204 



DISCOVERY 



Another remarkable feature of this second temple 

 is a small rectangular room on the walls of which two 

 bulls and a sow are carved in low relief. The walls of 

 this room have suffered a good deal by fire, and the 

 stones are, consequently, cracked and flaky, to the 



FlO 2.— SLAB BI,0CKING THE PASSAGE TO THE NORTHERN 



APSES IN THE SECOND TEMPLE AT TARXIEN. 



The spirals are simple, and branched off only at one point ; they are Hat 



and smooth, thus differing from the spirals of the third temple. 



detriment of the carved figures. One of the bulls is 

 badly damaged, but the other one is tolerably well 

 preserved and resembles, in many ways, the animals 

 depicted in the Early Stone Age caves of Dordogne.^ 

 Below this bull there is a smaller animal, very probably 

 a sow. The outline of this animal is not very clear, 

 but a long row of teats, or very young sucklings, 

 definitely indicate its genus. 



In the centre of the two oval chambers, low circular 

 fireplaces are built, which still remain full of ashes ; 

 and in a corner of the main entrance a large stone 

 vase, hewn out of a single slab of stone similar to 

 those used in the structure of the building, was found 

 in fragments but has since been repaired. 



The third temple is built to the south of the second 

 one, upon one side of which it distinctly encroaches. 

 This fact alone would show that it is a later addition, 

 but one has likewise to note that the plan of the 

 building is inferior in design to the other two, and that 

 there is a great profusion of decoration, nearly every 

 block of stone being ornamented with scrolls in relief. 



Three of the rooms of this sanctuary display a 



' The most important of these caves from an archaeological 

 point of view are situated in the rocks of the valley of the 

 Lower Vezere, Department of Dordogne, South-western France. 



charming collection of curved patterns, mostly spirals, 

 simple or branched, single or entwined ; some of the 

 patterns are suggestive of thistle leaves, others of goats' 

 horns, whilst on a low step we can see foreshadowed 

 the classical egg-and-tongue ornament. 



Four altars in the main hall are carved with graceful 

 scrolls, some of which are in such a low relief as to 

 have the appearance of an inlay broidering the ground. 

 On one of the altars a graceful niche, built of small 

 well-squared slabs, was found standing. The altar 

 under this niche is hollow and has a circular hole at the 

 base deftly plugged by a conical stone of which the 

 surface is so carved as to continue the pattern of the 

 altar face and to disguise the plug. 



This cleverly disguised recess was found full of 

 animal bones, the remains of sacrificed animals, mixed 

 with fragments of Neolithic pots ; a fine reddish flint 

 sacrificial knife was hidden behind the stone plug. 



In this room stood a colossal statue of the deity to 

 whom burnt sacrifices were oft'ered. It is unfortunate 

 that this unique specimen of advanced Neolithic art 

 was not found complete ; what remains of it being the 

 legs and a portion of a pleated skirt. It is enough, 

 however, to establish the fact that images were wor- 

 shipped in the Neolithic Age. 



In the same room, in front of one of the altars, a 

 stone vase fixed to the ground must have contained 

 water for ceremonial purification. Close by this vessel 

 there is in the floor a wide circular depression, evidently 

 caused by fire. It was here that a fire was kindled 

 on which the victim, killed by the priest, was roasted 

 or completely burned. 



That very choice animals were sacrificed is evident 

 from the masses of bones, mostly charred, that were 

 found in the numerous niches and recesses existing in 

 the building. The bones are of full-sized animals, 

 bulls, goats, sheep, and pigs. Some of the horn-cores 

 of bulls discovered measure over 3 feet in length. 



Fig. 3.— NEOLITHIC TYPES OF DECORATED POTTERY, TARXIEN. 



Large horn-cores of rams and goats were also found 

 stowed away in closets and niches ; all this points to 

 the fact that a portion of the sacrificed animal was 

 deposited as a memento of the offering. 



That only certain kinds of animals were used as an 

 offering can be surmised not only from the sacrificial 



