The Old Temples Study Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit has joined with Elderhostel to provide visitors to Malta access to historic sites ranging from WW II to the oldest standing buildings in the world. 'Malta, Keystone of Miditerranean History' will host the 'Road Scholar' participants. The museum includes several UNESCO World Heritage sites and will offer lectures and field trips. Malta's history goes back over 7,000 years to a 'Fertility Cult' that built shrines to an Earth Mother and erected megalithic monuments. Isolated on the island for over 6,000 years, their beliefs survived and evolved. Relics include a functional stone solar calendar and monuments with sophisticated engineering.
     The curriculum includes mythology, the Hospitaller Order of the Knights of St. John, the shipwreck of St. Paul, and World War II. The program is one of total immersion in history. Travelers are housed together and share trips, meals and classes with each other and a full-time escort. Since it began as an Elderhostel excursion, it has received very high ratings for organization and the qualifications of the presenters.
     The Old Temples Foundation has long supported education, research and conservation of Maltese historic sites. Investigations of the megalithic cultural on Malta have been hampered in the past by lack of funding and qualified researchers.    

Source: PR Web (7 July, 2010)