The Hypogeum underground structure, built almost 5,000 years ago, is one of the best preserved examples of the Maltese temple building culture. However, the feature that surprised scientists the most was the unique acoustic properties found in its underground spaces.
The Hypogeum consists of a series of elliptical chambers on three levels, which are accessed through different corridors. The main rooms are distinguished by their domed vaults and the complex structure of false compartments.
Scholars believe that the Hypogeum was originally used as a sanctuary, possibly for an oracle. Therefore, a unique chamber inside the structure, carved from solid limestone and demonstrating incredible acoustic properties, was named the Oracle Chamber.
The word spoken in the Oracle Chamber is amplified a hundredfold and is heard throughout the structure. According to some reports, this creates the feeling of being inside a giant bell. At certain heights, the listener feels the vibration of sound in the bones and tissues as strongly as he hears it in the ear.
The amazing acoustic properties manifested in the structure have already been studied. Maltese composer Ruben Zara and an Italian research team found that in the Oracle Chamber, sound resonates at a frequency of 110 Hz, which is consistent with findings in many other Neolithic chambers around the world, such as Newgrange, Ireland.
Researcher Robert Jahn of Princeton University believes that the exact height of this echo is determined by the size of the room or the quality of the stone.
But the question remains – was this effect intentional? Was the Hypogeum really meant to create it? Maybe our ancestors knew something that we are only now rediscovering?...<<<Read More>>>...
