Ancient tombs and catacombs uncovered during roadworks in Baħrija have been documented and protected, the Cultural Heritage Superintendent has said.
Over the past days, residents raised the alarm with this newspaper that concrete had been dumped over the remains.
When contacted, Superintendent Anthony Pace said the concrete was laid over a protective and reversible backfilling.
The remains were unearthed during sewerage system works on the road linking Baħrija to Rabat that have been going on for more than a year to the increased frustration of residents.
So far, a total of 15 tombs, three catacombs and two historical water galleries have been identified in Triq Għajn Qajjet.
The tombs range in date from the eighth century BC to the Roman period, while the catacombs date to the Christian era, from about the third or fourth century AD.
The water galleries, which run under the tombs found in the road, might have been cut during the British period. The galleries were probably cut out there to exploit the geology of the area, Dr Pace explained.
All features have been protected, mapped and documented, he added.
Dr Pace said that protective backfilling was used in cases where there were no other possible structural solutions to save ancient remains.
It is used to ward off erosion and physical destruction and is reversible. Topping off protective backfilling, either by cement or road surfacing, ensures surface protection, and both the topping and the back-filling can be easily removed if necessary.
Protective backfilling was used in the few cases where roofing could not guarantee the structural stability of the road. In these cases, the tombs were covered in sheets of protective lining and then backfilled with loose material.
No concrete was poured directly into or against the underground chambers, and the cement seen by residents was being laid over the bedrock surface and the protective back-filling, serving as a base for the new road.
Sand bags are also used to protect profiles of irregular features. Throughout, the actual backfilling is supervised by an archaeologist approved by the Superintendence.
The Superintendent noted that, in most cases, a removable precast concrete slab was placed over the features. Manholes will be placed within these slabs for those tombs that do not require backfilling.
Picture: Christopher Cook.