Suspected Phoenician ruins discovered during excavation works in Madliena have turned out to be remnants of a recent vineyard and do not merit protection.

“It would have been a good discovery had it been the case that these were Phoenician ruins,” Superintendent of Cultural Heritage Anthony Pace told the Times of Malta.

He was contacted after residents flagged the excavation works for the development of bungalows in Madliena as having possibly unearthed clues about Malta’s Phoenician past.

The area in Madliena in which residents saw what seemed to be Phoenician cart ruts.

The Phoenicians first settled in Malta around 750BC, ruling it for more than two-and-a-half centuries before relinquishing the islands to the Romans, who had seized control of Malta during the second Punic War in 218BC.

Residents who contacted this newspaper said that uncovered trenches during the works to lay the foundation for the bungalow development “seem to look exactly like cart ruts”.

We thank these residents and DLĦ for their support.There is, however, no compelling reason to stop the development

Dr Pace, however, said that, although the site had been monitored under the supervision of the Superintendence, “unfortunately” no Phoenician remains had been encountered. “The several rock-cut features that you see in the photograph are vine trenches. They seem to be of a recent date. The area seems to have been used for cultivating vines,” he said.

One might think it was a strange one for vineyards, given their absence in the area. “But there was some extensive wine production going on here,” he said.

Dr Pace said the trenches had been drawn, surveyed in detail and mapped. The superintendence has explained to residents who phoned in what has been done and has also briefed cultural heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa, which had first contacted the superintendence.

“We thank these residents and Din l-Art Ħelwa for their continued interest and support. There is, however, no compelling reason to stop the development,” he said.

Some 12 ancient tombs and two catacombs were discovered under a road in Baħrija during works to change the locality’s sewerage system two months ago. The authorities had said these would be “carefully conserved”.