ABSTRACT
In the islands of the Western Mediterranean traces exist of an early civilization in some respects analogous to that of the Cyclades. But it exhibits many perplexing peculiarities, the significance of which in the present state of our knowledge is uncertain. The “ neolithic” inhabitants of Malta and Gozo excavated complicated sepulchral galleries under ground, erected great temples of huge stone blocks, decorated their walls with sculptures in high relief, carved curious recumbent statuettes out of marble, and made some fifteen varieties of fine pottery which was sometimes painted. Later came a “ bronze age ” people, who cremated their dead and deposited the cinerary urns in the temples. It would take a whole book to give even the most cursory summary of the Maltese material. And then no progress would have been made. No significant parallels are at present known to the temples, the carving, the statuettes, or the pottery. Motives adorning the “ neolithic ” buildings and ossuaries have been derived by Sir Arthur Evans from the Middle Minoan II decorative repertoire ; Professor Schuchhardt has found in the same ornaments the prototypes of the Cretan. It is still quite impossible to say whether Malta played the role of master or disciple among her neighbours and fruitless speculations on this topic had best be omitted. 1
