The remains of a first century Roman villa in Żejtun, discovered more than 50 years ago, will be restored in a two-year conservation project.

Located in the school grounds of St Thomas More Junior Lyceum School for Girls, the villa is only one of four known remaining residential sites in Malta that date back to that period.

Parts of the remains still contain areas of the original Roman tiles used and coloured stucco and reveal a sophisticated arrangement of domestic and industrial activity for olive oil production.

The historical site will be saved through a programme carried out by Din L-Art Ħelwa and the University of Malta with the help of HSBC Malta Foundation. The programme will protect the ruins from water infiltration, invasive vegetation, and exposure to weather.

Urgent conservation measures are scheduled to take place after a protective tent is built this summer.

The remains were unearthed in 1960 when excavation works took place in preparation for the foundations of St Thomas More Junior Lyceum School for Girls.

Speaking during a press conference, DLĦ executive president Simone Mizzi said the project was important since much heritage dating from Punic and Roman times had been lost.

“It is particularly significant for Żejtun, where people take pride in the village’s cultural assets and where much is done to raise awareness of its rich historical past,” she said.

Culture Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco yesterday visited the site where 65 HSBC and University students volunteered to clean up the weeds and debris around the area.