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state this as Zeitlmair's belief, not as though it is fact
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→Site: the existence of actual ruins isn't relevant and the source doesn't mention this site
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The site contains large boulders which Zeitlmair believed to be to be man-made and not natural, and which are are covered in vegetation. Zeitlmair describes it as consisting of a cluster of three [[stone circle]]s with 'rooms' with a diameter of 9 to 11 metres, with parts having a height up to 6 to 10 metres. An 'avenue' goes up to the entrance of the structure, which faces east. Tracks on the seabed resembling cart ruts were also observed on the site.<ref name=micallef2006/> |
The site contains large boulders which Zeitlmair believed to be to be man-made and not natural, and which are are covered in vegetation. Zeitlmair describes it as consisting of a cluster of three [[stone circle]]s with 'rooms' with a diameter of 9 to 11 metres, with parts having a height up to 6 to 10 metres. An 'avenue' goes up to the entrance of the structure, which faces east. Tracks on the seabed resembling cart ruts were also observed on the site.<ref name=micallef2006/> |
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There are several other underwater archaeological sites in Malta. Underwater cart ruts can be seen near the shore of St. George's Bay in [[Birżebbuġa]], close to the megalithic temple of [[Borġ in-Nadur]]. According to 16th and early 17th century sources, another megalithic structure existed in the [[Grand Harbour]], near the foot of [[Fort Saint Angelo]].<ref name=philipcoppens>{{cite web|last1=Coppens|first1=Philip|title=Malta: the small island of the giants|url=http://www.philipcoppens.com/malta.html|website=philipcoppens.com|accessdate=27 April 2015}}</ref> |
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==Discovery== |
==Discovery== |
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  Shown within Malta | |
| Location | off St. Julian's, Malta |
|---|---|
| Part of | Megalithic Temples of Malta |
| Height | 6–10 m (20–33 ft) |
| History | |
| Material | Limestone |
Ġebel ġol-Baħar is a possible megalithic temple located underwater off the coast of St. Julian's, Malta. The site was identified in 1999 by a retired real estate investor, Hubert Zeitlmair,[1] but it was never studied properly and archaeologists are not convinced that the site is actually a temple.
The site is located on an underwater plateau approximately 2km off the coast of St. Julian's. The plateau is 900 by 500 metres long, and its highest point seems to be man-made, and is 19 metres below sea level.
The site contains large boulders which Zeitlmair believed to be to be man-made and not natural, and which are are covered in vegetation. Zeitlmair describes it as consisting of a cluster of three stone circles with 'rooms' with a diameter of 9 to 11 metres, with parts having a height up to 6 to 10 metres. An 'avenue' goes up to the entrance of the structure, which faces east. Tracks on the seabed resembling cart ruts were also observed on the site.[2]
The site was discovered on 13 July 1999 by Shaun Arrigo and his brother Kurt, who were working under the instructions of Hubert Zeitlmair, a retired German real estate investor interested in pseudoarchaeology. He believes that the temple was built by aliens in around 10,000 BC to 12,000 BC, and was submerged at the end of the Ice Age during the Genesis flood narrative.[3] This does not fit within Malta's prehistoric chronology since the earliest known human habitation of the island began in the Għar Dalam phase in around 5000 BC.
According to Zeitlmair, the site bears similarities to the temple of Ħaġar Qim on mainland Malta.[citation needed]> The site was given the name Ġebel ġol-Baħar, meaning "Stones in the Sea" in the Maltese language.
The discovery was reported in the local media in October 1999, but after some time interest died down.[2]
Further explorations of the site were conducted by Zeitlmair in November 1999 and May 2000.[4]
The site has also been linked with the island of Atlantis,[5] and Zeitlmair has published a book about this in German.[6]
Maltese archaeologists are not convinced that the site is a megalithic temple.[7] Other people who dived there said that the boulders which make up the site are not megalithic, but are modern ones which were dumped illegally.[2]
In 2013, marine scientists at the University of Malta discovered that 20,000 years ago, the Maltese islands were indeed much larger, and were connected to Sicily with a land bridge. However, there was no mention of Ġebel ġol-Baħar during the studies.[8]
philipcoppens was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
