Historian Godrey Wettinger, who together with Fr Mikiel Fsadni discovered Malta’s oldest piece of literature, Il-Kantilena, in September 1966, died, aged 85.

Born in Mosta, Prof. Wettinger was a founding member and past editor of Melita Historica, and past president of the Malta Historical Society.

He was nominated member of the National Order of Merit in 1996.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo paid tribute to Mr Wettinger on his Facebook page this morning.

His publications include The Jews of Malta in the late Middle Ages, Slavery in the Maltese Islands, Placenames of the Maltese Islands and The Arabs in Malta.

His major publication is the transcription of the University 11 manuscripts at the National Library which was published as Acta Juratorum et Consilii Civitatis et Insulae Maltae.

In a statement, the government expressed condolences.

The university said on its website, it mourned the loss of Prof. Wettinger, a senior fellow who dedicated his entire life to scholarship.

"He was a formidable intellectual and exemplary academic, responsible for many seminal publications, and tutor to many generations of students."