Late Roman and Byzantine Catacombs and Related Burial Places in the Maltese Islands 9780860543893, 9781407345710

Table of contents :
Cover Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
PREFACE
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF PLATES
ABBREVIATIONS
INTRODUCTION
EARLY HISTORY
THE STUDY OF THE MALTESE CATACOMBS
THE MALTESE CATACOMBS CHARACTERISTICS AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
A. SITES IN THE RABAT DISTRICT
B. OTHER SITES IN THE MALTESE ISLANDS SURVEYED BY PARISHES
BURMARRAD
GUDJA
GZIRA
KIRKOP
LUQA
MARSA
MARSASCALA
UNFINISHED HYPOGEUM AT TAL-MATRU
MGARR
MOSTA
MQABBA
MSIDA
NAXXAR
PAOLA
QRENDI
ST. JULIAN'S
ST PAUL’S BAY
SALINA HYPOGEA
SAFI
SIGGIEWI
TARXIEN
ZEBBUG
ZEJTUN
GOZO
APPENDICES
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Citation preview

Late Roman and Byzantine Catacombs and Related Burial Places in the Maltese Islands

Mario Buhagiar

BAR International Series 302

1986

B.A.R.

122 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 7BP, UK

GENERAL EDITORS A.R. Hands, B.Sc., M.A., D.Phil. D.R. Walker, M.A.

B.A.R. -S302, 1986: 'Late Roman and Byzantine Catacombs and Related Burial Places fn the Maltese Islands' © Mario Buhagiar, 1986

The author’s moral rights under the 1988 UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act are hereby expressly asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be copied, reproduced, stored, sold, distributed, scanned, saved in any form of digital format or transmitted in any form digitally, without the written permission of the Publisher. ISBN 9780860543893 paperback ISBN 9781407345710 e-book DOI https://doi.org/10.30861/9780860543893 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library This book is available at www.barpublishing.com

C ONTENTS P age

P reface L ist o f F igures L ist o f P lates

x i x iii x ix

A bbreviations

x xiii

I NTRODUCTION T he P hysical C haracteristics E arly H istory

1 2

T he S tudy o f

7

t he M altese C atacombs

T HE MALTESE C ATACOMBS:

C HARACTERISTICS A ND G ENERAL C ONSIDERATIONS

T he P hoenician a nd P unico-Hellenistic R ock-Graves

1 3

R ock-Pillows a nd H ead-Rests T he L ate R oman R ock-Graves T he H ypogea

1 7 1 8 1 8

T he T omb-Types

1 9

S ealing-Slabs a nd O ther B locking A rrangements W ater P roofing a nd D raining A rrangements M enolithic S tone D oors

2 4 2 5 2 6

B urial A rrangements

2 6

R e-Utilisation o f T ombs C hristian a nd N on-Christian H ypogea T he ' Agape-Tables

2 9 2 9 2 9

N iches, L ampholes a nd L ight-Wells T he D ecoration o f t he H ypogea

3 4 3 7

I nscriptions D ating t he H ypogea

3 8 3 8

O wnership o f

4 2

A .

t he H ypogea

. SITES I N T HE R ABAT D ISTRICT H AL B AJJADA : S t. S t.

P aul C atacomb A gatha C atacombs

S S.

P aul/Agatha C atacombs

4 9 6 9 9 4

S t. V enera C atacombs

1 47

S t. A ugustine C luster S qaq I x-Xatba H ypogeum

1 48 1 54

C ircular H ypogeum i n S t. A gatha S treet P rivate H ypogeum n ear S t. A gatha C hurch H ypogea t o t he W est o f S t. A gatha C hurch

1 54 1 57 1 57

S T.

P AUL'S P ARISH C HURCH A REA :

C ivic C entre H ypogea S an C atald C atacomb D omesticus T omb

1 58 1 60 1 66

G reek's G ate H ypogeum

1 67

P age H AL P ILATU: S tivala H ypogeum

1 68

P rimary S chool H ypogea H ypogea i n F ield A djoining S trada C ollegio

1 68 1 71

E YTYCHIANOY C atacomb A SCANIUS C atacomb

1 72 1 73

S trada S anta M aria H ypogeum

1 73

T AC-CAGHQI: T a

M arcell H ypogeum

1 74

W indmill H ill H ypogea S t.

T homas/St.

1 77

P ius V S treets H ypogea

1 77

T ac-Caghqi F ield H ypogeum

1 81

T ac-Caghqi H ill H ypogeum

1 82

S econdary S chool H ypogea S chool E xtension H ypogeum

1 82 1 90

S t.

1 91

T rophimus/St.

P ius V S treets H ypogeum

H orses' Hypogeum T ALVIRTU - S T.

1 91 D OMINIC'S C ONVENT AREA:

T al Virtu C atacomb C atacomb o f

S .

