{
  "id": 449752,
  "title": "Ancient Maltese Seafarers Likely Navigated By The Stars",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/ancient-maltese-seafarers-likely-navigated-by-the-stars",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-10T07:51:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Universe Today",
    "slug": "universe-today",
    "url": "https://www.universetoday.com/articles/ancient-maltese-seafarers-likely-navigated-by-the-stars"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ancient Maltese seafarers, likely originating from Sicily, navigated the vast Mediterranean by celestial bodies, as indicated by their construction of numerous megalithic structures. These neolithic inhabitants, who arrived around 3600 B.C., spent nearly 1500 years building over two dozen large stone edifices, now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One such site, Tarxien, features a particularly intriguing alignment with the constellation Crux, or the Southern Cross. This celestial arrangement was likely crucial for nocturnal travel between Malta and Sicily, as a southerly heading would have the constellation Crux in view, aiding navigation during nighttime. The Maltese people's complex cosmological beliefs and advanced navigational skills, predating the Egyptian Pyramids by thousands of years, suggest an intricate understanding of time and space, extending their earthly existence into the afterlife.",
  "summary": "Ancient Maltese seafarers had both a complex cosmology and likely at least rudimentary skills in celestial navigation. It's thought that they used stars in the southern constellation of Crux to make their way around the south-central Mediterranean.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}