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Il-Preistorja f’Malta - 5,000 sena Q.K. sa 700 sena Q.K.Maltese Prehistory – 5,000 B.C. to 700 B.C,

F’Għar Dalam instabu fossili (għadam ġebli) ta’ annimali bħal: ċriev,

iljunfanti, ippopotami u ċinji.

At Għar Dalam cave fossili were found pertaining to deers, elephants,

hippotami and geese. 2

Il-Gżejjer Maltin inqatgħu minn Sqallija meta ntemm l-aħħar Żmien

is-Silġ. L-ewwel nies li ġew Malta minn Sqallija kellhom jaqsmu l-

baħar b’dgħajjes primittivi jew ċattri.

The Maltese Islands were cut off from Sicily by the end of the last

Ice-Age. Malta’s first settlers crossed from Sicily with primitve

boats and rafts. 3

Il-mappa turina kif infirxet iċ-ċiviltà Neolitika mil-Lvant għall-Punent

tal-Mediterran.

The map shows the spread of Neolithic culture from the Eastern to

the Western Mediterranean. 4

Żmien il-Presitorja f’Malta jinqasam fi tliet fażijiet. It-tabella turi

liema kienu dawn iż-żminijiet. Kull fażi ħadet l-isem tal-post fejn

instabu l-fdalijiet ta’ dak il-perjodu. 5

L-ewwel nies li ġew Malta raw l li l-art Maltija kienet

għammiela. Huma żergħu qamħ li kienu ġabu magħhom minn

Sqallija. Huma kienu l-ewwel bdiewa Maltin.

The first settlers in Malta recognised how Malta was fertili.

They planted wheat brought with them from Sicily. They were

the first Maltese farmers. 6

L-ewwel nies kienu kaċċaturi u sajjieda. Kienu jaqbdu l-annimali b’xi

lanza jew b’xi għodda primittiva oħra. Dan iż-żmien jissejjaħ

Neolitiku, jew iż-Żmien il-Ġdid tal-Ħaġar.

The first settlers also hunted for their food. They hunted annimals

with Spears and other primitive tools. This period is known as the

New Neolithic or Stone Age.7

Dawn in-nies kienu jagħmlu l-

għodod miż-żnied (ħaġar

iebes) importat minn Sqallija.

Kienu jnaqqxu ż-żnied

b’sengħa kbira biex jagħmlu

x-xifer jaqta’ bħas-sikkiena.

These people made tools

from flint imported from

Sicily.

Tools had to be made with

great skill with sharp edges

to serve as knives.

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Fil-Preistorja kienu jagħmlu l-ħwejjeġ mill-ġlud

tal-annimali u mis-suf tan-nagħaġ. Kienu jnaddfu

u jnixxfu l-ġlud u jħituhom b’labar tal-għadam.

In prehistory clothes were made from animal skin

and wool derived from sheep. The skin was

scrubbed and left to dry. They used bone needles

to sew their clothes.9

L-eqdem fuħħar f’Malta instab fi Skorba,

l-Imġarr u kien ta’ lewn griż jew aħmar.

Fuħħar iktar riċenti jintgħaraf mill-forma

u mit-tinqix li jkun hemm fuqu.

Il-fuħħar li nstab f’imkejjen differenti

tqiegħdu fil-Mużew tal-Arkeoloġija.

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The oldest pottery found in Malta dates back to the Skorba phase at Mġarr

and is grey or red in colour.

The more recent pottery is recognised from its form and decoration.

All discovered pottery is preserved at the Museum of Archaeology.

F’Malta u Għawdex instabu statwi ta’ figurini xi wħud

mingħajr ras.

Il-Mara Rieqda (the Sleeping Lady) instabet fl-Ipoġew ta’

Ħal Saflieni.

Aktarx li dawn il-figurini kienu jirrappreżentaw l-alla tal-

fertilità jew qassisin (nisa jew irġiel) tat-tempji.

