These ancient mostly paired grooves in Malta’s limestone have puzzled the world for centuries. How old are they? Who created them? Why and how were they formed?
Clapham Junction Malta – it’s not just Cart Ruts that are the mystery, there are some mysterious geology features.
Clapham Junction Malta Cart Ruts – what are they?
Clapham Junction Malta is covered with very puzzling and mysterious groove in the rock. They appear to be ancient roadways of some sort. That is the very basic summary of what are the Cart Ruts but they are far more stunning than that and a bigger mystery.
When you see them they take your breath away. How could they be formed and what for?
They do not appear to be directly linked to the building of any of Malta’s megaliths, they cross the small island and seem to be found on the higher and rockier surfaces. There can be many of them in the same area, beside each other and criss crossing. Sometimes they are a solitary pair that can go on for miles.
Malta’s and Gozo Cart Ruts can also go over cliff edges from very high headlands, go down or up the steep sides of ridges or plateus that can be a meter or 2 tall, and the tracks can lead into the sea and are even underwater.
No matter what you read or think that the obvious answer is they were made by vehicles by man, when you see the photos and visit them you sometimes think that they could not be man made, not all of them. But they have to be?
There are lots of ideas of what they were for – irrigation, paths or roads, chariot racing, energy or routes for UFO’s etc.
Also who made them? Malta’s Temple Builders? The Romans? The Pheonicians? Aliens?
One of the mysteries and frustrations of Malta’s ancient and magnificent history is that there are no records left of it by those people. No written word or pictorial guide was left by the Temple Builders and Cart Rut users.
The pre history original Maltese were either wiped out by some natural disaster, left the island or were taken away by pirates as has happened to the modern Maltese and Gozo people on a few occasions.
Modern man can only wonder what the megalithic structures and Cart Tracks were built for and used for. The discussion on Malta’s Cart Ruts was recorded in the 17th century and may continue for many centuries more.
The grooves in the limestone are usually in pairs but they differ greatly. Some are very deep and narrow, others are wide and flat. They can be very different in the same location. Were there different uses for each type of track left?
Some are so deep that it seems impossible that any vehicle – sled or wheeled – could be dragged along them as the platform/axle would have to be over 1 or 2 meters high.
The other issue is that – especially on Clapham Junctions main hill top – the Cart Ruts pairs are beside each other and you can count over 10 pairs in row. Why would they need so many beside each other when there appears to be no reason for their use?
If Clapham Junction’s Cart Ruts were made by vehicles of some sort then to wear away the limestone rock would take many journeys with very heavy loads. None of these possible road ways show any sign of wear by human or animals pulling or pushing the vehicles along. None. There should be some slight sign, unless they walked in the track of the wheel or wooden pole that wore away the tracks. This sounds like the only explanation but when you see how narrow some of them are it does not seem possible.
Clapham Junction Malta Cart Ruts – photo guide
The Cart Ruts at Clapham Junction are in a relitively large area that is split into a few section. Below are links to investigations of the various sites, with unique photographs and some geology puzzles.
Clapham Junction, Malta – Main site
A tour and photos of the Main (West) field at Clapham Junction. This is where the highest concentration of these mostly paired channels are found. Espeically famous for the very pointed intersections. Also, where you can see the very puzzling geology feature tht is the Clapham Junction Triangle.
Clapham Junction, Malta – East site
A guide and photographs of the East field at Clapham Junction. If you are actually visiting the Cart Tracks then be warned that at first you can not see them. Follow this guide to find and be stunned by them.
Clapham Junction, Malta – South site
A guided photographic tour of the South field of Malta’s Clapham Junction Cart Ruts. Includes puzzling limestone geology features.
Clapham Junction Cart Ruts geology mystery
There are a number of geology mysteries associated with Cart Ruts site and especially Clapham Junction.
There are a number of triangles made from limestone lines and ridges. Triangles are not one of natures natural shapes, especially when it comes to rocks. How and what are they? How were they formed?
The largest Clapham Junction Triangle is found around a Cart Rut in the most famous area of Clapham Junction, the Cart Track goes through this large triangle. Apart from the groove there appears to be no damage to the limestone rock making the ridge lines of the shape. Also, there seems to be some limestone rock ‘growth’ in one of the ruts, where it should be worn away. How old or new are these geological features?
Around Ghar il-Kbir you can find equilateral triangles, isosceles triangles, crazy shapes, square shapes, Cart Rut ridges. Near the Bingemma Gap or Nadur Tower Cart Ruts you can find what seem to be positive fulgurites and they are stunning to look at and wonder how they wer formed.
Clapham Junction location, directions and map
If you are looking to visit Clapham junction then use this photograph guide and instructions to help you locate it.
Clapham Junction (Ghar il-Kbir) is located between Buskett Gardens and Dingli Cliffs, near Mdina (the Silent City).