Salini Catacombs

The Salini Catacombs are close to Salina Bay which gets its name from the salt-pans built by the Knights in the 17th century. Evidence shows that this inlet, apart from reaching further inland than today, was also a port of some importance in Roman times.

These catacombs have considerable archaeological significance. This group of burials is situated in an area known as Ta’ Latnija and it is today reached through a path across the fields to the south-east of the church of the Annunciation of the Virgin. The group consists of more than 15 small hypogea, mostly cut in a quarry. The size of this burial site suggests that a sizeable community must have lived in the area. Nowadays, only three of the five largest hypogea are accessible, four of which are dug into a squarish section of the quarry. These are considerably small hypogea but can still provide us with ample information on the development of such hypogea. The fifth hypogeum is dug a few metres away from the first four. This is also the best cut and very few local hypogea can parallel the mastery shown in it. Practically all the tombs, even the unfinished ones, are, in fact, heavily decorated with elements that point towards a Christian origin.