The Archaeological Society Malta

An update on the recent activity of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
2022-05-28 08:45 - 13:00 (Europe/Malta) | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Seminar organised by The Archaeological Society Malta with three presentations to be given by officials of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. Ms Sharon Sultana, Senior Curator at the National Museum of Archaeology, has very kindly waived all fees due.
This is an in person event but circumstances may change.
Speakers:
Mr Kevin Borda, Head of Unit – National Inventory, Research and Archaeology Unit
Title: The SCH National Inventory, Research and Archaeology Unit
Ms Bernardette Mercieca-Spiteri, Senior Executive – Archaeology Investigation Team within the National Inventory, Research and Archaeology Unit
Title: Archaeological excavations carried out by the SCH during 2019-2021
Mr Paolo Spadaro, Executive Officer – Archaeology Investigation Team within the National Inventory, Research and Archaeology Unit
Title: Two Punic-Roman sites from Rabat, recently excavated by the SCH.
To secure your place please write to secretary@archsoc.org.mt
Photo: Superintendence of Cultural Heritage

Landscapes of death and commemoration: preliminary results and ongoing works
2022-05-18 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Mr David Cardona, Senior Curator for Phoenician, Roman and Medieval Sites, Heritage Malta.
Malta is strewn with rock-cut, underground burials dug and used for approximately a thousand years during the Islands’ occupation by Phoenician, Punic, Roman and Byzantine powers. These have been the pillar of various studies but very few managed to look at the data from tombs of different periods in a holistic manner. This has resulted in the different periods of sepulchral archaeology being studied in almost complete isolation from one another. This study aims to investigate the vast corpus of data available on the island to try and recognise clusters that may identify actual cemeteries in the various phases being studied, and trace, whenever possible, the evolutionary development traits within the same tombs and cemeteries. This includes the close relationships with the area immediately above the tombs and catacombs as an important part in the cemetery’s story. Thus, this work also seeks to investigate the relationships between tombs and cemeteries with other features like quarries, roads and cart ruts.
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Guided visit to the Phoenician Shipwreck Project
2022-05-14 14:00 - 16:00 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Professor Timmy Gambin, Associate Professor in Maritime Archaeology, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, has very kindly offered to guide a visit to the Phoenician Shipwreck Project exhibition at the National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta. Professor Gambin has been Project Director since 2007. Members will also have the opportunity to watch the 360 Experience at the museum.
Ms Sharon Sultana, Senior Curator at the National Museum of Archaeology, has very kindly waived the entrance fee.
THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO PAID UP MEMBERS ONLY. NUMBERS ARE LIMITED. TO SECURE YOUR PLACE PLEASE APPLY ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS ASAP.

Borġ in-Nadur: a 100 years on
2022-04-20 18:00 - 19:30
Presentation by Ms Katya Stroud, Senior Curator Prehistoric Sites, Heritage Malta and Dr Josef Caruana, Curator Prehistoric Sites, Heritage Malta.

POSTPONED TO 28 MAY - Morning seminar
2022-03-26 00:00
Speakers from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.

Open-firing: a practice-based approach to understanding prehistoric firing technologies
2022-03-16 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Tim Willey, experimental archaeologist, researcher and visiting university lecturer.
Undoubtedly, the earliest ceramics were open fired – that is, fired without the aid of any heat-retaining structure. However Archaeological evidence of pre-historic open-firing is rare, as the practice was transitory and left very little trace. To the experimental archaeologist, open-firing raises the fascinating but often problematic question of how pots can survive the characteristic dramatic temperature rise without simply blowing apart? Through several experimental firings and using a developing range of clay-body formulations, it is demonstrated that the established convention of adding tempering materials to a locally-sourced clay is only part of the solution. Far more important, is to consider the minerology, particle size and particle distribution of the body as a whole. The resultant, clay-body formulations show that successful firings can be consistently achieved in well under thirty minutes, an outcome which has both practical and theoretical implications for future investigations and for furthering our understanding of pre-historic firing technology.
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POSTPONED - Archaeology in the Birkirkara region: structures and artefacts
2022-02-16 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Fr. Eugene P. Teuma OFM Conv., an independent researcher.

