Gozo museum artefacts

In "Castelain's" Commentary (Gozo Newsletter, The Sunday Times, September 18) it was alleged that Heritage Malta "transferred some of the Gozo museum artefacts to Malta, including coins and armour".

Heritage Malta would like to clarify that since the setting up of the agency no archaeological artefacts from Gozo, including coins, were transferred to Malta. On the contrary, in 2003 a selection of prehistoric objects, formerly on display at the National Museum in Valletta, were permanently transferred to the Gozo Museum of Archaeology.

Earlier this year Heritage Malta relocated and transferred to Gozo the Ta' Savina Islamic tombstone, which was last exhibited at the Palazzo Xara Museum in 1922. This important medieval relic, which was the first temporary exhibit at the new Heritage Malta Gozo Area Office, is to be incorporated in the refurbished Museum of Archaeology, together with a selection of the Xaghra Stone Circle finds.

As to the pieces of armour highlighted in the commentary, these were transferred to the Palace Armoury in Valletta to undergo urgent conservation treatment.