Hypogeum Hal Saflieni: The Incredible Sound Effects of Malta’s Hypogeum Hal Saflieni

Hypogeum Hal Saflieni – An Extraordinary Architecture

Hypogeum Hal Saflieni, in Malta, is said to be one of those typical specimens of an extraordinary architecture among the various other ancient architectures such as the Stonehenge, Great Pyramid of Giza and many others. The construction of this temple is considered to be a colossal task by the present age.

These have perplexed the modern man.HypogeumHal Saflieni has been considered enigmatic in its location together with its era which is another astounding element. Regarding its era, the temple is ancient and according to the professional archaeologists, it can be traced to almost 5,000 years back. This could probably be during the Bronze Age.

The surprising fact is that it is a subterranean temple which means that it is an underground temple. The temple is frequently labeled as a maze. Hypogeum Hal Saflieni has been considered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. As per the researchers, it is said to be the oldest prehistory subterranean temple identified so far. The temple is said to be mysterious in several ways and has been screened with uncanny activities.

Treasure Trove of Elongated Skulls

Hypogeum Hal Saflieni had also drawn numerous mystic investigators over a period of time. Besides this, the temple has given rise to be a treasure trove of elongated skulls probably from some unknown race which is identical to those of humans.

The most amazing and enigmatic thing regarding the temple is its implausible sound effect. Numerous experts have been drawn all across the globe due to the acoustic effects of the temple. Detailed studies have been conducted on the sound effects all over the temple to attain some insight into its mechanism, the purpose of its existence and the sound amplification properties. Hypogeum Hal Saflieniis said to have three layers where the vital rooms are oval in shape.

 Smaller rooms are also placed across the three layers of the temple. The rooms can be accessed through the various doors and corridors. The vital rooms differ somewhat from the smaller ones constructed. Besides this, the vital rooms seem to have arched vaulting and also tend to have fabricated inlets together with elaborate construction. These fabricated inlets have been designed in a manner in which we find the present-day constructions of doors and windows which are built above the ground.

The Oracle Chamber in Hypogeum Hal Saflieni

One of the compartments in the Hypogeum Hal Saflieni has been engraved out of solid limestone and that room is called the Oracle Chamber. It is from this amazing chamber which gives the sound amazing effects to its incredible construction.

According to the researchers, the temple had been the reserve of species and probably an oracle had been utilized to live there. As per William Arthur Griffiths, the author of `Malta and its Recently Discovered Prehistoric Temples’, whenever a word was enunciated while in the Oracle Chamber, the sound was magnified a hundredfold and the same was heard all through the temple.

He commented that this effect would have been great when the oracle was voiced while in the chamber and his voice resonating and echoing throughout the entire maze-like thunder. This could be very enigmatic, petrifying as well as inspiring in the temple. The experience of the sound emanating from the layers of the temple could be mind-blowing. One would be shaken when they would hear the sound and feel the vibrations in the tissues and the bones.

Sound Frequency – 110 Hz

Sound effect within the Hypogeum Hal Saflieni had been investigated by numerous researchers. Ruben Zahra along with his team from Italy, together with a composer from Malta had examined the sound properties of the subterranean temple, minutely. They eventually arrived at the conclusion that the sound resonated throughout the Oracle Chamber at a frequency of 110 Hz.

Frequency of this sound is said to be identical or close to the frequencies found in several ancient chambers all across the globe. One such example is Ireland’s Newgrange. According to Dr. Robert Jahn of Princeton University, it is the possibility of stone quality utilized in the structure of the chamber together with the magnitudes of the chamber. This tends to controls the pitch of the echo which is received.

 Hypogeum Hal Saflieni- Intensify Mystic Effect of Rituals 

Many have been perplexed on the purpose of the acoustic properties on this underground structure in Malta. Queries have not been fulfilled but there seems to be some assumptions on the same. A particular one has been put forth by Niccolo Bisconti from the University of Siena while another by Paola Debertolis from the University of Triests.

As per both of them the properties of the acoustic of Hypogeum Hal Saflieni was intended to impact the psyche of the people listening to the oracle. Moreover it was also to intensify the mystic effects of the rituals conducted in the chamber.

This has been considered as the most accepted theories since it has been provided with scientific support. Dr. Ian Cook together with his colleagues had conducted an experiment in 2008. Test subject had been shown to numerous resonance frequencies during the experiment.

Impact the Thinking of People 

Their brain functions were analyzed utilizing EEG. It was observed that when the test subjects had been exposed to the resonance frequency of 110 Hz during the experiment, an abrupt shift was noticed in the activity patterns on the prefrontal cortex of their brains.

