This episode of The Wi Files is brought to you by Factor. In 1985, Dr. Anton Miid, a pediatrician in Malta, received a frantic call from a contractor clearing land for a new clinic. The contractor revealed they had found human bones—specifically, a skeleton over 10 feet long. Skeptical, Dr. Miid remembered local legends about giants.
Fast forward to a late winter night on Malta thousands of years ago, a farmer was awakened by a rumbling sound and an eerie orange light. A massive object blazed through the sky, crashing nearby. Out emerged a giant named SSA, who claimed to protect the locals from raiders and built impressive megalithic temples across the island, including Gigantia.
For centuries, these temples were thought to be mere legends until archaeologist John Abela discovered oversized bones in the 1600s, leading to theories that they belonged to a prehistoric race of giants. Later excavations revealed complex structures, such as the Tarian temples, which posed questions about how ancient farmers could have built them.
Archaeologist Sir Tami Zammit uncovered even more temples and noted their precise celestial alignments. He speculated about a great flood meant to destroy giants like the Nephilim, mentioned in both the Bible and the Book of Enoch. This ancient legend suggested SSA was a giant who survived the flood and sought to continue her lineage, leaving behind mysterious skulls.
Zamit discovered an underground site called the hypogeum, which resembled the megalithic temples above ground. It featured limestone walls and precise stonework, surprising his team with its size. They found multiple levels, filled with well-preserved artifacts, particularly the figure of a giant. Many parts of the hypogeum were burial sites, with Zamit recovering over 7,000 bones, some dating back to the Neolithic period. Among these were 12 elongated skulls that resembled alien heads, but scientific examination revealed they were naturally elongated, not due to head binding.
However, these skulls lacked the usual seam found in human skulls, suggesting they weren’t fully human. This led to speculation about ancient legends, including stories of hybrids called Nephilim. In 1940, National Geographic reported on the hypogeum, mentioning the discovery of over 33,000 sacrificial remains and a chilling tale of schoolchildren who disappeared during a field trip.
Lois Jessup visited the hypogeum and, with friends, hired a guide named Joe. As they explored, they encountered ancient carvings and rooms that served as burial sites. When Lois discovered a small doorway, she and her friends squeezed through. In a narrow chamber, she saw giant figures, about 25 feet tall, who seemed to beckon her. Terrified, she ran back to her friends.
Later, Lois tried to find out more about the missing children and the guide Joe, but her inquiries were met with vague responses, and she never returned to Malta again. The legends of Malta, involving giants and mysterious elongated skulls, blend history and myth, raising questions about their truth.
The temples of Malta and Gozo remain a mystery. No one knows for sure who built them or why. They are among the oldest free-standing structures in the world. While mainstream archaeology argues that the temples cannot date back before 2600 BC, carbon dating suggests they date back to at least 3600 BC. While there is no clear evidence of a link to the Younger Dryas, the theory of the solar alignment at Hagar Qim remains an interesting one.
Also, the giant bones discovered in Malta in the 17th century were actually elephants, not giants. Zammit did not find 7,000 bodies, but only about 120 skeletons. The story of 33,000 sacrifices and missing children is an urban legend. They think it is just a story for parents to tell their children.
Lois Jessup’s story is believed to be true, but it may just be a legend. As for the elongated skulls, some may have been artificially modified, but not all. Researchers are still investigating them. I didn’t know much about the Malta mysteries before researching this episode. Some of the stories have left me open to different theories, though not completely convinced.
