The police are investigating graffiti that was spray-painted inside L-Għar tal-Mixta, on the Nadur ridge overlooking Ramla Bay.

Photographer Daniel Cilia told the Times of Malta the letters ‘сумьг’ were sprayed in Cyrillic script in two parts of the cave. The word could mean ‘money’ in Russian or ‘arrow’ in Mongolian.

When contacted, the Gozo Ministry said it was aware of the graffiti and had referred the matter to the police “for any action that may be required”.

The Natura 2000 Management Plan report, which flags the cave for its cultural heritage attributes, notes that remains found there indicate it may have served as a troglodytic settlement during the Medieval period or even earlier.

According to heritage expert Edward Said, two Muslim vessels dropped anchor in Ramla l-Ħamra on July 7, 1733 and their crew ravaged the valley in search of supplies, taking a Gozitan family of eight captive.

The view from the cave. Photo: Daniel Cilia

The vulnerability of the bay became evident and the Knights of St John took steps to rectify the problem. A wall of rough stones was built below the water surface right across the width of the bay, a fougasse was excavated and an entrenchment wall constructed.

Part of the wall incorporated the cave, which, apart from being sheltered, could not be seen from the open seas because its mouth overlooked the beach, Mr Said noted.

Two small openings were pierced through the sea-facing flank to accommodate cannon.

It is said that, within the cave, there once existed a concealed staircase accessing the entrenchment wall and fougasse below.

Photo: Daniel Cilia