A Peaceful Land with Gender Equality

Archaeologists were astonished. Excavation of the ancient temples started in 1902, and the scientists had never unearthed such a remarkable civilization.

 

There was no sign of warfare; not a single weapon was found. Burial sites showed no differentiation between genders or classes. The architecture was a blend of masculine and feminine elements mixed together for the greater good, with angular, squared-off lintels worked into softly curving walls.

And their deity was a goddess, plump and full-figured. Her rounded silhouette looks to have been the inspiration for the Mnajdra Prehistoric Temples, seen above.

We now know that the temples of Malta are the oldest buildings still standing on earth. They were built 1,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids and 4,000 years before the birth of Jesus.

In 1530 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V gave the island of Malta to the Knights of Saint John, who built the city of Valetta, pictured at the top. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valetta is one of the best-preserved fortified cities. It’s often described as an open-air museum.

Our 7-day small group tour of Malta is a segment of a longer tour that also includes Egypt and Jordan. The program is hosted by Nancy Auspelmyer and Ling Chen, and you can sign up for any of the segments, two of them, or all three. Click the links below to see the full Itineraries, pricing and how to register…