Neolithic Temples of Malta: 3D analysis points to novel roof reconstruction

The Neolithic temples of Malta are among the oldest examples of prehistoric architecture, yet the construction of their roofs remains a mystery. The absence of any roofs or roofing material at the temple sites has resulted in conjecture regarding the original appearance of these megalithic structures. The most valuable indications of prehistoric Maltese roof architecture are found in the Neolithic burial complex, the Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni. Two chambers in the Hypogeum are modelled closely after the above-ground temples, with indications of a roof structural system on the ceilings. This paper uses LiDAR and photogrammetry-derived 3D models to provide a partial temple roof reconstruction that has its design entirely based on contemporaneous archaeology. Photogrammetric reconstruction of the Mnajdra and Tarxien temple complexes allowed for detailed architectural analyses including key structural features and any indications of previous roof construction that would be evident in situ. A LiDAR model of the carved chambers of the Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni was superimposed onto corresponding positions in the temple models. Merging the LiDAR imagery onto the photogrammetry temple models confirmed structural consistency between the two megalithic complexes; supporting the theory that the carved facades were a deliberate reflection of the original architecture of the Maltese temples. This evidence points to an entirely new temple roof reconstruction, founded upon the archaeology of Neolithic Malta.