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All Malta Mġarr Binġemma Troglodyte Settlement

Binġemma Troglodyte Settlement

Enigmatic tombs and cave dwellings on the outskirts of a rural village.

Mġarr, Malta

Added By
TheMacabreNBold
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Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
  vorropohaih / Atlas Obscura User
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
  vorropohaih / Atlas Obscura User
Bingemma troglodyte settlement.   Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0
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About

Binġemma is a small Maltese village, located on the outer limits of Mgarr and boasting beautiful country scenery. But some of its most fascinating features can’t be seen by scanning the horizon. Just across the view of the land below, there’s a series of prehistoric tombs and cave dwellings.

These troglodytic sites stretch across different levels. Some are fairly shallow, whereas others contain corridors that wind their way into even further caves and chambers.

The origins of the site are shrouded in mystery. Archaeologists can’t reach a consensus on what time period they’re from. Some say the troglodytic site dates from the Bronze Age; others claim the caves are a Punico-Roman necropolis; and yet still others insist the caverns are actually the remains of catacombs from a first-century Greek cemetery.

One thing that is certain, however, is that this enigmatic place was briefly used during the 20th century. Like many other underground settlements scattered throughout the country, the caves served as a hiding spot for the locals during the bombings of World War II.

On the edge of the rock outcrop on the other side of the valley, there’s also the chapel of Our Lady of Itria (Lady of the Way) that was built in the 1670s.

Related Tags

Caves Cemeteries Catacombs Tombs Mystery Ecosystems

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Access to these tombs is through a little pathway next to the chapel.

Community Contributors

Added By

TheMacabreNBold

Edited By

vorropohaih

  • vorropohaih

Published

September 28, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.archaetypes.com/3rd-shift-of-depths-of-maltas-history/
  • http://www.maltapanorama.com/portfolio/bingemma-chapel-ref-pfm130159/
  • http://maltahostel.com/what-did-you-do-this-weekend-bingemma-tombs-and-caves/
  • http://www.malta-tours.de/pdf/dwejra_walk.pdf
Binġemma Troglodyte Settlement
7 Triq IS-Santi
Binġemma
Mġarr
Malta
35.903711, 14.378673
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