, the Central Bank of Malta has issued a €2 commemorative coin depicting the Tarxien Temples.

 This coin is the sixth in a series of seven dedicated to the Maltese islands’ prehistoric sites which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. 

The Reverse (national side) of the €2 (Two Euro) Coin, which was designed by Noel Galea Bason, shows a representation of the Tarxien Temples.

The Coin has been issued as a part of the "2021 Malta Year set", in a Coin Card and in 25 Coin Rolls.

The Coin Obverse shows the common €2 side.

The TARXIEN Euro Coins Set were struck at the Monnaie de Paris, France, and their mintage is limited to a maximum of 15,000 sets. 

The Euro Coin Set is presented in an attractive and illustrated blister pack.

For posts on Central Bank of Malta and Maltapost issues, please visit the following links:

1) Baptism of Christ: "Europa Coin Programme": Baroque & Rococo periods: Guiseppe Mazzuli's famed statue depicted on Central Bank of Malta Gold and Silver coins issued on 14.03.2018

2) Central Bank of Malta celebrates its 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) milestone: A new 10 Euro Silver Crown Coin and a Gold Proof 100 Euro coin issued on 17.04.2018

3) Valletta, Malta - "European Capital of Culture - 2018": A 10 Euro Silver Coin and a Silver Foil replica of a 26c Stamp brought out by Central Bank of Malta 

4) Ggantija Temples, Malta: "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series": (Part I): First coin in the Series issued in 2016

5) Hagar Qim Temples: Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series": (Part II): Second Coin in the series issued on 27.06.2017

6) Mnajdra Temples: "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series": (Part III): Third Coin in the Series issued on 21.06.2018

7) Malta: Renaissance Era Ship design depicting the Order of St. John's "Gran Carracca Sant' Anna" features of the latest Europa Silver Star Programme issue from the Central Bank of Malta: Coin issue date: 15.03.2019

8) Ta' Hagrat Temples, Malta: "Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" depicting UNESCO World Heritage List featured Megalithic Temple Complexes in Malta: Fourth Coin in the Series: Date of issue: 22.07.2019

9) "Suez Canal": Central Bank of Malta issues a 150th Anniversary Silver commemorative Coin of 10 Euros (1869-2019), minted by the Royal Dutch Mint: Coin issue date: 18.11.2019

10) i) "Europa Coin Programme" or the "European Star Programme" or the "Eurostar Programme" ii) Central Bank of Malta issues 50 Euro (Gold) and 10 Euro (Silver) Proof Coins featuring "Architecture and artwork of the Gothic Era" in 05/2020 (which is a part of the wider programme focussing on the Ages of Europe: Date of Coins issue: 08.05.2020

_{^{11) Ancient Postal Routes, Malta: Europa 2020 theme: Malta Post has issued two postage stamps of the values of 0.59 Euro and 2.00 Euro as part of the PostEurop's campaign this year: Date of Stamps issue: 09.05.2020}}

_{^{12) Skorba Temples, Malta:"Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" depicting UNESCO World Heritage List featured Megalithic - Temple Complexes in Malta: Fifth Coin in the Series: Date of issue: 24.07.2020}}

_{^{13) About Dogs (Series II) - 2020, Malta: A set of 16 Stamps brought out by Malta Post: Date of stamp set issue: 24.09.2020}}

_{^{14) 25th Anniversary of Malta's Independence (1964-1989), Malta: A Commemorative Banknote of Lm2 (Two Lira) issued by the Central Bank of Malta: Year of issue: 1989}}

_{^{15) "Melita", Gold Bullion Coins - 2020, Malta: Coins issued in three Variants - 100 Euros, 50 Euros and 25 Euros by the Central Bank of Malta (since 11/2018): Coins minted by PAMP SA, Switzerland: Year of issue: 2020}}

_{^{16) "Knights of Malta", Republic of Malta: "Knights of the Past Silver Coin Series": First Silver Bullion Coin in denominations of 5 and 10 Euro brought out in a collaborative arrangement with Germania Mint on behalf of the Central Bank of Malta: Year of Coin issue: 2021}}

_{^{17) A 10 Shillings Banknote issued in 1968 by the Central Bank of Malta, from the First series of Banknotes (1964-1971), since demonetised in 06/1972 on the introduction of the Maltese Lira}}

_{^{18) Tarxien Temples, Malta: Maltese Pre-historic Temples Coin Series" depicting UNESCO World Heritage List featured Megalithic Temple Complexes in Malta: Sixth 2 Euro Commemorative Coin in the series: Date of Coin issue: 26.10.2021}}