1 93

M aria d ella G rotta

F amily H ypogeum a t

t he b ack o f

S t.

1 94 D ominic's

S quare

1 97

T ac-Cawla H ypogeum

1 98

V illa M essina T omb

2 00

B IR I R-RIEHBU: A bbatija

t ad-Dejr

2 01

H ypogea t o t he N orth-West o f A bbatija t ad-Dejr B ir i r-Riehbu S treet H ypogeum

2 15 2 16

O UTLYING S ITES: K ibur i l-Lhud B ahrija T ombs

B .

2 17 2 18

B oschetto G ardens H ypogeum

2 20

G har B arca H ypogeum

2 20

G ahjn K lieb C luster

2 21

G ahjn Q ajjed H ypogea

2 22

O THER S ITES

I N T HE MALTESE I SLANDS S URVEYED B Y P ARISHES

A TTARD 2 37

V alletta R oad H ypogeum B IRZEBBUGA T ombs

a t

i x-Xaghra t al-Kaccatura

T ombs a t H al F ar

2 37 2 39

v i

P age B URMARRAD S an P awl M ilqi H ypogeum

2 44

G UDJA H al R esqun H ypogeum T al-Kappelli H ypogeum

2 46 2 50

G ZIRA Q asam i l-Fawwara H ypogeum

2 50

KALKARA X aghra t a

S anta D uminka H ypogea

2 50

K IRKOP S qaq

t al-Harruba H ypogeum

S afi R .A .F.

2 54

S tation T omb

2 56

L UQA I ngieret H ypogeum I

2 57

I ngieret H ypogeum I I W ied i l-Knejjes H ypogeum

2 58 2 60

MARSA G rand H arbour H ypogea

2 60

J esuits'

2 61

W ied

H ill H ypogea

i lGonna H ypogeum

2 67

MARSASCALA G zira t a' S an T umas H ypogeum U nfinished H ypogeum a t T al-Matru

2 68 2 70

M ELLIEHA M ellieha R idge

2 70

C aves

2 71

M istra V alley H ypogea M GARR

2 72

B ingemma H ypogea M OSTA B istra H ypogea

2 93

T al-Ghammariet H ypogeum M israh G honoq H ypogeum

3 09

W ied i l-Ghasel H ypogeum T orre C umbo H ypogeum

3 10 3 11

3 10

v ii

P age M QABBA T al-Mintna H ypogea

3 11

T al-Kandja H ypogeum

3 21

M SIDA S uspected H ypogeum b ehind

t he C hurch o f

t he

3 24

I mmaculate C onception N AXXAR S t.

P aul's

B ay R oad H ypogeum

3 24

P AOLA S ammat

S treet H ypogeum

3 24

Q RENDI M aghlaq H ypogea S an N iklaw T omb S T.

3 27 3 25

J ULIAN'S

T al-Ballut T ombs S T.

3 37

P AUL'S B AY

S alina H ypogea

3 38

S AFI T al-Liebru H ypogeum H lantun H ypogea

3 50 3 56

» Ghar t as-Simplici

3 57

S t. G eorge's S treet T omb B irmigga T ombs

3 58 3 59

S IGGIEWI S uspected H ypogeum i n t he P arish b oundaries

3 59

T ARXIEN S t.

M ary S treet H ypogeum

3 60

R ock S treet H ypogeum

3 61

S alib

3 61

t ad-Dejma H ypogeum

Z EBBUG W ied Q irda H ypogeum

3 62

v iii

P age Z EJTUN S trada G iardino B otanico H ypogea

3 65

Q asam i l-Barrani T ombs T orre M amo T omb

3 66 3 70

G OZO G har G erduf C ave o f S t. P aul S annat T omb

3 70 3 71 3 72

P ossible S ites

3 73

A PPENDICES C atalogue o f I nscriptions C atalogue o f H ypogea w ith ' Agape-tables C atalogue o f P ainted a nd C arved D ecorations a nd o f

3 92 4 05 4 10

I conographical m otifs B IBLIOGRAPHY

4 23

P REFACE

T his s tudy i s t he r esult o f r esearch u ndertaken b etween 1 977 a nd 1 981 w hich f ormed t he b asis o f a t hesis s ubmitted f or t he d egree o f M aster o f P hilosophy i n t he U niversity o f L ondon i n 1 982. I t a ttempts t o

g roup t ogether t he r ecorded l ate R oman a nd B yzantine C atacombs

r elated b urial p laces d istribution, t ypology,

a nd

o f t he M altese I slands a nd t o s tudy t heir c arvings, f ragmentary p aintings a nd i nscrip-

t ions. T he d escriptions a re, w here p ossible, b ased o n a p ersonal i nvestigation o ften c arried o ut a gainst c onsiderable o dds b ecause o f t he d eplorable s tate o f n eglect p revailing a t m ost s ites s ome o f w hich h ave b een r educed t o r ubbish d umps.

