Wardija punic temple needs to be preserved

Franco Farrugia

Aug 23rd 2009, 20:21

@ Anton Portelli - It seems that you have it in, for some NGO or other. In your intelligence, I am sure that you can make out the difference between one NGO and another. So, there are NGOs for the protection of wildlife and there are others for the protection of our heritage. I am sure that 'sparrows' have as much right for a peaceful co-existence as your kind self.

Galea. L

Aug 23rd 2009, 18:53

Mark Vassallo
Thanks for the very interesting link. Dear Editor, is it possible to provide a link to The Times mentioned or perhaps a reprint of the relevant article.

D Vella
How do you know that the French film crew have not taken it Vella?
The French gave us more then they took from us?
What historical research have you done to conclude so?
Have they returned all the loot that was stolen during their very short stay?

Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Tal-MISTHIJA. Fejn huma l-Ministri u l-Muzew tal-Arkeologija u l-awtoritajiet l-ohra kollha? Kull min jaf b'xi haga ghandu jaghmel lista li tigi pprezentata lill-Parlament biex jiehu passi halli dawn l-affarijiet kollha jingiebu lura minn min seraqhom.

Raymond Sammut

Aug 23rd 2009, 18:41

The only way to preserve it is by protecting it from the elements. This would require building a suitable structure around it similar to the Roman Villa at Rabat. But I think that this approach is always going to be problematic. A simple canopy over Hagar Qim, for example, caused an uproar. The alternative would be to bury it again, which would take everything back to square one.

Anton Portelli

Aug 23rd 2009, 18:00

I fully agree that it is very importeant to preserve this juel.

However the authorities and the NGO's are more concerned about preserving the Sparrows and the finches at the moment, thus have no time to devote to this prehistoric monument.

Raymond Sammut

Aug 23rd 2009, 17:54

Just a small note about the French in Malta during 1798-1800. Dun Mikiel Xerri may have died for the Church. This will always be arguable. One must realise, however, that the Church was Malta at the time. All public records, for example, were held solely by the local parish. The Kappillan was more or less equivalent to what a minister would typically be in contemporary Malta. Most importantly, however, all that the Maltese people at the time invested in was in their local church. Maltese wealth was concentrated in churches, and much of this wealth was needed by the French to help finance the war.

lesley kreupl

Aug 23rd 2009, 17:25

I have been crying out for something to be done about preserving this amazing temple since I 'discovered' it in 2005 after reading an article about it in the AirMalta in-flight magazine. My letters printed in all three English language newspapers in January 2006 and since, have been ignored by everyone! I don't even thing the Ministry for Gozo knows about this wonderful place!

Charles Sammut

Aug 23rd 2009, 17:21

Charles J Buttigieg, thank you for bringing up this unfortunately little known (wonder why) historical fact. The first thing that Napoleon did when he came to Malta, was to abolish the (un)Holy Inquisition, thereby de-clawing and de-fanging the Church. It was a fatal mistake for the French who underestimated the ignorance of the populace which responded with fervour to the Church's incitement. This fallacy is still being perpetrated by revering Dun Mikiel Xerri as a national hero. He did not die for Malta but for the Church.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Aug 23rd 2009, 16:20

@ a abela

Essentially,the French were anti clerical and ultra progressive for their time. The Maltese revolt against the French was merely in support to the church and had nothing to do with colonialism.Horatio Nelson was more diplomatic and won the favours of the clergy.

Mario Tabone-Vassallo

Aug 23rd 2009, 16:15

L-iskultura, possibilment ta' Tanit, mhux skultura fis-sens ta' statwa kienet. Dat-tempju ewlieni fost it-tempji Punici dinjin u gharukaza li ghal ftit hsieb u infieq thalla jithassar b'kemm thassar u jaf jghib ghal kollox. Ili nikteb fuqu snin, izda ma sar xejn. Imissna nisthu. Izda m'hemmx x'tistghageb meta xi tmintax il-kurazza shah ttiehdu minn Malta biex issa jsebbhu l-muzew ta' Windsor u hadd ma talabhom lura, kif ma ntalbux lura bosta affarijiet ohra bhal nofs brazzuletta tad-deheb Punika li tinsab fl-Ashmolean u nofs l-iehor taghha jinsab f'Malta

Charles J. Buttigieg

Aug 23rd 2009, 16:11

Calypso cave with a stone age water well and a number of Punic caves, on the outskirts of Mellieha were used as wartime shelters during WW ii and turned into pigsties afterwards. The whole area, which commands a breathtaking view of Mellieha Bay, Comino and Gozo, needs a good clean up and the water well and the caves preserved and presented as a tourist attraction. Hoss fl’ilma Charles.

Mark Vassallo

Aug 23rd 2009, 15:32

The carving said to represent the sign of the Tanit was removed /stolen in 1988 and not in the 90s. I remember reading about it in the Sunday Times in early 1988. For a better description of the site including photos from 1965 go to http://melitensia.250free.com/melitahistorica/MH10/1001/05.twoarchaeologicalsites.pdf

a abela

Aug 23rd 2009, 15:21

@ D Vella - do you know what the french did? do you know history?

Franco Farrugia

Aug 23rd 2009, 15:19

Interesting photo - never knew about it, actually.

D Vella

Aug 23rd 2009, 15:10

Don't be so ready to place blame LGalea. Who's to say that the French film crew stole it.? We Maltese are not so honest when it comes to stealing from our heritage. It strikes me that you are ready to blame the foreigner for anything and everything,each and every time regardless.

The French, as far as I am aware have given us much much more than they have ever taken. I doubt if there would be a Valletta(and so much more) if it wasn't for the mainly French knights. The francophobia to which many subscribe to. is nothing but propaganda stemming from the Churches fear that it would lose it's stranglehold over this Island. It seems we are still propogating it.

Joseph Schembri

Aug 23rd 2009, 14:26

The "statue" stolen was an engraving in the wall - which may have represented Tanit. Since the goddess of choice on Malta and Gozo was Ashtarte this would need to be further studied .... the biggest problem is that this temple lies on private land. How a national treasure can be privately owned is beyond belief!!

Galea. L

Aug 23rd 2009, 13:57

Does anyone have any details of the French film crew/film/company and provide possible links so that the statue can be traced if possible? How about it Archeological Museum?