SKORBA PREHISTORIC SITE

The vertical block forming part of the entrance to the Skorba megalithic structure had been known since 1914. An exploratory excavation in 1937 revealed that the site deserved a thorough investigation, but as funds were not available at the time, this was postponed and finally carried out by David H. Trump between 1960 and 1963. The results of these excavations have proved very important for understanding the Neolithic of the Maltese islands. In addition to two megalithic structures, remains of domestic huts dating from different phases of the Neolithic were discovered. The earliest remains - an eleven-metre-long wall - date back to the Għar Dalam phase, circa 5,200 B.C. In addition, remains of domestic huts dating back to all Neolithic phases have been discovered, as well as remains dating back to the Early Bronze Age. Thus, the prehistoric sequence of the Maltese islands could be put on a solid footing. The remains associated with the Neolithic phases included sheep, goat and pig bones, as well as remains of wheat, lentils and barley. All of this provided a very interesting insight into the life of Neolithic communities.
Of the two megalithic structures, the one on the left is the older and consists of three semicircular rooms surrounding a central courtyard. The passageway to the courtyard is pierced by five holes cut into the rock. The purpose of these holes is unknown. On the step leading to the room on the right, you'll see a megalithic boulder with pitted decoration, similar to others found on other sites. The centerpiece of this structure was reused in the early Bronze Age, as materials from that period have been found here. The megalithic structure on the right was built later, and excavations revealed that a domestic hut had been removed to make room for this building.
At first glance, the prehistoric site of Skorba may appear small and unimpressive. However, the information this site has provided on the builders of the megalithic structures and their daily lives is ultimately very important. So much so that this site was inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage List in 1992, along with Ġgantija, Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Ta' Ħaġrat and Tarxien. Several objects from this site are on display at Valletta's National Museum of Archaeology.