T his m ade t he t aking o f

d rawings d ifficult a nd s ome o f t he p lans w hen t he s ites a re p roperly c leaned.

m easured

a nd s ections m ay n eed r evision E xtensive u se w as m ade o f

o riginal e xcavation r eports a nd o f t he m anuscript n otes o f F . V assallo, T hemistocles Z ammit a nd P .F. B ellanti a s w ell a s o f p lans, d rawings a nd p hotographs

a nd o ther m aterial a t

V alletta.

T he

t he N ational M useum o f

A rchaeology,

s tudy s hould s trictly b e r egarded a s a p reliminary

o r

i nterim r eport. M uch i n f act r emains t o b e d one. W ith a f ew e xcept ions t he f inds f rom t he v arious s ites s till a wait i dentification a nd c ataloguing a nd b etter a nalogies n eed t o b e d rawn w ith S icily, N aples, R ome, N orth A frica a nd e lsewhere. T here i s a lso m uch s cope f or a p roper

a rchaeological i nvestigation o f m ost s ites.

O nly t hen c an t he

M altese c atacombs b e p roperly a ssessed a nd d ated. T he

v ery

i mportant

s ource m aterial a t t he

N ational

A rchaeology w as g enerously p ut a t m y d isposal b y t he T ancred G ouder, D . L itt ( Rome), w ho o n m any o ccasions

M useum

o f

c urator, M r l iterally w ent

o ut o f h is w ay t o o ffer h elp a nd a dvice. A nother i nvaluable c ollaborat ion w as t hat o f D r J oyce R eynolds o f N ewham C ollege C ambridge w ho k indly r ead a nd i nterpreted m any o f t he G reek a nd L atin i nscriptions f rom

t he

c atacombs.

D r

R ichard R eece o f

t he

L ondon

I nstitute

o f

A rchaeology g ave e ncouraging a dvice t hroughout a nd s pured m e o n w hen d ifficulties a ppeared u n-surmountable. T hat t he w ork i s f inally c oncluded i s I

t o a l arge e xtent

a lso

t o h is c redit.

o we a s pecial d ebt

o f

g ratitude

t o D un

G wann

A zzopardi,

c urator o f t he C athedral M useum a t M dina, w ho u sed h is t act t o p ersuade t he p rivate o wners o f h ypogea i n t he R abat a rea t o a llow m e t o i nspect t hem a nd d raw t hem ; t o F r V ictor C amilleri M .S.S.P., c urator o f t he S t A gatha M useum a t R abat f or p ermission t o s urvey t he S t A gatha C atacombs a nd t o s tudy a nd d raw t he p ottery f ragments w hich h e d iscovered d uring h is e xploration o f t hem; t o F r M arius Z erafa 0 .P., t he p resent D irector o f M useums, w ho h as a lways t aken a g reat p ersonal i nterest i n m y w ork; t o M r E ric Z ammit B . P harm, M r J . S chembri A dami a nd M r J . F alzon M .A. w ho a ccompanied m e o n m y v isits t o t he s ites a nd h elped w ith p hotog raphs

a nd

t ranslated

d rawing o f w hole

p lans;

a nd

t o D r R .

P orsella F lores

p assages f rom B ecker s M alta S otterranea

G erman w orks.

x i

L L.D. a nd

w ho

o ther

F .X .

A cknowledgements a re a lso d ue t o C apt. C .G. Z ammit F .S.A. a nd M r M allia F .S.A . f ormer D irectors o f t he M alta M useum , t o t he g uides

a nd s taff o f t he N ational M useum, t o D un M ario A gius, t o M r F .X. P orsella F lores a nd l ast b ut n ot l east t o M r a nd M rs A . D ebono w ho k indly p ut t heir t ypewriter a t m y d isposal w hen m ine b roke d own. M y g reatest d ebt i s, h owever, t o t wo p ersons w ho a re v ery d ear t o m e. F irst m y f ather, M r L eone B uhagiar, a f ine d raughtsman, w ho s pent m any l ong h ours c orrecting a nd r e-drawing m y p lans a s w ell a s c opying o ld o nes w hich a re r eproduced i n t his s tudy. S econdly m y w ife L iliana w ho p atiently p ut u p w ith f ive y ears o f r esearch a nd d id a g reat d eal t yping, c hecking a nd r e-typing o ften a t g reat p ersonal s acrifice. h er m y d ebt i s g reat.

M ario B uhagiar J anuary 1 986

x ii

o f T o

L IST O F F IGURES F IG.

P age

1 .

M ap o f t he M altese I slands B yzantine b urial s ites

2 .

