A Phoenician stone sarcophagus excavated last year at Għajn Klieb, on the outskirts of Rabat, is one of the major attractions at an exhibition which has just been inaugurated at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

The exhibition brings to light the results of months of painstaking studies by a multidisciplinary team researching the sarcophagus and two other tombs discovered in the area, as well as their contents. The three tombs, although inherently different, shed light on the burial rituals of the earliest Phoenicians on the island.

Sarcophagi are coffins made of stone or terracotta and are exceptionally rare finds in  Maltese archaeology, so much so that the previous discovery happened some 300 years ago. The sarcophagus featured in the exhibition was found by accident in a rock-cut tomb during road trenching works in 2001. At the time, the decision was taken to preserve it by leaving it in its original findspot. In 2020, increased development pressures to improve infrastructural services in the area led to the decision to investigate the tomb.  A joint collaboration between three entities was set up in order to ensure the best use of the available resources in view of the rarity of the find.

The entities involved were the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Heritage Malta and the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta. Together they formed a team of archaeologists, osteologists, pottery specialists, conservators, diagnostic scientists and field archaeology support staff who are researching the tombs themselves as well as bones and other objects found inside them.

The exhibition Meet the Phoenicians of Malta is intended to provide visitors with a snapshot of the research undertaken so far. Moreover, the tomb in which the sarcophagus was discovered is put in the wider context of the ancient cemetery in the area of Għajn Klieb and Għajn Qajjet in Rabat which was used by the first Phoenicians who settled in Malta some 2700 years ago.

Speaking at the launch of the exhibition, Owen Bonnici, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, said that this exhibition, and other similar exhibitions, provide a window on the past which, as often happens, is somewhat forgotten in our routine. “Heritage Malta’s main objective is to interpret the history of our country and communicate it to its visitors, both local and foreign. Thanks to these exhibitions this goal is being achieved,” Dr Bonnici said.

The Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Kurt Farrugia, remarked that following the discovery of the tomb containing the sarcophagus, the Superintendence has always proactively sought to ensure that all the necessary measures were taken to ensure the complete safeguard of this unique discovery. It was also in the spirit of such an approach that the Superintendence embarked on a collaboration with Heritage Malta and the University of Malta when it was felt that time was due to excavate the tomb. In so doing, the Superintendence ensured that the best resources and expertise available at a national level were at hand to ensure the preservation and future presentation of the discovery. The tomb and its contents will not only be exhibited locally in a permanent manner, but the discovery will also be presented to international academic fora.

Heritage Malta’s Senior Curator for Phoenician, Roman and Medieval Sites, David Cardona, said that this is the culmination of one of the phases of a project that has been years in the making. The agency’s role in this joint effort covers various aspects. Members of the agency’s Field Team were actively present not only for the tomb’s excavation but also the extraction of this massive sarcophagus. Among other things, the agency is also offering its expertise in the research, analysis and conservation of a selection of the artefacts discovered in the three tombs that are the subject of this research. Most importantly, this research project is a showcase for the strength that such collaborations, primarily between the three cultural heritage powerhouses, have in the understanding of our past and the accessibility of the results among all levels of society. This last aspect of accessibility remains one of the major pillars of Heritage Malta’s mission.

Professor Nicholas Vella from the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta, said that this was the first time that a series of exceptional discoveries made as a result of developer-funded archaeological investigations were investigated so thoroughly by a team of specialists hailing from the major cultural heritage entities in Malta. This is a model of collaboration that will certainly be emulated in the future.

The exhibition runs until 30th October. Entrance is free of charge.

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