Remains of another Neolithic structure discovered in Ice
Archaeologists digging at Tas-Silġ in Marsaxlokk have discovered the remains of another Neolithic structure. The newly discovered structure, which is still being excavated, substantially increased the landmark used in the Neolithic period at this site.
The discovery was announced during an on-site visit to Ice by the Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, José Herrera, the Chief Executive of Heritage Malta, Noel Zammit, and the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Kurt Farrugia. They were displayed around the site by David Cardona, Senior Curator for Phoenician, Roman and Medieval Sites within Heritage Malta, and by Professor Nicholas Vella from the Department of Classics and Archeology at the University of Malta. The current excavation project at Tas-Silġ is a joint collaboration between Heritage Malta and the Department.
Cardona pointed out that this project is being implemented over a number of years and is divided into different phases, as by its very nature Tas-Silġ makes each project more complicated than other sites. In fact, this is the site with the longest known use in the Maltese Islands, with the remains of at least three temples from the Tarxien Phase of the Maltese Neolithic period. The same temples were also used in the Bronze Age, which was possibly the only period in the history of Tas-Silġ when the site was not utilized for rituals or religious purposes.
Upon the arrival of the Phoenicians, a temple was built in honor of the god Ashtarte. It continued to be further developed by the Punic and Romans until at least the second century AD. Many years later, the main temple courtyard was roofed and transformed into a Christian basilica – the first evidence of a church built on our island. This was the last moment in history when the site was used for religious purposes.
Eventually the church was abandoned, almost all the structures were demolished, and the land began to be worked for agriculture. This state of affairs continued until it was excavated by Sir Temi Zammit in the 1920s, and then by the Italian Archaeological Mission and the University of Malta in the last three decades, revealing the remains of these buildings.
Minister Herrera pointed out that the site in Ice is likely to continue further under the road that effectively divides the site in half. As evidenced by the newly found remains as well as a large Phoenician cistern accessible from the site, below this road there are probably more remains, not yet found, than the various phases of the site. It would therefore be wise to deviate from this path as foreseen in the Local Plan.
For his part, Noel Zammit said that Heritage Malta, while proceeding to carefully examine the newly discovered remains that are likely to continue under the road as well, is preparing a geophysical investigation of the road and adjacent areas. . The many layers of history that shape Tas-Silġ’s past make this site one of the most difficult to understand, and even more difficult to preserve. However, Heritage Malta is drawing up plans and designs to improve the facilities and interpretation of site visitors.
Kurt Farrugia said that since Heritage Malta took over the management of the site, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has always collaborated fully with the agency to ensure that all necessary investigations and any necessary conservation measures for The preservation is carried out in time. Recent investigations, shedding new light on the prehistoric significance of the site, are of paramount importance as they have extended the prehistoric presence in the area beyond what was previously thought. These investigations confirmed that the extent of the site, at different times, extended beyond the boundary walls established in the past to safeguard the site. Now is the time to conduct discussions among all national stakeholders to provide a holistic approach to site management and presentation.
Professor Nicholas Vella said that the progressive discovery of the Neolithic structure, which was revealed step by step by students of the Department of Classics and Archeology together with academics and researchers from the Department and colleagues from Heritage Malta , is a relevant result in drawing up the history of Ice. This particular discovery shed new light on the Neolithic use of the site, prompting further exploration of the context of the structure with respect to other remains from the same prehistoric phase in the area.
This involves exploring the surroundings of the structure, even beyond the actual boundaries of the site, on the road that crosses Tas-Silġ. This experience of joint excavation between the Department and Heritage Malta needs to continue in order to compose a clearer picture of the history of this unique site, said Prof. Vella.