"Saghtar" ~ April 2001
a publication of the
Malta Union of Teachers
Readers of this
children's magazine received a free peel-off window sticker:
Let’s rise to the challenge!
Let’s all do our part!
The temples of Malta and Gozo are important heritage for the whole world because they are the oldest buildings still standing on the planet. The people who built the temples were very smart and also mysterious. In the temples and the artifacts, they left us messages about themselves and about their understanding of the world. But the messages are not so easy to read as a book! Scientists and scholars will need to study the temples for a long time to unravel the secrets.
The government of Malta is working hard to find ways to protect the temples from damaging elements like rainfall and direct sunlight. We can all help by doing our part to make sure these priceless treasures are safe.
Visit the temples often so you can get to know them. There are several interesting sites and each one is a little bit different from the others: Tarxien, Hagar-Qim & Mnajdra, Kordin, and there is Ggantija in Gozo. It’s fun to imagine what the people were like in ancient times.
Don’t climb on the stones. Be careful about not touching or rubbing against them.
Don’t leave litter like papers or wrappers. Help keep the temples clean of rubbish.
If you see someone who is not respecting the temples, tell the guard at once.
Look for the things that are special about the temples. Think about ways in which the people of the temple times were the same as people of today.
Suggest to your parents to arrange a visit to the hypogeum (insert phone number). You will view a film and hear a live presentation. You can see what the temples might have looked like when they had their roofs on.
Try to go to the Museum of Archaeology to see the artifacts and things which were found in the temples. Allow enough time to read all the information panels.
Let everyone know that you care about the temples. With permission from your parents, you can display this decal sticker in your family car window. Please let an adult help you install it.
A NOTE TO PARENTS:
Help your children learn respect for the prehistoric legacy of Gozo and Malta. The temple period remains differentiate Malta from all the rest of the world. Why should we care so much about protecting the remnants of the past? Here are just a few reasons:
Looking backward can give us perspective: a sense of our direction for the future, and it can help us to understand our origins: why we are who we are;
We can benefit from knowing what we human beings can accomplish all by ourselves - without the use of modern technology and machines;
Experiencing a lifestyle outside our own can give us a new respect for the
world in which we live.