The Tarxien phase is one of the eleven phases of
Maltese prehistory. It is named for the
temple complex discovered near the village of
Ħal Tarxien
Tarxien ( mt, Ħal Tarxien) is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta. Its population stood at 8583 in March 2014.
The town is most notable for the Tarxien Temples, a megalithic temple complex which is among the oldest freestanding structur ...
, and now recognised as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
.
[
The Tarxien phase, from approximately 3150– 2500 BCE, follows the ]Saflieni phase
The Saflieni phase is one of the eleven phases of Maltese prehistory, the fourth of five in the middle or Temple period. It is named for the Ħal-Saflieni Hypogeum, an underground temple complex now recognised as a World Heritage Site by UN ...
and is the last phase of the Temple period, during which the principal megalithic temples of Malta
The Megalithic Temples of Malta ( mt, It-Tempji Megalitiċi ta' Malta) are several prehistoric temples, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, built during three distinct periods approximately between 3600 BC and 2500 BC on the island coun ...
were built.[
]
References
{{Reflist, refs=
[A. Bonanno, T. Gouder, C. Malone and S. Stoddart (1990]
Monuments in an Island Society: The Maltese Context
''World Archaeology'' 22 (2, Monuments and the Monumental, October 1990): 190-205. {{subscription required
[World Heritage List: Megalithic Temples of Malta]
UNESCO. Accessed February 2014.
Neolithic cultures of Europe
Archaeological cultures of Southern Europe
Archaeological cultures in Malta
Pre-Indo-Europeans
Megalithic Temples of Malta
Maltese prehistory