Għar Dalam

Cave of Darkness

Ghar Dalam (pronounced "aar dallam") is a karst cave 144 metres long in Birzebbuga, southern Malta. Its name means "Cave of Darkness" in Maltese. It is the oldest archaeological site on the Maltese islands, with deposits dating back over 500,000 years.

Bones of a dwarf hippopotamus

The lowest sediment layers (the "hippopotamus layer") contain bones of the dwarf hippopotamus (Hippopotamus melitensis) and the Sicilian dwarf elephant (Palaeoloxodon falconeri), standing just 1 metre tall. These animals reached Malta when the island was connected to Sicily by a land bridge during the Ice Age. Cut off from the mainland, they evolved into dwarf forms — a classic example of insular dwarfism.

From deer to humans

Above the hippopotamus layer lies the deer layer (c. 18,000 years old), and above that a cultural layer with traces of Malta's first human settlers (c. 5200 BC). The museum beside the cave displays a collection of bones, tools, and ceramics from all layers. Visitors can enter the cave for about 50 metres (the rest is closed for safety).

Practical tip: Entry EUR 5. The museum is more interesting than the cave itself (dark, short). Combine with St. Peter's Pool (15 minutes by car) or Pretty Bay.