N ecropolis o f P unico-Hellenistic s haft-graves a t T acC aghqi, R abat

1 5

3 .

T he d evelopment o f

1 6

4 .

T he d ifferent t omb-types o f

5 a. 5 b.

s howing t he m ain L ate R oman a nd

t he M altese e arly-Christian h ypogeum t he M altese h ypogea

R ichly c arved s addle-backed b aldacchino a t

1 2

2 1

S alina 5

2 2

C arving a nd g raffiti o f s even-branched c andlesticks a t S S. P aul/Agatha 1 3

5 c.

M onolithic s tone-door w ith l ocking a rrangement a t S S. P aul/Agatha 1 0

6 .

C rosses a nd c ross m onograms

3 1

7 .

F ragments o f p aintings

3 2

8 .

C arvings

f rom e arly-Christian s ites

( 1)

3 5

9 .

C arvings f rom e arly-Christian s ites

( 2)

3 6

1 0.

S ome

1 1.

L amps f rom t he M altese h ypogea

1 2.

L ate R oman a nd B yzantine b urial B ir i r-Riehbu, R abat

1 3.

G eneral

1 4.

H alls A a nd B a t S t.

1 5.

H ypogea I ,

1 6.

H ypogea I V,

1 7.

c arvings o f

G eneral

p lan o f

S t.

f rom t he R abat

t he S t.

V a t S t.

s ites

3 9 4 0

s ites a t H al B ajjada a nd

P aul C atacombs

S t.

6 1

P aul C atacombs

6 2

P aul C atacombs

t he S t.

5 0

5 3

P aul C atacombs

I II a t

p lan o f

H ypogea 1 , 1 8.

I I,

t ools

6 6

A gatha C atacombs

a nd p lans

o f

7 1

a nd 2

A gatha C atacombs:

t he c ave-church, 4 ,

( a)

p lan a nd

s ectional e levation o f

7 2

( b)-(c) p ainted n iche i n H ypogeum 3

1 9.

H ypogea 3 ,

5 a t

S t.

A gatha C atacombs

2 0.

F ragments o f o il l amps f rom H ypogeum 5 a t

7 7 S t.

A gatha

7 8

C atacombs 2 1.

H ypogea 6 ,

7 ,

8 ,

9 a t

S t.

A gatha C atacombs

8 3

F IG.

P age

2 2.

H ypogea 1 0,

1 1 a t S t. A gatha C atacombs

8 4

2 3.

H ypogea 1 3,

1 4,

1 5 a t

S t. A gatha C atacombs

8 7

2 4.

H ypogea 1 6,

1 7,

1 8 a t S t. A gatha C atacombs

8 8

2 5.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 3 :

p lan

9 7

2 6.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 3 :

s ections a nd d etails

9 8

2 7.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 6 :

p lan

1 03

2 8.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 6 :

s ections a nd d etails

1 04

2 9.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 7 :

p lan

1 07

3 0.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 7 :

s ections

1 08

3 1.

H ypogea 4 , 8 , 9 i n t he S t.

P aul/Agatha C luster

11

3 2.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 0:

p lan ,

s ection a nd d etails

12

3 3.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 2:

p lan,

s ection a nd d etails

15

3 4.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 2:

s ections a nd d etails

16

3 5.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 3:

p lan,

19

3 6.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 4:

p lan a nd d etail

1 20

3 7.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 4:

s ections

1 23

3 8.

I conographic m otifs a nd i nscriptions i n S S.

3 9.

H ypogea 1 1,

1 5 i n t he S S.

4 0.

H ypogea 1 6,

1 7a,

4 1.

S S.

4 2.

s ection a nd d etails

P aul/Agatha C luster

1 7b i n t he S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 8:

P aul/Agatha 1 4

P aul/Agatha C luster

1 24 1 27 1 28

p lan

1 31

S S. P aul/Agatha 1 8:

s ections

1 32

4 3.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 9:

p lan

1 35

4 4a.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 9:

s ections

1 36

4 4b.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 2 0:

p lan

4 5.

H ypogea 2 2a,

2 2b i n t he S S.

4 6.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 2 3:

p lan

1 45

4 7.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 2 3:

s ections

1 46

4 8.

H ypogea 1 ,

2 i n t he S t.

P aul/Agatha C luster

A ugustine C luster

xi v

1 41

1 49

F IG.

P age

4 9a.

H ypogeum 3 i n t he S t.

4 9b.

P rivate H ypogeum a t H al B ajjada

5 0.

A ugustine C luster

H ypogea t o t he e ast o f

1 50

S t.

A gatha C hurch:

p lan a nd

1 55

S t.

A gatha C hurch:

s ections

1 56

s ections 5 1. 5 2.

H ypogea t o t he e ast o f S .

C atald H ypogeum:

( a) p lan;

( b) d rawing o f t he c entral

1 61

s ection 5 3.

