Tarxien

Tarxien is a small village in the southeast of Malta. The etymology of the village may be a corruption of one of two words: Tarzin, an Arabic word for a family of trees; or Tirix, meaning a large stone, similar to those used for the village's noted temples. The village motto is Tyrii Genure Coloni ("the Phoenicians created me").

The oldest temple is said to date back to about 2800 BCE. The temples feature various statues and reliefs of animals, including goats (for which Malta is noted for) and pigs. Most notable of the statues found in the Temples are about 2.5 m in height, and are said to represent a sort of Mother Goddess. There are several of these statues scattered around the various temples, and are thought to represent fertility.

Today, the village is inhabited by just over 8000 villagers. A key part of Tarxien culture is the feast of the Annunciation, a religious holiday celbrated in late May. It is celebrated with large fireworks displays. When the summer comes, the heat drives most of the citizens of Tarxien to the seaside villages of Malta, often bringing down the population of the village to about two-thirds of what it is during the colder months.

References

• Places of Interest: Tarxien Temples. Accessed on February 21, 2005.
• Places - Tarxien. Accessed on February 21, 2005.