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A person with a femur this big would be about 10 feet tall.

A person with a femur this big would be about 10 feet tall.

Soon, Abela had workers all over the island hunting. And by 1647, he had enough bones to publish a pioneering book that made him famous. He's been called the father of Maltese history.

Soon, Abela had workers all over the island hunting. And by 1647, he had enough bones to publish a pioneering book that made him famous. He's been called the father of Maltese history.

That's not really important to the story.

That's not really important to the story.

It's Italian. I can pronounce it.

It's Italian. I can pronounce it.

The book documented skull fragments, giant femurs and tibias, impossibly large vertebrae, and enormous pelvic bones. Abella concluded that the Maltese temples were built by a prehistoric race of giants that lived on the islands. Abella turned his home into Malta's first museum. He put the bones on display and opened the museum to the public.

The book documented skull fragments, giant femurs and tibias, impossibly large vertebrae, and enormous pelvic bones. Abella concluded that the Maltese temples were built by a prehistoric race of giants that lived on the islands. Abella turned his home into Malta's first museum. He put the bones on display and opened the museum to the public.

Anatomists and naturalists who saw the large bones agreed. They must have belonged to giants. Skeptics said they were animal bones, and until the sites were fully cleared, there was no way to know for sure. Then centuries later, proper archaeological excavations were done. But what they uncovered didn't solve the mystery. It added to it.

Anatomists and naturalists who saw the large bones agreed. They must have belonged to giants. Skeptics said they were animal bones, and until the sites were fully cleared, there was no way to know for sure. Then centuries later, proper archaeological excavations were done. But what they uncovered didn't solve the mystery. It added to it.

In 1915, a Maltese farmer kept hitting large stone blocks while plowing his field, so he contacted the Malta Museum director, Sir Temi Zamet. Expecting more temple remains, Zamet instead found something quite different, a massive statue. The top had been destroyed, but the bottom remained. Two giant legs and feet. The statue was over 10 feet tall.

In 1915, a Maltese farmer kept hitting large stone blocks while plowing his field, so he contacted the Malta Museum director, Sir Temi Zamet. Expecting more temple remains, Zamet instead found something quite different, a massive statue. The top had been destroyed, but the bottom remained. Two giant legs and feet. The statue was over 10 feet tall.

Workers kept digging, and what was a buried statue turned out to be much more. The statue was in the middle of a complex group of megalithic temples. Zamet uncovered one of the most significant and impressive archaeological sites in Malta. They're known as the Tarsian temples. Four structures in all are arranged in a cloverleaf pattern only visible from above.

Workers kept digging, and what was a buried statue turned out to be much more. The statue was in the middle of a complex group of megalithic temples. Zamet uncovered one of the most significant and impressive archaeological sites in Malta. They're known as the Tarsian temples. Four structures in all are arranged in a cloverleaf pattern only visible from above.

The temples were made from limestone blocks. Some are 20 feet tall and weigh over 50 tons. Walls, doorways, even floors made of enormous stones that fit together perfectly. He kept digging. Zamet oversaw the excavation of nearly 30 different sites, all megalithic, all made with enormous limestone, stacked in close-fitting slabs.

The temples were made from limestone blocks. Some are 20 feet tall and weigh over 50 tons. Walls, doorways, even floors made of enormous stones that fit together perfectly. He kept digging. Zamet oversaw the excavation of nearly 30 different sites, all megalithic, all made with enormous limestone, stacked in close-fitting slabs.

The obvious question plaguing Zamet was, how could Stone Age farmers on a remote island build these things? The temple excavated at Amnajra is even more mysterious. It might be the world's oldest calendar. On the equinoxes, the sun hits the main axis of the temple. On the solstices, the sun hits the opposite axis. The alignment is perfect. Almost.

The obvious question plaguing Zamet was, how could Stone Age farmers on a remote island build these things? The temple excavated at Amnajra is even more mysterious. It might be the world's oldest calendar. On the equinoxes, the sun hits the main axis of the temple. On the solstices, the sun hits the opposite axis. The alignment is perfect. Almost.