T he H al P ilatu h ypogea: ( b)

( a)

P rimary s chool H ypogeum I ;

1 62

P rimary S chool H ypogeum I I

5 4a.

L ate R oman a nd B yzantine B urial S ites a t T ac-Caghqi,

5 4b.

T he T a

R abat

1 75

M arcell H ypogeum a t T ac-Caghqi

5 5.

T ac-Caghqi:

S t.

T homas/St.

P ius V s treets H ypogea 1 ,

2 ,

3

1 79

5 6.

T ac-Caghqi:

S t.

T homas/St.

P ius V S treets H ypogea 4 ,

5 ,

6

1 80

5 7.

T ac-Caghqi

5 8.

T ac-Caghqi F ield H ypogeum :

F ield H ypogeum :

p lan a nd s ection

1 83

s ections

1 84

T ac-Caghqi

S econdary

5 9b.

T ac-Caghqi

S econdary S chool S outh-East H ypogeum :

c arvings

S econdary S chool S outh-East H ypogeum :

p lan a nd

o f 6 0.

S chool N orth-West H ypogeum:

p lan

5 9a.

1 87

t ools

T ac-Caghqi

1 88

d etails 6 1.

T ac-Caghqi:

S t.

T rophimus/St.

P ius V S treets H ypogeum :

1 92

p lan a nd s ection 6 2a.

-L ate

S t.

R oman a nd B yzantine B urial s ites D ominic's C onvent A rea, R abat

6 2b.

P lan o f

t he r ock-cut

c hurch o f

6 2c.

T he S t.

M ary S treet H ypogeum :

6 3.

T he S t.

D ominic's C onvent a rea:

S .

i n t he T al Virtu -

1 95

M aria t al-Virtu

p lan,

s ections a nd d etail

( a) V illa M essina t omb;

1 96

( b) O il l amps f rom V illa M essina t omb; ( c) P unicoH ellenistic t omb i n S t. D ominic's S quare; ( d) h ypogeum a t t he b ack o f S t. •6 4.

D ominic's

S quare

T he T ac-Cawla H ypogeum i n B oschetto R d.,

R abat

1 99

6 5.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr H ypogeum 1 :

p lan a nd s ections

2 03

6 6.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr Hypogeum I :

d etails

2 04

XV

F IG. 6 7.

P age A bbatija t ad-Dejr: ( c)

H ypogeum I I;

( a)

( d)

s ite p lan ;

t he

( b)

t he C hapel;

2 09

' Rectangle'

6 8.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr:

6 9.

R abat, R ural S ites: ( a) H ypogea a t B ahrija a nd B oschetto; ( b) G hajn K lieb H ypogeum

2 19

7 0.

G hajn Q ajjed H ypogeum I : h ypogeum ; ( b) s ite p lan

2 23

7 1.

G hajn Q ajjed H ypogeum I I:

7 2.

B irzebbuga. ( a)

7 3.

T omb I ;

B irzebbuga, 4 ;

( d)

B urmarrad.

7 5.

G udja S ites: H ypogeum

7 6.

G zira.

7 7.

K alkara.

7 9.

( a)

( b) H ypogeum I V

s ite p lan a nd p lan o f

p lan a nd s ection

2 24

B urial s ites a t i x-Xaghra t al-Kaccatura: ( b)

T omb 2 ;

( c)

H al F ar T ombs:

2 10

2 41

t he h ypogeum ( a) T omb 2 ;

( b) - ( c) T ombs 3 ,

2 42

s hip-graffito i n T omb 3

7 4.

7 8.

( a) H ypogeum I II;

S an P awl M ilqi H ypogeum

2 45

( a) H al R esqun H ypogeum ;

( b) T al-Kappelli

Q asam i l-Fawwara H ypogeum T he X aghra t a

K irkop

S ites:

R .A .F.

S tation H ypogeum

L uqa S ites:

( a)

( a)

- ( b)

2 51

S anta D uminka H ypogea

S qaq

t al-Harruba H ypogeum ;

I ngieret I ;

2 47

( c)

2 53 ( b)

S afi

I ngieret I I;

( d)

2 55

2 59

W ied i l-Knejjes H ypogeum 8 0.

M arsa, J esuit H ill:

8 1.

M arsa,

8 2.

( a) H ypogeum I I;

J esuit H ill H ypogeum I II:

M arsascala S ites:

( a)

( b) H ypogeum I II

s ections

2 63 2 64

S an T umas H ypogeum ;

( b) u nfinished

2 69

M garr, B ingemma H ypogea: ( a) p anoramic v iew o f t he h ypogea; ( b) - ( c) t wo o f t he c haracteristic w indow-tombs

2 75

h ypogeum a t T al-Matru 8 3.

o f

t he h ypogea

8 4.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogea 1 ,

8 5.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 5 ;

( b) H ypogeum 6

2 79

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 7 ;

( b)

t he m inor

2 80

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 1 0;

( b) H ypogeum

2 83

8 6. • 8 7.