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A number of statuettes representing the human figure

were discovered in the Maltese Islands.

The Sleeping Lady was found at the Hypogeum.

Most probably these figures represent the godess of

fertility or male or female priests of the temples.

Fit-tempji ta’ Ħal Tarxien instabet nofs statwa ta’ daqs kbir. Fuq il-

lemin jidher reċipjent imħaffar minn ħaġra kbira fit-tempji ta’ Ħal

Tarxien.

The bottom part of a large statue was found at Tarxien Temples.

On the right there is a large stone bowl found in the same temples.

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Dawn in-nies kienu iħobbu jiżżejnu wkoll. Instabu ġiżirajjen,

brazzulletti u pendenti magħmulin mill-għadam u minn minerali

oħra li kienu jsibu fl-ambjent ta’ madwarhom.

These people used to wear jewelry in the form of braclets and

neckleses made from animal bone and other natural minerals.

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It-tempji kienu jżejnuhom b’tinqix fuq il-

ħaġar għamla ta’ spiralli u annimali

domestiċi.

The temples were decorated with reliefs of

spirals and domestiċi animals.14

Il-bronż kien metall li jifforma

meta jdewbu u jħalltu r-ramm

maż-żingu. Il-bronż

imdewweb kien jitqiegħed

f’forom tal-ġebel. Meta jibred

u jibbies kien jingħata l-forma

tal-għodda jew l-arma li riedu.

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Bronze was a metal derived when melting and mixing copper

andzinc. Melted bronze was poured in Stone forms and when it

cooled it was shaped into tools or weapons.

Fi Żmien il-Bronż kienu jużaw armi u għodod tal-ram jew tal-

bronż. Aktarx li dawn in-nies kienu ġellieda aktar dawk ta’ Żmien

it-Tempji.

In the Bronze Age, people used weapons and tools made from

copper or bronze. Most probably these people were more warlike

than the those of the Temple Period.

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L-oqbra kienu ħofra fil-blat. Il-mejjet kien

jitqiegħed f’posizzjoni ta’ wieħed rieqed.

Fi Żmien il-Bronż fit-Tempji ta’ Ħal

Tarxien instabet evidenza li kienet issir il-

kremazjoni (il-ħruq) tal-mejtin.

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Tombs were dug in the solid rock, where the corps was placed in a

sleeping position. Evidence was found at Tarxien Temples that the

Bronze Age people practiced cremation.

History Department, Curriculum Centre Annexe, DLAP (MEDE) 2020.

X’tgħallimt dwar il-ħajja tal-Maltin ta’ Żmien il-Preistorja.

1. Minn slide 1, ikkalkula kemm snin damet il-Preistorja f’Malta. (2)

2. Liema kien l-eqdem Żmien Preistorku f’Malta? (1)

3. Minn slide 5, liema kienu ż-żminijiet tal-Preistorja f’Malta wara xulxin? (3)

4. Semmi sitt xogħlijiet li kienu jafu jagħmlu l-Maltin f’dak iż-żmien. (6)

5. X’evidenza għandna li dawn in-nies kellhom ħiliet artistiċi? (4)

6. Semmi erba’ affarijiet li jiddistingwi Żmien il-Bronż miż-żminijiet l-oħra

tal-Preistorja f’Malta. (4)

(Total: 20 marka)

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History Department, Curriculum Centre Annexe, DLAP (MEDE) 2020.

Review and assessment of Malta’s Prehistory

1. From slide 1, calculate the years of Malta’s prehistory. (2)

2. Which was Malta’s oldest prehistoric phase? (1)

3. From slide 5, list Malta’s main prehistoric periods. (3)

4. Mention six things which the Maltese did in those times. (6)

5. What evidence do we have that these people possessed some artistic

skillsiliet? (4)

6. Mention for facts that distinguish the Bronze Age from the other phases

in Malta’s prehistory. (4)

(Total: 20 marks)

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