It is often said that it is easier to learn by doing. This paper explains what experimental archaeology is and shows through examples that it is a viable discipline to be used to increase public appreciation for archaeology and allow a better understanding of what happened in the past. The advantages of applying experimental archaeology in Malta are discussed.

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It is often said that wind and associated processes induced by it have caused damage to the megalithic temples at Ħaġar Qim over the years. The aim of this paper is to explore whether wind funnelling is taking place beneath the protective shelter that now covers the Ħaġar Qim temple complex. A project was set up to test the extent to which the wind speeds beneath the new protective shelter differ from those outside it. Wind speeds were measured inside and outside the shelter in 25 different places and in four directions over a period of four months. The results were mapped using a Geographic Information System facility. It was concluded that wind speed does not increase beneath the protective shelter except at certain points within the temple structure itself.

The post Wind funnelling underneath the Ħaġar Qim protective shelter appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.

In archaeology a narrative or story is usually reconstructed on the basis of a meticulous study of material. In normal circumstances, the physical material constitutes the known, while the actual story remains the unknown until the material is deciphered and put in context. When it comes to certain aspects of Roman architecture in Malta, and especially the architecture of public buildings, the story is somewhat reversed. This is because we know of the presence of public buildings but the actual physical evidence of such structures has for long remained unknown. This study seeks to provide a story, one that gives a provenance to some of the most important architectural elements found in various local collections, thereby bringing to the attention of researchers a corpus of data that has hitherto been little known.

The post The known unknown: identification, provenancing, and relocation of pieces of decorative architecture from Roman public buildings and other private structures in Malta appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.

By: Antonio Caselli

Mosaics have a language of their own. Whether they exhibit figurative or geometric drawings, mosaics help to regulate the flow of movement within a building and often correspond to the function of rooms. Figurative mosaics were meant to be admired and discussed by the pater familias and his guests, whilst geometric mosaics decorated passage areas that did not require waiting, such as corridors and service areas. Floor mosaics can offer valuable insights into the spatial organisation within a house. This paper considers the floor mosaics of the Roman domus in Rabat, Malta, and explores how their direction, decoration, and arrangement can help to gain a better understanding of the internal layout of the house.

The post Revisiting the Roman domus in Rabat, Malta, through a consideration of its mosaic flooring appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.

In 2011, the national archaeological collection managed by Heritage Malta included 24 lead anchor stocks. They are the remains of ancient wooden anchors used on boats that sheltered in the harbours and bays of the Maltese Islands. This paper includes a gazetteer documenting these stocks with the aim of highlighting their value to maritime archaeology and to create a tool that will facilitate further study.

The post Ancient anchors from Malta and Gozo appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.

The aim of this paper is to reconsider the Maltese epigraphic material from a linguistic point of view, with an attempt to point out what the specific linguistic choice means within the epigraphic context. Analysing the epigraphic data, it is possible to suppose that in late antiquity the Greek-speaking community in Malta was linked to a Jewish community maybe coming from abroad. Furthermore, a parallel can be established with the south-eastern area in Sicily, where there is evidence for the presence of Jewish burial places in Christian necropoleis, with the preponderance of Greek used as epigraphic language. The choice of Greek for the funerary inscriptions from Malta does not tend to be arbitrary, and might indicate the persistent use of the original language of an immigrant community.

The post Observations on the linguistic epigraphic choice in late antique inscriptions from Malta appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.

In 1911 T.E. Peet pointed out for the first time the difficulty of interpreting the earliest examples ofMaltese prehistoric painted pottery. After a century of excavations and research this issue is still largely open especially with regard to Bronze Age wares. This paper deals with the Bronze Age painted pottery class named ‘dribbled ware’, characterized by decoration produced with the partial application of a thick slip instead of paint. This ware has been reported from several sites in the Maltese archipelago. Focusing on the evidence from In-Nuffara in Gozo, a new hypothesis about the chronology and function of the dribbled ware will be presented.

The post ‘Prehistoric painted pottery in Malta’: a century later appeared first on The Archaeological Society Malta.