2 ;

( b) H ypogeum 4

2 76

h ypogea M garr, 1 3

xvi

F IG.

P age

8 8.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 1 7;

8 9.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

H ypogeum 1 8

2 87

9 0.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

H ypogeum 2 0

2 88

9 1.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 2 2;

9 2.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

H ypogeum 2 3

9 3.

M garr,

B ingemma H ypogea:

( a) H ypogeum 2 4;

2 6;

( b) H ypogeum 1 9

( b) H ypogeum 2 3

( b) H ypogeum

2 92

( c) H ypogeum 2 7

M osta,

B istra H ypogea:

g eneral p lan

9 5.

M osta,

B istra H ypogea:

( a) d etails o f w indow-tombs;

H ypogea 1 ,

2 ;

( c) H ypogeum 3 ;

9 6.

M osta,

B istra H ypogea:

9 7.

M osta,

B istra H ypogea:

9 ,

1 0;

( c) H ypogea 1 1,

M osta,

B istra H ypogea:

2 3 - 2 6; 9 9.

2 89 2 90

9 4.

9 8.

2 84

M osta,

2 95 ( b)

H ypogeum 4

3 00

( a) H ypogea 6 , 1 2;

2 99

( d) H ypogeum 5

7 ;

( b) H ypogea 8 ,

3 01

( d) H ypogea 1 3-17

( a) H ypogea 1 9 - 2 2;

( b) H ypogea

3 02

( b) H ypogea

3 07

( c) H ypogea 2 7 - 3 1

B istra H ypogea:

( a) H ypogea 3 2 - 3 9;

4 0 - 4 4 1 00. 1 01.

M osta.

H ypogea a t T al-Ghammariet a nd a t M israh G honoq

3 08

M qabba,

T al-Mintna H ypogeum I :

3 15

p lan a nd d etails o f

w indow-tombs 1 02.

M qabba,

T al-Mintna H ypogea I a nd I I:

'1 03.

M qabba,

T al-Mintna H ypogeum I I:

1 04. -M qabba,

s ections

p lan a nd d etails

T al-Mintna H ypogeum I II:

p lan,

3 16 3 17

s ections a nd

3 18

s ections a nd d etails

3 22

d etails 1 05.

M qabba,

1 06.

P aola,

1 07.

Q rendi.

1 08.

Q rendi,

1 09a.

Q rendi.

1 09b.

S t.

T al-Kandja H ypogeum :

p lan,

S ammat S treet H ypogeum :

p lan a nd s ections

M aghlaq H ypogea 1 a nd 2 : T al-Maghlaq.

T he m inor h ypogea

T he S an N iklaw T omb

J ulian's.

p lan a nd s ections

T al-Ballut T ombs

xvii

3 25 3 29 3 30 3 36

F IG.

P age

1 10.

S t. ( b)

P aul's B ay, T he S alina N ecropolis: g eneral p lan; ( c) H ypogeum 1

( a) s ite p lan ;

1 11.

S t.

P aul's B ay,

T he S alina N ecropolis:

H ypogea 2 ,

1 12.

S t.

P aul's

T he S alina N ecropolis:

H ypogea 5 a nd 1 5

1 13.

S afi,

1 14.

S afi s ites: ( a) m inor h ypogea

1 15.

T arxien. H ypogeum

1 16.

Z ebbug.

W ied Q irda H ypogeum

3 64

1 17.

Z ejtun.

H ypogea i n S trada G iardino B otanico a nd a t Q asam

3 67

B ay,

T al-Liebru H ypogeum :

p lans a nd s ections

c ross m onograms a t T al-Liebru;

M id-19th c entury d rawing o f

i l-Barrani

3 , 4 ,

3 43

7

3 44 3 47 3 53

( b)

t he

t he S alib t ad-Dejma

3 54

3 63

( 1)

1 18.

n S trada G iardino B otanico a nd a t Q asam Z ejtun. H ypogea i i l-Barrani ( 2)

3 68

1 19.

I nscriptions

4 03

1 20.

I nscriptions f rom t he M altese h ypogea

f rom t he M altese h ypogea ( 1) ( 2)

4 04

L IST O F P LATES P LATE l a.

T he p artly c leared s haft o f a P unico-Hellenistic g rave s howing t he e ntrance t o t he b urial-chamber

l b.

R emains o f a mphorae a nd o ther p ottery w ares f rom a P unico-Hellenistic g rave u nder e xcavation

2 a.

A W indow-tomb i n a s mall h ypogeum a t T a

2 b.

