Air-raid shelter, tomb discovered at Mtarfa

The Housing Authority has agreed to re-design a housing project at Mtarfa Ridge to allow for the conservation of important historical and archaeological remains unearthed during excavation work.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage said that the most impressive historical feature to be discovered on the site consists of two extensive subterranean tunnel complexes from the Second World War.

They form part of one of the most extensive air-raid shelters known to have been built in Malta and were constructed to provide refuge for the patients and personnel at the British military hospital on Mtarfa ridge.

Of equal interest was the discovery, in a different part of the construction site, of a rock-cut tomb apparently dating to the Phoenician or Punic periods. It was apparently first unearthed by the British when building the hospital, the Superintendence said.

Archaeological excavations of this tomb are being carried out by officials of the superintendence in order to document it to collect further information for its interpretation.

Another feature identified at the site was possibly part of a small Roman catacomb site which was later integrated into the war shelter. The Superintendence said it was carrying on with its investigations on site to ensure that any further features that may be discovered are assessed and protected.

The discoveries were made following the start of construction works for a residential complex by the Housing Authority in April. The works were being carried out at a site immediately adjacent to the grounds of Dar il-Kaptan and the so-called Sisters' Quarters, on the south slopes of Mtarfa ridge.

Although the authority had a valid development permit, the attention of the Superintendence was drawn to a number of rock-cut features uncovered in the course of soil stripping operations.

The Superintendence said Mtarfa is an area of high archaeological sensitivity, known to contain important clusters of Bronze Age silo pits and of Phoenician rock-cut tombs.

On the strength of this information the Superintendence stopped the works and an archaeological investigation was undertaken of the entire site covered by the housing project.

Most of the area was found to be covered by a fairly deep franka quarry of recent date.