The study of ancient DNA is becoming increasingly useful for gaining information which
cannot be obtained through traditional archaeological methods. The Maltese climate is not
well suited to ancient DNA preservation, and prior to Dr Josef Caruana’s Ph.D. work, no studies on DNA in a Maltese archaeological context had been carried out. Dr Caruana, a curator at Heritage Malta, will give a presentation of the work conducted on samples taken from one Temple period and two late Roman archaeological sites in Malta. Dr Caruana’s talk will also consider the limitations of such studies.

The archaeological record of the European Neolithic is marked by thousands of megalithic monuments of varied styles. Patterns in the orientation of similar megaliths betray a deliberate intent in their construction that can, in some cases, be related to topographic features or celestial events of prominence in the cosmology of their builders. This talk will introduce the field and methodologies of archaeo-astronomy, as complementary to other archaeological approaches. It will then apply them to the specific case of the megalithic structures built in Northwest Iberia during the Mid to Late Neolithic (c. 4000 cal BC). Focusing first on a cluster of passage graves in Carregal do Sal (central Portugal), a pattern in orientation is identified relating the structures to both a conspicuous mountain range on the horizon and the red star Aldebaran that would rise above it. This, it is suggested, marked the time for these Neolithic pastoralists to move to the mountain range, “following the star”. Toponymic folktales that tell similar stories are also considered. Finally, other megalithic clusters in north Portugal are also discussed, and the potential role played by such Neolithic stars discussed.

From about the late first century BCE, a stone-vessel industry emerged in ancient Palestine which produced a unique corpus of chalkstone vessels whose distribution is virtually limited to Jewish sites. Many scholars link the use of these vessels with Jewish purity practices. In this lecture, Dr Dennis Mizzi will present an overview of ritual purity in ancient Judaism while also exploring the use of chalkstone vessels within this framework. In addition, Dr Mizzi will present preliminary results from the recent excavation of a stone-vessel workshop at ‘Einot Amitai (near Nazareth).

Lecture by Dr Timmy Gambin, senior lecturer, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta. Sponsored by APS Bank. NB The Archaeological Society Malta is [...]

Lecture by Dr Keith Buhagiar, Visiting Lecturer in Palaeochristian, Byzantine & Medieval Archaeology, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta. Sponsored by APS Bank. [...]

Lecture by Dr Peter Gatt, senior lecturer on construction materials at MCAST and geotechnical and geomaterials consultant. Sponsored by APS Bank. abstract

Lecture by Ms Ann Gustavsson, osteoarchaeologist, archivist/curator Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Sponsored by APS Bank. abstract

Lecture by Dr Naoíse Mac Sweeney, associate professor of Ancient History, University of Leicester. Sponsored by APS Bank. abstract

Led by Ms Patricia Camilleri and Mrs Ann Gingell Littlejohn. Heritage Malta is kindly waiving the entrance fee but would appreciate donations on the day. [...]

Lecture by Prof. Anthony Bonanno, Professor, Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta. Sponsored by APS Bank. abstract

Lecture by Fr Eugene Teuma OFM (Conv.), independent researcher. Sponsored by APS Bank. abstract  

Lecture by Mr David Cardona, Senior curator Phoenician, Roman and medieval sites, Heritage Malta. The section of Heritage Malta's Phoenician, Roman and Medieval sites is [...]

Lecture by Mr Italo Giordano, specialised archaeological guide, Sicily. North of the Greek colony of Leontinoi and on the southern edge of its ancient chora, [...]

A special guided visit to a temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Archaeology, Republic Street, Valletta on Saturday 24 November at 2:30 pm. This [...]

Lecture by Dr Ing. John Betts, Senior lecturer, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or as they are called [...]

Lecture by Prof. Timmy Gambin,  Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta. After over ten years of exploring the surface of the Phoenician Shipwreck [...]

POSTPONED TO 22 MAY. FURTHER POSTPONED TO 29 MAY. Lecture by Prof. Anthony Bonanno, Professor, Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta and Dr Ruben Borg, [...]

Lecture by Dr. Erica Ferg, assistant professor of Liberal Arts at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, where she teaches courses on Islam, Christianity, Judaism, world [...]

POSTPONED TO 29 MAY. Lecture by Prof. Anthony Bonanno, Professor, Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta and Dr Ruben Borg, senior lecturer, Faculty for the [...]

POSTPONED FROM 22 MAY. Lecture by Prof. Anthony Bonanno, Professor, Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta and Dr Ruben Borg, senior lecturer, Faculty for the [...]

Presentation by Dr Maxine Anastasi (Lecturer, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta); Dr Ing. John C. Betts (Head of the Department of Classics [...]

Lecture by Dr Keith Buhagiar, Visiting Lecturer in Palaeochristian, Byzantine & Medieval Archaeology, University of Malta. An excerpt in the 1154 Tabula Rogeriana by Al-Idrisi, [...]

Presentation by Mr David Cardona, Senior Curator for Phoenician, Roman and Medieval Sites, Heritage Malta and Mr Robert Brown, Roman Archaeologist, Senior Ancient History Educator. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]