Public benefits from archaeology students' field work

Archaeology students excavating a site behind the Carlo Diacono Junior Lyceum in Żejtun were yesterday visited by a number of people who took the opportunity of the open day on site to visit the remains of a Roman villa that is not usually accessible to the public.

The site was discovered in 1960 when the area was being bulldozed for the laying of the school's foundations.

Some excavations took place later by English language students under the direction of the Museums Department. Remains found during those excavations are stored at Vilhena Palace, Anthony Bonanno, the head of the University's Department of Classics and Archaeology, said yesterday.

He said the department felt it was its duty not to abandon the site, which was excavated irregularly without a scientific explanation. The work now is being carried out by students who are trained in excavations as part of their university course.

Archaeology students regularly spend a month of their summer holidays excavating.

They have been working at the Żejtun site for the past three years. They are also working on a site in Gozo.

Taking part are 20 first to third year students and a number of graduates who are trench supervisors. There are four trenches on site.

Nicholas Vella, a senior lecturer at the department, is in charge of field operations.

He said that, through excavations, archaeologists tried to discover the history of a place.

The Żejtun site incorporated the remains of a typical Roman villa. However, studies on the pottery found showed that it had been in use since Punic Times, around the fourth century BC. Both Punic and Roman graves were found in the vicinity.

Coins found on site were evidence that the site remained in use at least until the third century AD.

The site includes a residential area with a terracotta-tiled ground and walls with painted plaster.

Dr Vella said that the villa was probably the establishment of a rich person. Equipment found on site showed that those who lived there had been involved in olive pressing. Since the villa was close to the sea it was probable that olive oil would have also been pressed for export. It also meant that there had to be enough olive trees in the area to keep such a plant going. Only three olive plants were seen yesterday.

In Gozo, the students are excavating a small shelter in the rocks overlooking Mġarr ix-Xini, known as Għar ix-Xiħ.

The excavations are followed by weeks of study on the material found.