Malta’s strong relationship with the sea goes back centuries. And it is for this reason that the Salesians of Don Bosco and Heritage Malta have produced The Maritime History of Malta, The First Millennia.

The 208-page, colour hard-bound book was edited by Fr Charles Cini SDB and Jonathan Borg. A number of expert authors contribute to the work. Reuben Grima writes about the prehistory of Malta.

The first accounts of history were written with the arrival of the Phoenicians and, later, the Romans, a phase covered by Anthony Bonanno who also explains how Malta became a strategic maritime island.

Historian Charles Dalli addresses the maritime history of Malta and Gozo in the Middle Ages.

Emmanuel Magro Conti and Liam Gauci, curators of the Malta Maritime Museum weave the Knights’ maritime story around a number of known and less known artefacts found at the museum in Vittoriosa.

Joseph Muscat, considered to be among the leading experts on Malta’s maritime history, writes about the traditional Maltese boats found in the many harbours of the archipelago.

The essays are enhanced by some stunning photography by Daniel Cilia.

The book, which sells at €55, will be available from all leading bookshops next week and from Fr Cini at charlescini@gmail.com (tel. 2133 7572/7949 2555).

All funds derived from the book will be in aid St Patrick’s Salesian school.