Annual General Meeting
2022-01-29 11:00 - 12:30

The transformation of antiquities and the making of historical monuments in early modern Malta
2022-01-19 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Mr Jonathan Borg, Head of Unit (Heritage Planning Consultations) at the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.
Ancient objects transform gradually into historic monuments as they are systematically reused, appropriated, moved around and reworked in explicit attempts to create memory and preserve identity through the testimony of material culture. This paper is concerned with the ways this process of change manifested itself in the Maltese Islands between the late 16th century and the early 20th century. The Maltese Islands present an intriguing case study to observe this phenomenon in view of the islands’ particular geographical and cultural context. This metamorphosis of antiquities is investigated by adopting a wide chronological and an archaeological framework to map the trajectories of a number of ancient objects. The ‘afterlife’ biography of these objects is traced through primary and secondary sources – textual and visual – in order to understand how ancient objects got transformed and displayed in new contexts. These biographies are couched in an understanding of the local culture of antiquarianism and embedded within the wider European ‘discovery’ of historic monuments in order to contextualise this process of the archaeological imagination of ancient monuments and the reuse of antiquities.
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Looking at old pots with fresh eyes: revisiting the pottery from the 1960s excavation at Ras ir-Raħeb (Malta)
2021-12-15 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Maxine Anastasi, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta.
Between 1960 and 1961, several crates of pottery and other finds were collected during the excavation of the remote site of Ras ir-Raħeb (Malta). A provisional survey of the pottery concluded the material was mostly Punic in date, but it was the figurative and artistic finds—namely the intricate clay masks, carved ivory plaque, and terracotta figurines—that attracted the most attention, as well as the confidence in dating the site’s primary occupation to the Punic period, and determining a ritual function likely dedicated to the Phoenician god Melqart. Although these initial conclusions remain predominantly unchanged, recent analysis of the pottery has offered some new insights into the chronology and overall nature of the site. The aim of this talk is to present these new findings, and explain them within the context of the early 1960s excavation, as well as the seminal studies that followed.
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CANCELLED - Afternoon site visit
2021-11-27 14:00 - 15:30
Location to be confirmed.

‘Flying high in an unfriendly sky’: How aviation changed Malta for good during the Second World War
2021-11-17 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Mr Anthony Burgess, guest lecturer in Maritime Archaeology at the University of Malta.
The impact of aviation on Malta can be seen in many ways, from the obvious such as airports and anti-aircraft sites, to the less obvious or even invisible. In this presentation Mr Burgess will look at a number of ways in which aviation manifested itself in Malta, such as the airfields, air raid shelters and anti-aircraft sites, charting how they changed during the war, warping the physical landscape as they did so. Such dramatic effects to the physical landscape also affected the mental landscape for all those involved too, their minds attuned to the sounds and sights associated with the airscape unfolding above their heads. The end result is an island archipelago that is saturated with its effects, effects that continue to shape its physical and mental landscape today.
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CANCELLED - Visit to Msida Bastion Cemetery and Historic Garden
2021-10-30 14:00 - 15:30
Site visit at 2 pm to the Msida Bastion Cemetery and Historic Garden, a heritage site restored and managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa. The 90-minute visit, against an entrance fee of €5 which includes coffee/tea/water with biscuits at the end, will be led by site warden Mr Paolo Ferrelli. Numbers will be limited to the first 20 fully vaccinated paid up members who apply, no guests. More details to follow.
NB The Archaeological Society Malta is a Collaborating Organization of International Archaeology Day organised by the Archaeological Institute of America. The October events will be part of the International Archaeology Day on 16 October.

Putting the stone back in the Stone Age: new research on the end of the Maltese Temple Period
2021-10-20 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Huw S. Groucutt, Max Planck Independent Research Group leader in Jena, Germany.
After existing for over one thousand years, the Maltese Temple Period ended around 4,300 years ago. Understanding why has been a topic of considerable interest and debate. In this talk Dr Groucutt will discuss this topic, outlining recent research on themes such as regional climate change and evidence for the arrival of new groups of humans. Chronological modelling studies are presented which indicate a correlation between archaeological activity and regional climate, which indicate a long-term societal decline in the final centuries of the Temple Period. Yet, does climate change alone explain the end of the Temple Period, or was something else involved, such as new groups of humans arriving, perhaps bringing a plague epidemic with them? Against this backdrop Dr Groucutt will outline recent research on the distribution and character of Maltese chert. Chert was the main kind of stone used to make stone tools in Maltese prehistory, and is therefore crucial to understanding ancient Maltese society, yet it has seen relatively little study. New insights on the distribution and character of chert in Malta are discussed. This offers new perspectives on the character of Temple Period material culture, and the extent to which the Maltese islands were isolated or integrated with neighbouring regions such as Sicily.
NB The Archaeological Society Malta is a Collaborating Organization of International Archaeology Day organised by the Archaeological Institute of America. The October events will be part of the International Archaeology Day on 16 October.

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Annual General Meeting - POSTPONED
2021-05-29 11:00 - 12:30
Details to be announced closer to the date.

The contribution of Francis S. Mallia (1921-1988) to Maltese archaeological practice
2021-05-19 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Mr Nico Muscat, Masters graduate in Archaeology, University of Malta.