D etail o f t he c hamber o f a w indow-tomb s howing t he h eadr ecess, h ead-rests a nd p yramidal l amp-hole

3 a.

A p lug-door t hat s topped t he e ntrance t o a b urial-chamber a t S S. P aul/Agatha 3

3 b.

A s ealing-slab o f 3

4 a-b.

A gape-tables a t

K andja,

a n a rcosolium-tomb a t S S.

S S.

M qabba

P aul/Agatha

P aul/Agatha 3

5 a.

D etail o f o rnate n iche a t M intna 3 , M qabba

5 b.

S mall h alf c olumn f lanking t he e ntrance t o a w indow-tomb i n a p rivately o wned h ypogeum a t H al B ajjada, R abat

6 a.

S t. A gatha 1 3. D etail o f t riclinium-hall ' bb' s howing w indow-door t o c ubicle ' d' a nd p art o f p lug-door

6 b.

S t.

A gatha 1 7.

A rched d oorway a t t he b ottom o f

t he

e ntrance s teps w ith l arge g raffito o f s even-branched c andlestick b y t he l eft j amb 7 a.

S S. P aul/Agatha 3 . S quare h eaded d oorway w ith r ebates f or t he s ealing-slabs e xcavated a t t he b ack o f a t riclinium a nd g iving a ccess t o s hort c orridor V III

7 b.

S S. P aul/Agatha 3 . A rched w indow-tombs ' 21-22 , i n t riclinium-hall V II, o pening o n t omb ' 25' i n z one I X

8 a.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 3 .

P lain r ectangular o pening

t o w indow-

t omb ' 19' i n g allery V I 8 b.

S S.

P aul/Agatha 3 .

A rched n iches ' 3'

- ' 4' a bove d oorway

t o c hamber I II i n a nteroom ' b' 9 a.

9 b.

S S. P aul/Agatha 1 2. D etail o f b aldacchino-tomb ' 4' w ith a rcosolium ' 11' i n t he b ackground S S.

P aul/Agatha 1 2.

w indow-tomb ' 16' 1 0a.

R udely c ut

r ectangular o pening

t o

i n z one I II

S S. P aul/Agatha 2 3. S teps a nd w indow-door t o c hamber w ith t he ' three a rcosolium a rrangement' a t t he w estern e nd o f

t he s haft

xi x

P LATE 1 0b.

S S. P aul/Agather 2 3. D etail o f w est-wall o f t ricliniumh all s howing t ombs a rranged i n t iers a nd p art o f a p lugd oor

ha.

T ac-Caghqi S econdary S chool N orth-West H ypogeum : ' Agapet able c ut i n a r ectangular b lock o f g lobigerina l imestone a nd f itted i n a s hallow t rench o n t he r aised f loor

1 1b.

T ac-Caghqi

S econdary S chool N orth-West H ypogeum:

D etail

o f t riclinium-hall ' c' s howing w indow-tomb ' 8' a nd p art o f c ircular t able 1 2a.

S t. T homas/St. P ius V S treets H ypogea: O ld p hotograph ( pre-1906) o f t he s ite b efore i t w as d eveloped f or h ousing

1 2b.

T he S t. T rophimus/St. P ius V S treets H ypogeum i n t he c ourse o f i ts i nvestigation i n 1 977. P hoto F .S. M allia

1 3a-b.

1 4a.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr: T he s tructural r emains i n f ront o f t he h ypogea i mmediately a fter e xcavation i n J uly 1 933 A bbatija t ad-Dejr:

T he h ypogea i n 1 967 b efore t heir

n atural e nvironment w as r uined b y h ousing d evelopment 1 4b.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr: A p artially r econstructed b aldacchino-tomb a s s een f rom t he v estibule o f H ypogeum I

1 5a.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr H ypogeum I :

B aldacchino-tomb ' 20'

1 5b.

A bbatija t ad-Dejr H ypogeum I :

O rnate c eiling o f

b aldacchino-tomb ' 24' d ecorated w ith c ross m onogram a nd p seudotransennen' r elief 1 6a-b.

B irzebbuga.

X aghra t al-Kaccatura T omb 1

1 7.

H al R esqun H ypogeum: t omb

T he e ntrance t o a r ichly d ecorated

1 8a.

T he B ingemma H ypogea

1 8b.

T he e ntrance t o a h ypogeum i n t he B ingemma c luster

1 9a.

T he e ntrances t o h ypogea 1 6 a nd 1 7 i n t he B ingemma c luster

1 9b.

D etail o f

a w indow-tomb i n a t all a rched f rame i n

B ingemma H ypogeum 1 0 2 0.

O ld p hotograph ( c.1900)

o f

a d etail o f t he s ite

XX

t he T al-Bistra H ypogea s howing

P LATE 2 1a.

