XEWKIJA LOCAL COUNCIL - GOZO

The archaeological survey at Mġarr ix-Xini Valley

After a brief interruption last year, work on the Mġarr ix-Xini Valley archaeological survey resumed this summer. This year (2008), work focused on an agricultural field incorporating a rock-cut trough set in the lands ‘Tal-Knisja’ overlooking Il-Gandotta which is a tributary joining the main course of the Mġarr ix-Xini valley. Agricultural activity and its associated agro-industry in this area go back to ancient times as confirmed by the exercise undertaken this year.

As in the past years of the survey, the archaeological investigation was undertaken by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage with the active participation of students from the Department of Archaeology and Classics of the University of Malta. The whole exercise took one week to complete: from the 21^st to the 25^th of July 2008.

The objectives of this investigation were to confirm (or otherwise) and identify the relationship / association between the field itself and the rock-cut trough set incorporated within it, to study the formation of the field terrace and the processes involved, to possibly determine what was cultivated in the field and, eventually, processed in the trough set and, finally, to date the origins of the field and, by association, the terrace and the trough set. While, to a certain extent, some of these objectives have already been reached, the others are awaiting the analysis outcome of the material retrieved.

After setting up a grid all over the entire area subjected to investigation, the exercise consisted of digging two trenches down to bedrock. One of these trenches was purposely aligned with the rock-cut trough set. A third trench joined together these two trenches on their northern extent. The stratigraphic layers with their contents were documented via plans, section drawings, level readings, photography, and field-notes. The field (or, rather, its part that was subjected to investigation) was entirely planned together with the trenches while a profile down a large section of the terrace was also produced. The data collected and results obtained from this archaeological investigation will be duly published as part of the Mġarr ix-Xini Valley archaeological survey.

The archaeological excavations at Għar ix-Xiħ

For the fourth year running, archaeological excavations at Għar ix-Xiħ continued with the active participation of the Department of Classics and Archaeology of the University of Malta, the technical assistance and participation of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, and the full support of the Xewkija and Sannat Local Councils.

In preparation to this season’s dig, a geophysical survey of the site using a ground penetration radar was undertaken in April with the technical collaboration of Ghent University (Belgium). As a result, this year’s season saw the opening up of the site nearly to its full extent with the opening up of new areas (within the site) previously unexcavated. This enabled the excavators to gain a better and fuller picture of the nature and development of the site. To this end, arrangements were also made this year to have Dr Clive Finlayson, the Director of the Gibraltar Museum and an expert in Quaternary deposits, on site to examine certain deposits which seemed to date to this period and, thus, long predated the use of the site as a sanctuary in the Classical period. Meanwhile, the ceramic content as yet unearthed from the site continued to be studied by Dr Alessandro Quercia of the University of Lecce (Italy) whose results will be published in the excavation report.

As in last year, the two local councils jointly organised an open-day on Wednesday, 16^th July 2008, inviting the general public to visit the site and watch the excavators as they progress in their meticulous and systematic digging and documentation. The public, who responded positively to the invitation and showed keen interest in what was going on, expressed great appreciation with continuous encouraging comments.

With the excavations gradually drawing closer to completion, preparations for the publication of the excavation report are already underway. It is hoped, therefore, that the publication of the excavation results will further contribute towards our understanding of the religious beliefs and practices of the Maltese and, particularly, the Gozitans in Phoenician / Carthaginian and Roman times. More specifically, it will also shed light on the religious life of a community once dwelling in the whereabouts of Mġarr ix-Xini and its valley and / or of the maritime community hosted at Mġarr ix-Xini harbour.