reports of humanoid creatures at the malta hypogeum?

This was taken from the Malta Independent recently.. I've heard the stories before, wondering if anyone else knew anything about this strange sounding place as it relates to missing people/strange creatures?

Local News

Web posted on April 11, 2004 at 9:30:00 AM CET
The mystery of the Hypogeum

Staff Reporter

The following excerpt, taken from an obscure webpage favoured by the searchers of the esoteric, speaks about the mysteries of the Hypogeum in Malta. We offer this as an interesting provocation, in the mode of the Von Daniken books, exhorting those who have any clues to add to points made, to write in reply.

The burial place known as the �Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni�, was so named after the street under which it was discovered in the early years of the last century. Hypogeum is the Latin name for an underground structure. (Many experts believe it was orginally built as a temple of worship and should be recognised as the eighth wonder of the ancient world.)

Near the floor of the last chamber, in the third and last (officially recognised) sub-level of these ancient catacombs, there are a small number of so-called �burial chambers�. These are only a few feet square and situated right next to the floor. In fact one must get on one�s knees to look into them. These �burial chambers� are just large enough for one to crawl through. It has been rumoured for years that one of these �burial chambers� does not end, but continues into deeper and unexplored caverns beyond.

This, according to certain sources, was the subterranean passage and chamber referred to in an article which appeared in the 1940 August issue of the National Geographic magazine. The article stated the following concerning several people who disappeared in these catacombs without a trace:

�Many subterranean passageways, including ancient catacombs, now are a part of the island�s fortifications and defence system. Supplies are kept in many tunnels; others are bomb shelters. Underneath Valletta, some of the underground areas served as homes for the poor. Prehistoric man built temples and chambers in these vaults. In a pit beside one sacrificial altar thousands of human skeletons were found. Years ago one could walk underground from one end of Malta to the other. The government closed the entrances to these tunnels after schoolchildren and their teachers became lost in the labyrinth while on a study tour and never returned.�

The story, however, goes much �deeper� than the National Geographic article indicates. Other sources say that about 30 children vanished in these catacombs on a study tour, and when the �Hypogeum� was first discovered nearly 30,000 human skeletons of men, women and children (victims of ancient sacrifice to the �underworld gods�, performed by an old Neolithic race) were discovered as well.

One article written by a -, at the time an employee of the British embassy and later secretary of the New York Saucer Information Bureau (better known as NYSIB), appeared in an old issue of Riley Crabb�s Borderland Science magazine, published by the Borderland Sciences Research Foundation (B.S.R.F.) and was later reprinted in full in Dr Allen�s book Enigma Fantastique.

Miss - claimed that she visited Malta and also the Hypogeum � once before the tragic disappearance of the children and shortly after. She described how on her first visit to the catacombs she finally convinced the guide to allow her to investigate one of the so-called �burial chambers� near the floor of the last chamber in the third sub-basement, the supposed �end� of the Hypogeum tour.

He seemed to know something she didn�t, but finally consented and told her that she could enter at �her own risk�. As she did so, candle in hand and her loosed sash used as a guide rope for her friends who followed behind, she crawled through the small passage and eventually emerged into a large cavern, where she found herself on a ledge overlooking a very deep, seemingly bottomless chasm.

Below, and on the other side of the chasm, was another ledge which appeared to lead to a doorway or tunnel in the far wall. We realise that what happened next might sound unbelievable to many who read this, but we ask them to draw their own conclusions as to its validity. Miss - swears that what follows really happened.

She claims that out of this lower tunnel on the far side of the chasm emerged, in single file, several very large creatures of humanoid form but completely covered with hair from head to foot. Noticing her, they raised their arms in her direction, palms out, at which point a violent "wind" began to blow through the cavern, snuffing out her candle. Then, some �thing� wet and slippery (apparently a creature of a different sort) brushed past her.

This all happened just as the person behind her was beginning to come out of the passage and into the cavern. They could not understand her panicked attempts to get back to the �Hypogeum� room, but they consented after she insisted. When they found themselves back in the Hypogeum chamber, the guide saw her expression and gave her a �knowing� look.

About a week afterwards, news about the disappearance of the children and their teacher(s) broke out. On her second visit she saw an entirely new guide who denied that the other guide had ever worked there, and surmised that this new guide was hiding something.

She learned from more cooperative sources however, that this was the tunnel which the children and their teacher(s) and possibly the old guide, had entered. She also learnt that after the last child had made it through, the walls of the small tunnel just �happened� to collapse or cave-in.

Although the official version stated that the walls caved-in on the students, search parties were never able to locate any trace of the teacher(s) or the children, although the rope they had used to fasten themselves to the lower Hypogeum chamber was found to have been cut clean by something sharp (not falling rock).

It was alleged that for weeks afterwards the wailing and screaming of children was heard underground in different parts of the island, but no-one could locate the sources of the cries.

As for the catacombs under Malta itself, there are some ancient accounts which say that deep caverns under the island continue underground beyond the shore, and, according to one source (that is, the ever elusive �Commander-X�), part of this labyrinth stretches hundreds of miles northwards and intersects with catacombs underneath Rome (the hill Vaticanus?) or at least did so in ancient times...

