Road works unearth Turkish slaves' cemetery
Picture - Sandro Zahra - mynews@timesofmalta.com
Experts from the Superintendence of National Heritage are examining old human remains unearthed during road works near Marsa Creek.The remains are believed to be those of Turkish slaves buried in a cemetery which, according to documents, existed in the area close to Spencer Hill at the time of the Knights.
The remains were found during works on the new €7m road which will lead from Marsa to the Valletta Waterfront. The works in that part of the project have been suspended while the site is investigated. Some of the remains are being left in place while others are being removed for examination.
The site is also believed to have included a Mosque. The cemetery was destroyed by the British some 200 years ago when the area was redeveloped.
Picture: Sandro Zahra – mynews@timesofmalta.com
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Second group of migrants arrives
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
27 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
JOSEPH ABELA
Feb 10th, 14:50
Go to my homepage to see the tal-barrani tombs in Zejtun which were discovered years ago but today they were buried again.>>>>>>>http://www.angelfire.com/ma/cop994/<<<<<<
Francis Grech
Feb 10th, 13:02
To all who disapprove with my comment is finding a 400 years old tomb culture or history ,maybe for some persons can we eat history and what culture we Maltese have by trowing all the rubbish on the road ,vandalise flower bed that have been planted on our round abouts to make Malta look a little bit greener,like vandalising the newly erected public conviniens at st-paul twice with in a week and so many many more things,I dont have minded if an oil bore hole has been found or at least even a water hole so people will be able to flush their toilets more frequently if Malta heritage really is interested in looking after our History it only had to look at the state of nazzaret hospital fort st Elmo or St angelo and another thing I have to say to the Marsa Pl counsillor the only thing cultured in Marsa are the 2 horribly looking chimneys that spew all that black dust every day mind you some of our new arrivals dont mind as they blend with the equationm u mur saqqi il-hass tal Marsa. bye .
Joseph N. Attard
Feb 10th, 13:53
1. Part of the meaning of "culture" is being able to express oneself coherently. 2. There was a cultural society in Marsa as long as 55 years ago.3. It would be interesting to learn the origin of the expression "mur saqqi l-hass tal-Marsa", as also of "Qattus it-torok", (see below, contribution at 21.59). Joseph N. Attard, bred in Marsa for my first 22 years.
Ms.D. Galea
Feb 10th, 12:22
I think that the human remains found shoudl be given decent burial and the area disturbed as little as possible. I belive that the Cultural Heritage Act has provisions to protect such underground remains.
M. Cauchi
Feb 10th, 11:52
the recent weather conditions are not helping either, forcing the experts to carry out works in the cold on a day like today which for many others in Malta is a 'holiday'. I'm sure they really are doing their utmost to resume works as quick as possible while preserving as many remains as they can. Good luck on the projects, and great job!
m. borg (slm)
Feb 10th, 14:38
Agree completely, we are christians and bound by our faith to give decent burials. These remains cannotbe left in place and continue with whatever project was in hand.
I don't think that these remains have much historical value but still the right thing has to be done. I guess this is one extra expense the government cannot be crticized for.
Joe Xuereb
Feb 10th, 11:11
In a nutshell - anything, however remotely connected to Turkey and the Turks, is bound to be a non-starter in dear old Malta. The siege was over 400 years ago. Get over it!
While I am here, this is the same mindset that is killing its own language because of its connection to Arabic. Arabic is a wonderful language and Turkey a great country with all the bounty that god sends (you have never seen oranges and pomegranates that big, wheat that high. Because there is no shortage of water. Truly a Garden of Eden. Go and have a look for yourselves.
Lina Caruana
Feb 10th, 11:03
It is possible that knowledge about this cemetry can be found in Turkish archives in historical anti colonial feeling about Malta when Turkish people were housed in Malta by the British.
Victor Rodenas
Feb 10th, 08:56
I wonder what there is beneath the houses at Rabat and Mdina?
Reuben D. Spiteri
Feb 10th, 10:29
DON'T mention it my friend or else they'll dig up the entire city.
Mr Duncan Scerri
Feb 10th, 13:10
Roman ruins were found last time digging went on. Then they quickly put a car park on top of it.
