Heritage Malta has just published a set of six high-quality A4 size photographs of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum.

The hypogeum, a Unesco World Heritage Site cut in soft rock, was discovered in 1902 and consists of four sets of caves and galleries at different levels.

The site was probably intended as a sanctuary. From the volume of bone deposits found, it would appear the remains of about 7,000 bodies were interred there.

The objects found include stone implements, flint tools, alabaster, clay and stone statuettes and a great variety of personal ornaments.

The reason for publishing the set of prints is to make a graphic record available for visitors because it is prohibited to take photographs inside the temple, Pierre Cassar, communications coordinator at Heritage Malta, said.

"We often come across people who would like to have a pictorial record of the hypogeum and, since they cannot take photographs and are not interested in buying a book about neolithic temples, we have come up with this idea to satisfy this demand," Mr Cassar explained.

In order to protect the micro-climate in the underground temple, only 80 visitors per day are allowed inside the hypogeum. A group of 10 visitors enters on the hour between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

People who intend to travel to Malta and plan to call at the hypogeum are strongly advised to book online, otherwise they might not find a slot.

In his book Prehistoric Malta, Europe And North Africa: Prehistoric Remains Of Malta And Gozo, Europe, Anatolia And North Africa (Allied Publications, 2007), Bernard Vassallo talks extensively about the hypogeum.

"This hypogeum has 22 chambers on three levels, including an impressive remarkably-hewn chamber known as the Holy of Holies, complete with three framed trilithons and a corbelled ceiling.

"The unique recumbent statuette of the Sleeping Lady who may indeed represent sleep, dream, death or a trance was found within these chambers. "An intriguing oracle chamber, from where a male voice resonates in the main lobby, characterises this amazing sanctuary. Red ochre was used freely almost throughout this hypogeum," Mr Vassallo writes.

The set of prints, on the reverse of which are details about this spellbinding site, comes complete with a folder.

It is available at Heritage Malta sites with the proceeds from sales going towards the conservation of the temple.

The set was produced in collaboration with Malta Sacred Island publishers.

www.heritagemalta.org