Very interesting, had not heard of the Hypogeum before

This link to a map with good pics:

web.genie.it...

this is amazing any other links?
could the humanoids just be a cannibal tribe living underneath the earth? (before poeple start sayings they are man eating reptiles from the draco system...)

Very interesting article. Are there any other factual articles about this site?

I found a couple of things that might be of interest concerning Ancient Malta

Information Concerning Maltese Cave Art - Aparently some of this is represented in Maltese cave drawings (i.e. Humanioids with exaggerated arms guarding the dead, raising their arms in threatening ways).

. . .and if you go up one directory to www.xs4all.nl... there are some other documents about Malta which I haven't taken the time to read yet.

I'm not sure who this site belongs to, and how reliable it is, but I thought it might be of interest. . .


--J1m

here's a thread from another bbs on the hypogeum... not much new info, but some nice photos:

www.randi.org...

-koji K.

Somebody here should start a research project into the hypogeum and malta and appoint some people in different areas of research on the project like demonic history in malta ect ect

quite interesting.. i wonder if there is any pictures of the statues. fertility cult?? i'd like more pictures if anyone can find any.

Very interesting -- thank you, Koji!

While I don't believe in Underground Races (and the story by Miss - sounds very much like Victorian romanticizing), the material about the temples is interesting! Good research, guys!

[edit on 22-9-2004 by ancientsailor]

The bit where the lady "saw" the "creatures" reminded me a lot of the story found online about "Ted the Cave Explorer"...

Somebody here should start a research project into the hypogeum and malta and appoint some people in different areas of research on the project like demonic history in malta ect ect

Methinks that *points up and whatnot* is a good idea.

Allssoooooo....

The bit where the lady "saw" the "creatures" reminded me a lot of the story found online about "Ted the Cave Explorer"...

Maaaaaybe the stories were inspired by such events in people's lives? One person witnesses the underground cult and writes about it, and before you know it you have a grand tail! I'm not really educated on what Byrd refered to as 'Victorian Romanticizing' but I suppose they're very probably right anyway.

Either way, incredibly interesting thread. I'm now inspired to go to Malta, but at the same time think it's a bad idea to go into catacombs? It's also quite annoying that people are willing to speculate about it but never actually explore the Hypogeum (or whatever place it is that something strange has occurred). How are we to know if she's lying...when no one's even dared to go there to see for themselves other than her? =P

Originally posted by DarkSide

this is amazing any other links?
could the humanoids just be a cannibal tribe living underneath the earth? (before poeple start sayings they are man eating reptiles from the draco system...)

Hmmm......
Cannibals.Humanoids.Underneath the earth.
C.H.U.D.?

Very interesting.Those caves are awesome!
I wouldnt think it would be that hard to live in these conditions at all.Theyhave food,shelter,hidden away from 'people'
Maybe these are the so called chupacabras

hi there folks, im from malta, well actaully maltese, english and currently living in England, but i visit every year, i am making it my mission to visit these catacombes in my next visit in search for the same burial chamber which lead to the bottomless pit.

i cant wait! anyone else interested in meeting up and joining me on an expedition is welcome!

"YOU CRAZY !"

Be sure to bring a camera with you.
And don�t go alone either.

I�ve no idea whats down there, but if the schoolclass incident is true, I�d think twice before entering.

I found the entire story interesting , but why the hell would you go into an underground cave wth a candle? and even if this story took place at a time when flashlights weren't that accessable , why would you walk around without a lantern, And trust me those old laterns can take on rain and heavy wind. But aside from that very interesting story indeed. and i'll look more into it

Not to be rude... but I've already heard most of this story (except the human sacrifice and the hairy men) years ago, when I was a small child (so it could be a little more than a few years ago...). To put it bluntly, somebody told me that a whole class of boys and girls disappeared while visiting the Christian Catacombs under Rome. At the time I asked my parents, but both of them never heard of such a thing. Years later I went to Rome with some of my pals and we visited one of the Catacombs. Apart from asking myself how somebody can get lost down there (most of the tunnels are blocked by heavy security doors and it's quite well illuminated), the guide laughed at my request of more informations on the lost schoolboys, asking me where I heard this really funny joke. So I think it's some kind of urban legend that's been used for all subterranean complexes visited by tourists regulary. Apart from this, the Maltese Hypogeum is a really remarkable structure and, sadly, has not recieved the kind of attention it rightly deserves. I also bet that when the Brits turned Malta into an island-fortress they unearthed more interesting strctures that have been forgotten over the time... cool.

Hi peeps, ive just chatted to my cousin over in malta, hes never been down there but hes heard about it and apparently some parts could be blocked off by gates now. I wonder why that is folks? Could just for our own safety, but still i wanna get down to that bottom burial chamber and check out that place hard! my cousin is willing to come with me next time i im over.

i love a good old adventure, dam im sounding like indiana jones now.

The story about the school children can be certified as true. When i first posted in this thread a while back i looked up an article in National Geographic that tells about these school children. I cant remember the issue for the life of me though.

WOW! Can we say reptilians!!!! you see...I knew they existed... What proof! Well sort of...it's a start. Actually...may not be reptilian...the slimy thing could have been a worm or bug. The creature was said to be covered in fur, so possibly that is...big foot? lol. Sounds like it. Who knows.. Great post!!!!

[edit on 25-3-2006 by whitelightwolf]