Doing Malta proud

On Thursday, I had the privilege to be present in Amsterdam for the official inauguration of a wonderful exhibition about Malta's megalithic history. The exhibition was set up by a formidable team from Heritage Malta at the prestigious Allard Pierson museum that is owned and managed by the University of Amsterdam (see also page 69).

We made our inaugural speeches at the University's own Aula Magna. That in itself was a tribute by the University to our country and to our heritage. As the University Rector and the museum director were only too pleased to let me know, it only took Heritage Malta chairman Dr Mario Tabone three minutes to convince them to take the Malta exhibition on board and to extend in our favour their utmost collaboration.

That was partly the result of a professional presentation about our heritage and what the exhibition could cover that was made to the Museum officials before a decision was made to proceed.

The Allard Pierson Museum is the archaeological museum of the University of Amsterdam. The ancient civilisations of Ancient Egypt, the Near East, the Greek world, the Etruscan period and the Roman Empire are revived in this museum. Art objects and utensils, dating from 4000 BC until 500 AD, give a good impression of every day life, mythology and religion in antiquity. There are also several scale models of ancient temples and buildings.

The name of this museum derives from the first professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam. This former clergyman was invited in 1877 to occupy the chair of Aesthetics, Art History and Modern Languages at the newly founded University. His passion for antiquity, fuelled by his travels to the Mediterranean area, led to his collecting plaster casts.

In this respect, the Malta exhibition at the Allard Pierson Museum does justice to the museum's founder and mission.

Our exhibition has been entitled 'Temples and Tombs'. Over 300 artefacts were transported from our museums to Amsterdam. The artefacts relate to the Neolithic Period (5200-2500 BC) and the Bronze Age (2500-750 BC).

It was heartening to learn on arrival in Amsterdam that the media in the Netherlands were giving importance to the Malta exhibition that has also been covered by Euronews. The exhibition remains open until the end of February and serves as a genuine showcase of the Malta product. Our image cannot be enhanced more than through displaying what illustrates our unique history, cultural heritage and artistic patrimony.

Malta's megalithic temples were built round 3600 BC. The Pyramids of Egypt date back to 2530 BC and Stonehenge in Britain goes back to 2000 BC. No wonder that historians are of the opinion that the order in architecture was born on the Maltese archipelago a long time ago!

An article in an official publication of August 1968 states that "the plan of Skorba, one of the latest of our templar groups to be excavated, shows distinctly both the desire and the mode of attainment of such order. There is a marked central axis from the entrance doorway across the vestibule, with the apses laid symmetrically on a horizontal axis at right angles to it, onto the second entrance to the head place. The same kind of geometrical nature provides in foliage construction."

Malta's prehistory can be divided into three periods. The earlier Neolithic period going back to 5200 to 4100 BC and comprising Ghar Dalam, Grey Skorba and Red Skorba; the Temple Culture period for the years 4100 to 2500 BC comprising remains found in Zebbug, Mgarr, Ggantija, and Saflieni Tarxien and the Bronze Age (2300-800 BC) with the Tarxien temple, Borg In-Nadur and Bahrija. After this period came the new people.

Malta's burial heritage is intrinsically woven to our history. The burial sites throw a light on the history of our ancestors as far away as the prehistoric ages. The Hypogeum at Paola served both as a temple and a tomb. The bones of sacrificed animals indicate that the place was a temple, while some 7,000 human skeletons prove that the premises functioned as a burial place. Part of our history is based on the tombs that distinguish the period through their shape and contents.

Punic tombs dug in rocks were found in various places in Malta. During the excavations for Malta's major cemetery - the Addolarata - workmen came upon some ancient Punic tombs. It seems that this area was used as a burial ground since ancient times as it is near Hal Saflieni, where the Hypogeum was discovered.

Single rock-cut tombs of the classical period were unearthed in several localities. From the Carthaginian period we have only tombs with examples visible at Bingemma and near Buskett.

Early Christians were buried in catacombs and outside the line of a Roman town wall in Rabat are two large sets of catacombs: those of St Paul and St Agatha which include chapels and halls for the funeral feasts as well as the actual tomb chambers.

A Museum of Malta's Burial Heritage - an initiative of Din l-Art Helwa - was inaugurated last May. Definitely this museum provides a further addition to our 7000 years of history.

On the hilltop at Tas-Silg, in the southernmost part of Malta, an Italian archaeological mission has, since 1962, been unearthing a huge sanctuary which was frequented by Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Byzantines. But the history of this sanctuary goes back to prehistoric times. This rich archaeological site gives evidence to various historical eras with prehistoric structures and temples and different types of flooring.

The internal body structure of the temples at Tas-Silg is very much like the megalithic temples of Ggantija in Gozo, which were built around 3600-3000 BC. These archaeological finds also indicate that Malta formed part of a maritime route and of a commercial Mediterranean community which was prosperous and enterprising. In fact at Tas-Silg Italian archaeologists unearthed the best monetary documentation in the archaeological history of the Maltese Islands adding to the conviction that Malta, throughout the ages, was a centre of commerce, ideas and worship.

The Malta exhibition at the Allard Pierson Museum has been held to mark the Dutch Presidency of the European Union as well as the 40th anniversary of our independence.

Malta now forms part of the European Union. We bring to this Union not only our 7,000 years of history but also the Mediterranean dimension rooted in the history of the countries of this sea, which for centuries was thought to be the middle of the world, so much so that it was known as the Middle Sea. The unique civilisations which lived on our islands left unique megalithic architecture that qualified as world heritage by UNESCO. For its size, Malta is the country with the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage site inscriptions:

¤ the wide range of archaeological sites;

¤ the prehistoric underground Hypogeum at Hal Saflieni;

¤ the entire city of Valletta.

We are proud of our roots and of our contribution to world heritage. We are proud that this heritage now forms part of a vast European heritage. We are proud that through this exhibition we are increasing our links with the Netherlands which is one of our important incoming tourism sources.

I would like to look upon the exhibition put up by Heritage Malta at the Allard Pierson Museum as a beginning rather than an end. Our professional and highly motivated team have managed to earn the trust of the directors and staff of one of Europe's more prestigious museums.

The trust has been well placed since our people have done us proud by delivering on time and by creating a display that is appealing and informative.

That meant much planning, total dedication of their energies and resources and some sleepless nights. On Thursday night the distinguished guests that turned up for the opening of our exhibition had only words of praise towards what the Malta team managed to put up.

More importantly our true identity was being projected in one of Europe's most culturally dynamic cities.

At the foyer leading to the museum, a Dutchman by the name of Bonne ten Kate took the initiative of organising another exhibition portraying Maltese contemporary art, particularly by displaying various sculptures created by Gabriel Caruana from his own private collection.

On the following night, I was only too pleased to be able to follow our delightful soprano Miriam Gauci interpret Margherita and Elena in the opera Mefistofele. Next month Joseph Calleja will be singing in Rigoletto - again in Amsterdam.

When it comes to our human resources, our creativity, our history and our heritage, Malta stands out and is done proud by all those who believe in quality and professionalism, by those who understand that this is what really makes our image.

A heartfelt thank you to all who are doing Malta proud.

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