Frederick Frendo
Feb 10th, 07:01
how long will we remain with this site as it is since the works in that part of the project have been suspended while the site is investigated. Thw whole area is in a mess
Franco Farrugia
Feb 10th, 08:08
Let it take as long as it needs. You cannot simply just cover everything because there is the 'project' going on. There has to be a balance, a proper balance! Some people love culture, you know. Not just bread and butter ... and roads and cars!
C Falzon
Feb 10th, 13:16
The works are not suspended at all. They may be hindered but have not come to a stop. There are archaeologists and construction workers working in co-ordination. It will for sure delay the project as the work proceeds more slowly but it has not stopped.
What is not mentioned in the article is that the remains were found more than three weeks ago and the archaeologists have been working at the site since then along with the ongoing road works.
J Azzopardi
Feb 9th, 23:21
Il-Marsa hija mimlija bi fdalijiet storici, l-perjodu jibda minn zmien ir-Rumani fejn il-Marsa kienet l-aktar port kenni fil-Port il-Kbir u fdalijiet ohra ta' zmien il-Medju Evu. ll-Medju Evu f'Malta huwa perjodu li ftit nafu dwaru. Il-problema hi li meta xi fdalijiet jinstabu l-Marsa, peress li hafna minnha hija zona Industrijali, jittiehdu l-ghadam u fdalijiet ohra u jitkompla x-xoghol.
Jekk dan is-sit huwa ta' valur storiku allura jkun ghaqli li dak li instab isir parti mill-progett tal-Menqa u b'hekk meta t-turisti tal-cruise liners jinzlu l-Waterfront ikunu vicin sit storiku. Pero mhux ghat-turisti biss, imma wkoll biex l-istorja taghna issir aktar sinjura.
Grazzi
Josef Azzopardi
Kandidat PL - Kunsill Lokali Marsa
T Mifsud
Feb 10th, 10:20
Not a bad idea
Robert Borg
Feb 10th, 10:44
Like!
Ms.D. Galea
Feb 10th, 12:19
Ghandi Museum reports ta' xi mitt sena ilu id-dar, fejn jindikaw li l area tal- Marsa ta' madwar il-port hi mimlija bi fdalijiet Rumani Hasra li tul iz-zmien,dawn il fdalijiet konvenjentement intesew.
J Azzopardi
Feb 11th, 01:29
@Ms Galea,
Interessanti. Jekk tuza facebook jekk jogghbok sibni bhala Azzopardi Josef. Jien apparti li mill-Marsa, jien ukoll ghalliem ta l-istorja u allura jinteressani hafna r-rapporti li semejt,
Grazzi
Joe Xuereb
Feb 9th, 23:15
Thank goodness the British spared the Turkish Cemetery proper. The desecration of that came later with all those garish building going up to act as a backdrop. Such a shame!
Francis Grech
Feb 9th, 22:39
Don't tell me that Heritage Malta will ask for a detour in that part of the long awaited road so that they will have somethingthat was duged over some 400 years ago to show to the tourist I hope.
Joe Felice-Pace
Feb 10th, 10:01
What a small mind!
Joseph N. Attard
Feb 9th, 21:59
More delays? U t-torok!
T Mifsud
Feb 10th, 10:26
Indeed the Maltese expression "qattus it-torok" starts making sense and takes shape when translating "qattus" meaning cat or its proper slang synonym in this case, pussy. The expression is ingrained in Maltese colloquial language mostly heard in elderly women.
This expression is definitely dying out.
Alfred Grech
Feb 9th, 21:50
Looks like wherever we dig a hole in Malta we'll find some history. Looks like our History is richer than we know or than we think.
Antoine Zammit
Feb 9th, 21:36
Hey, I am not saying thay our heritage should not be safeguarded, whatsoever. Have you got an idea how long this stretch of road have been closed and how much congestion it is causing to other areas of Marsa, Blata l-bajda, Hamrun and surroundings??
When I go abroad I always notice that road works are carried out with minimal disruption, take a fraction of the time for KM's and KM's of road, and nevertheless one meets less traffic disruption and less potholes.
Now we'll see how long will it take to finisht this little bit of road, with the excuse of cultural heritage!!!
Franco Farrugia
Feb 10th, 08:06
So, what do you expect? Just ignore what's found beneath, hekk, as if nothing happened? And ignore the findings?