Lecture on Medieval cave settlements in Malta

The cave-dwelling phenomenon was widespread in the Mediterranean region throughout the Middle Ages wherever environmental conditions proved favourable.

Keith Buhagiar, BA (Hons), MA Archaeology, PGCE, is to give a talk, illustrated with slides, on Medieval cave settlements in Malta on Friday at 6 p.m. at Maria Assumpta Girls Secondary School, Hamrun.

Arid and semi-arid zones which suffered from a lack of timber, but on the other hand provided plentiful natural rock-cut shelters and an abundance of easily quarried stone, were instrumental in conditioning a type of architecture that was entirely stone oriented, besides encouraging cave dwelling.

The Maltese landscape is characterised by the almost complete absence of woodland vegetation and scarce soil deposits, leaving the bare rock face exposed. This has encouraged local inhabitants to make the best possible use of the plentiful caves scarring the cliff face.

The prevailing local environmental conditions provided an ideal springboard for the widespread diffusion of troglodytism within the island in the Middle Ages.

The lecture is open to the public.