Photo: Francis Mallia in 1963 excavating Għar il-Friefet.
Part of the University of Malta/ F. Mallia collection.
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A historiography of Maltese catacomb study: from the sixteenth century to 1899
2021-04-21 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Ms Rebecca Xerri, graduate in Archaeology, University of Malta.

Photo: St. Paul’s catacombs, Rabat – Malta.
Uncover Malta, 2019.
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A Potted History: Malta's Earliest Pottery
2021-03-17 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Catriona Brogan, Research Fellow from the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast; Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, University of Malta.
Photo: Detailed characterisation studies (such as EDS: main image) of the early Maltese pottery fabrics are helping us to unravel aspects of Malta’s Early Neolithic cultures (Credit- MaltaPot Project).
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Introduction to Roman glass forming and decoration techniques
2021-02-17 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Ms Liliya Pangelova, a Bulgarian visual artist who lives and works in Malta. She has a Masters in Ceramic and Glass Design from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul.

Photo: Roman glass from the 2nd century. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Roman_glass
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Eggstraordinary Objects: ostrich eggs as luxury items in the ancient Mediterranean
2021-01-20 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Tamar Hodos, Reader in Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Bristol.
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Provenance investigation of stone tools and the position of Malta in the Neolithic network of the Central Mediterranean Sea
2020-12-09 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Dr Petros Chatzimpaloglou, affiliated post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge.
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The Jebel Moya Project: Pastoralists and Farmers in southern Sudan
2020-11-18 18:00 - 19:30
Presentation by Dr Isabelle Vella Gregory, affiliate scholar at the McDonald Institute for Archaeology, University of Cambridge, and Dr Michael Brass, co-director of the University College London – University of Khartoum – NCAM Expedition to the Southern Gezira.
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Half a decade of diving the Phoenician Wreck off Xlendi - artefacts, bits and pieces with a story to tell.
2020-10-21 18:00 - 19:30
Lecture by Professor Timmy Gambin, Associate Professor, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta.
NB: The Archaeological Society Malta is a Collaborating Organization of International Archaeology Day organised by the Archaeological Institute of America. This event will be part of the International Archaeology Day on 17 October.
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CANCELLED: Ceramics and Science: an archaeometric analysis of early Maltese pottery
2020-05-20 18:00 - 19:30 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Lecture by Dr Catriona Brogan, Research Fellow from the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast; Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, University of Malta.

CANCELLED: Annual General Meeting
2020-05-16 11:00 - 13:30 | Archaeology Centre, Car Park 6, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Annual General Meeting followed by drinks and a snack.

CANCELLED: A historiography of Maltese Catacomb study: from the sixteenth century to 1899
2020-04-15 18:00 - 19:30 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Lecture by Ms Rebecca Xerri, graduate in archaeology, University of Malta.

CANCELLED: The Jebel Moya Project: Pastoralists and Farmers in southern Sudan
2020-03-18 18:00 - 19:30 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
CANCELLED. Presentation by Dr Isabelle Vella Gregory, affiliate scholar at the McDonald Institute for Archaeology, University of Cambridge, and Dr Michael Brass, co-director of the University College London – University of Khartoum – NCAM Expedition to the Southern Gezira.

Industrial Archaeology: the appraisal and restoration of the historic reinforced concrete Water Tower
2020-02-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Archaeology Centre, Car Park 6, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Lecture by Prof. Ruben P. Borg, Associate Professor, Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta.
The Reinforced Concrete Water Tower in Marsa, Malta was constructed in 1930s to serve the needs of the Public Abattoir and is today considered as unique Industrial Heritage in the Maltese Islands. The water tower is a 15m high structure, consisting of 12 slender columns supporting a shell structure including a 9.5m diameter tank with a domed base. A conservation strategy was proposed and implemented based on innovative technologies respecting the original fabric and structural system efficiency.
Photo: The historic reinforced concrete Water Tower, Marsa
Photo credit: Ruben P. Borg
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Lecture by Dr Michel Bonifay of the Aix-Marseille Université
2020-01-29 18:00 - 19:30 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Dr Michel Bonifay, Director of Research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Aix-en-Provence will look at the ubiquitous presence throughout the Mediterranean of pottery and amphorae produced in Africa from the 2nd to the 7th century, and will show that they are one source among others to our understanding of Roman port interconnectivity.

Eggstraordinary Objects: ostrich eggs as luxury items in the ancient Mediterranean - POSTPONED TO WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2021
2020-01-15 18:00 - 19:30 | National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta, Malta
Lecture by Dr Tamar Hodos, Reader in Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Bristol.
