Cemetery expansion in Malta leads to discovery of Bronze Age remains

Valletta (Malta), September 1 : A cluster of five silos dating back to the Bronze Age period were recently discovered by archeologists during excavation work in Malta, forming part of a project to extend the Luqa cemetery.

According to a report in The Malta Independent, the finding was made by Themistocles (Temi) Zammit, who had discovered, among others, the Hypogeum, Tarxien Temples, Hagar Qim, Mnajdra, and St Paul's Catacombs.

Nathaniel Cutajar, from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, said that such silo pit clusters are evidence of ancient settlement, both from prehistory and from the Classical period.

"On the basis of earlier investigations, we know that the Tal-Mejtin silos in Luqa were in use since the Early Bronze Age, and possibly earlier," he said.

"It is clear that the recently discovered silos are ancient in origin, even though they were used in later periods as water cisterns," he added.

Cutajar said that the tightly grouped cluster of silos is relatively well preserved and has a high intrinsic value.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has taken measures to ensure the Bronze Age pits are preserved in line with the norms of the Cultural Heritage Act.

The Luqa Parish Church, which is responsible for the project at the cemetery, is collaborating with the superintendence to ensure the recently discovered remains are safeguarded.

The Bronze Age culture replaced the Temple culture, which ended mysteriously in Malta some time around 2,500 BC.

Among the discoveries dating back to this period, which lasted till about 700 BC, are the cart ruts and the dolmens scattered around the Maltese Islands.

The Bronze Age was characterized by practices that were very different to the Temple culture, probably because new influences reached Malta from the outside world.

ANI