 This gave rise to deactivation of language center in the test subjects with a momentary swing to right-sided control over the left-sided control, during emotional processing. This effect was not present in the other frequencies.

The reverberation frequency of 110 Hz as per the bio-behavioral scientists tends to shift on a certain part of the brain related to social behavior, understanding, and frame of mind. With regard to the Hypogeum Hal Saflieni, it is not certain that this information was available or not. It is uncertain whether the 110 Hz reverberation frequency of the Oracle Chamber had a purpose with the scientific structure or was it just a coincidence. However, one thing was certain that if there had been religious chanting, the resonances were intended to impact the thinking of the people.

Oldest Map of the Underworld Discovered

Engravings – Oldest map

Engravings related to ancient Egyptian coffin has been discovered in a burial channel in the necropolis of Dayr al-Barsha. This amazing artwork discovered had been identified as the oldest copy of a map for the soul to gain eternal life. The burial channel comprises of a coffin which had been discovered in 2012.

 It has now been discovered to be in existence about 4000 years back. This Oldest map had been discovered by a professor in the Department of Archaeology at KU Leuven together with the director of the archaeological project in Middle Egypt, Harco Williams. The Book of Two Ways’ was considered to assist the dead in navigating through the scene of blazing lakes and knife manipulating demons to make it to `Rostau’ or the kingdom of Osiris.

The people were of the belief that if one lay on the body of Osiris, they would not die. The oldest map has now been resolved that the engravings discovered on the side of the coffin are considered to be one of the oldest found by man.

Djehutinakht I – `Overlord to the Hare Nome’

As per the reports of Ancient Origins, earlier to this discovery, the people were of the opinion that the coffin had been home to Djehutinakht I. He was an ancient ruler governing the region between the 21st and 20th century BC and an ancient Egyptian `Overlord to the Hare nome’. He had been mentioned in the inscriptions.

However, as per the latest study, it has been suggested that the coffin had been occupied by the body of an exclusive female known as Ankh. The map for the dead has been imprinted in two panels made of wood. Though varieties have been discovered on various other coffins this is considered to be the oldest in antiquity. The inscription discovered on the wooden panels is said to be a mixture of hieroglyphs together with symbols that the Ancient Egyptians are familiar with `The Book of Two Ways’.

It portrays two winding lines with instructions of two routes leading the dead to the Ancient Egyptian god of the dead, in the afterlife. Besides this, spells are also mentioned in the text to assist the dead in warding off evil during the path to their destination.

 According to Dr. Foy Scalf of the University of Chicago as informed to The Times, he states that in several manners, the Book of Two Ways could be described as the first illustrated book in ancient times. He further added that it offered the first illustrated guide to sacred geography.

Few Artefacts

Copies of the archaic text, inscribed for Middle Kingdom officials together with their subordinates, had also been discovered on papyri, mummy masks on tomb walls as well as in other coffins. .In some news, it had been disclosed that the grave raiders had looted £700,000 of gold from the tomb of Pharaoh and were speared as punishment.

 It is one of the few artifacts located in the tomb where several grave raiders had ransacked the grave numerous times during their visits ages ago. This antique book is said to be a fragment of a bigger work considered as the coffin texts.

This comprises of 1,185 spells, together with incantations and religious inscriptions pertaining to the afterlife. This is also said to be a fragment of `The Book of the Dead’. `The Book of the Dead’ considered to be an Egyptian manuscript, is around 20 meters in length. It has magical spells that are inscribed on papyrus.

These have been specially made by the members of the families on the death of their loved one. The intention was to guide them during their journey to their final destination after death to the next world.

No Record/History

The opening of the tomb had given rise to fears of the Ancient Egyptian ‘Curse of the Pharaohs’. The apparent spell considered by some was said to be cast on any person who would disturb the mummy of the Ancient Egyptian beings.

Scientists hope to use the discovery to uncover more of the text's secrets. Not much is related about the Book of Two Ways and its origin. There is no record of when and who had written the same and its details are limited. Scholars and archaeologists have still not been capable of explaining when the engravings could have been written.

Moreover, there is also a risk of making cultural assumptions with regards to the ancient ideas with the prevailing mind-set of the 21st century. The Book of Two Ways, irrespective of its interpretation, is considered to be conveying a message of how death and the life after that seem to play an important role in the cultural mind of a human being. However researchers have some hope of coming across related samples in the near future. They are hoping to utilize the findings to reveal more secrets of the texts they have excavated.