Prehistoric Sites of Malta – Ħaġar Qim

The prehistoric temples of Ħaġar Qim. At the upper right, stacked one above the other, the inscriptions “ĦAĠAR QIM”, “TEMPLES” and the dates “3600-3200 BC”. At the lower left, the name of the issuing state “MALTA” and, below it, the year “2017”. At the lower right, the initials of the artist Noel Galea Bason, “NGB”.

This 2-euro commemorative coin exists in three varieties. Those in the BU coincard were struck in Pessac and carry the mint's mark and that of mint master Yves Sampo (MT-17 G2). Coins in the ST coin set show an “F” in the lower star (MT-17 G3). Coins from roll stock carry no mintmark (MT-17 G1).

Ħaġar Qim is one of the oldest freestanding stone structures in the world. The temple complex in southern Malta was built between 3600 and 3200 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. The site consists of several interconnected apse-shaped chambers made of limestone and follows the trefoil layout typical of Maltese temple culture. Particularly striking are the so-called "Fat Lady" altar and a series of cult holes and offering niches that point to the ritual practices of the island's prehistoric inhabitants. Ħaġar Qim has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Megalithic Temples of Malta" since 1992, which encompasses seven temple complexes on Malta and Gozo.

Malta's prehistoric sites form a central chapter of European prehistory. On an island lacking timber and with limited resources, Neolithic communities erected structures of remarkable complexity — without metal tools, without the wheel, and without draft animals. The purpose of the temples remains unresolved to this day: archaeologists assume they served as cultic gathering places, possibly linked to fertility rites or ancestor worship. Malta honours these sites with several issues in its series on the country's prehistoric sites; the 2017 2-euro commemorative coin is dedicated to Ħaġar Qim.