Xagħra Stone Circle

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The Xagħra Stone Circle, also known as the Brochtorff Circle, is an underground Neolithic temple that was also used for burial, situated in Xagħra on the Maltese island of Gozo. It was rediscovered after a viewer examined a painting by Charles de Brochtorff in the National Library in Valletta.

It was excavated by a joint team from the University of Malta, the Maltese Museums Department and the University of Cambridge. The excavation uncovered the burial ground of the same community which practised its rituals in the nearby Ggantija temple, dating principally to the period from 3000 to 2400 BC. The most notable discoveries include more than 200,000 human body parts and prehistoric art relating to the builders of the prehistoric Maltese temples

An earlier chambered tomb on the site dates to the period between 4100 and 3800 BC.

Later occupation of the site in later third millennium appears to be domestic.

[edit] References

This article has been created by making reference to the following:

• Brocktorff Circle. University of Bristol. Retrieved on January 13, 2005.