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| The Oracle Chamber |
It is among the best preserved examples of the Maltese
temple building culture that also produced the Megalithic Temples and Xagħra Stone Circle.
It is
often simply referred to as the Hypogeum (Maltese:
Ipoġew), literally meaning "underground" in Greek. The Hypogeum is
thought to have been a sanctuary and necropolis,
with the remains of more than 7,000 individuals documented by archeologists.
The Oracle Room is a speaking chamber carved with a rounded interior surface. The result is an echo which reverberates throughout the hypogeum.
"A word spoken in this room is magnified a hundredfold and
is audible throughout the entire structure. The effect upon the credulous can
be imagined when the oracle spoke and the words came thundering forth through
the dark and mysterious place with terrifying impressiveness." ~ William
Arthur Griffiths
Standing in the Hypogeum is like being inside a giant bell. At certain pitches, one feels the sound vibrating in bone and tissue as much as hearing it in the ear. It’s actually quite thrilling.
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| The Holy of Holies |
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