T al-Mintna,

H ypogeum I :

O rnate w indow-tombs ' 9'-'10

i n

g allery ' bb' 2 1b.

T al-Mintna, H ypogeum I : b ack o f g allery ' aa'

2 2a.

T al-Mintna,

O rnate w indow-tomb ' 3' a t t he

H ypogeum I I:

D etail o f

t riclinium-hall

s howing p art o f t he ' agape-table' f lanked b y t wo s eats 2 2b.

T al-Mintna,

H ypogeum I I:

D etail o f

t riclinium-hall

s howing t wo s erried r ows o f p yramidal l amp-holes i n w all f acing t he ' agape-table' 2 3a.

T al-Mintna, H ypogeum I I: W indow-tomb ' 4' a nd a rched o pening t o a n u nfinished g allery

2 3b.

T al-Mintna, H ypogeum I II: O rnate n iche b etween t wo s lightly p rojecting p ilasters

2 4a.

T al-Kandja H ypogeum:

S teps l eading d own t o t he h ypogeum

2 4b.

T al-Kandja H ypogeum : c ross i n t he c eiling

T he r emains o f a n i nscribed G reek

2 5a.

T al-Kandja H ypogeum : w indow-tomb ' 7'

C ross-marked b osses t o t he l eft o f

2 5b.

T al-Kandja H ypogeum :

G raffito o f

a p alm-frond o n t he

r ight-hand p ilaster o f w indow-tomb ' 7' 2 6a.

X aghra t al-Maghlaq H ypogea :

D oorway t o M aghlaq

2 6b.

X aghra t al-Maghlaq H ypogea:

D oorway t o M aghlaq I I

2 7a.

X aghra t al-Maghlaq H ypogea:

W indow-tombs ' 2' a nd ' 3'

2 7b.

X aghra t al-Maghlaq H ypogea:

W indow-tomb ' 10'

2 8a.

-

T he S alina H ypogea:

D etail o f

I

t he ' Rectangle'

2 8b.

T he S alina H ypogea: A n o pen a ir t omb o utside t he p recincts o f t he ' Rectangle'

2 9a.

T he S alina H ypogea:

E ntrance t o H ypogeum 4

2 9b.

T he S alina H ypogea:

E ntrance t o H ypogeum 1 5

3 0a.

T he S alina H ypogea:

E ntrance t o H ypogeum 5

T he S alina H ypogea:

D etail s howing p art o f o rnate

3 0b.

s addle-back t omb i n H ypogeum 5 3 1a.

T orre M amo H ypogeum:

B uilt d oorway t o t he r ock-cut

c hamber

xxi

P LATE 3 1b.

T orre M amo H ypogeum : D etail o f t he b urial-chamber s howing t he a rched n iche i n t he b ack w all a nd p art o f t he t rench i n t he m iddle o f t he f loor

A BBREVIATIONS B .

M us.

M alta

B ulletin o f t he M useum,

B .S.R.

P apers

D ossiers

L es d ossiers d e l 'archgologie

J .R .S.

J ournal o f

M .A .M .

S ee M issione

M .A .R.

M useum A nnual R eports,

M edieval M alta

M edieval M alta - S tudies o n M alta b efore t he K nights ( ed. A .T. L uttrell), L ondon 1 975

M .G.G.

M alta G overnment G azette

N .A.M .

N ational M useum o f A rchaeology,

M issione

M issione A rchaeologica I taliana a M alta: R apporto p reliminare d ella C ampagne 1 963 8 v ols M .A.M .)

o f

M alta

t he B ritish S chool i n R ome

R oman S tudies

M alta

( Rome 1 964-1973).

M alta

( etc.)

C ited a s M issione

1 963 e tc.

N. L.M .

N ational L ibrary o f M alta

S. T.O.M.

S unday T imes o f M alta

T. O.M .

T imes o f M alta

Z. D.M.G.

Z eitschrift d er D eutschen M orgenländischen G esellschaft ( Leipzig - W iesbaden).

( or

I NTRODUCTION

T HE P HYSICAL C HARACTERISTICS T he M altese a rchipelago c onsisting o f t wo p rincipal i slands, M alta a nd G ozo, a nd a n umber o f s maller, u n-inhabited o nes, C omino, C ominotto a nd F ilfla, l ies i n t he n arrow c hannel j oining t he e astern a nd w estern b asins

o f

t he M editerranean,

8 0 k ilometres s outh o f t he n earest

l and

f all i n S icily a nd s ome 3 80 k ilometres s outh o f T unis. M alta a nd G ozo c over 2 43 a nd 6 9 s quare k ilometres r espectively; t he o thers a re m uch s maller. T hey a re f ormed e ntirely o f s edimentary r ocks d eposited a t t he b ottom o f a w arm s hallow s ea d uring t he O ligo-Miocene e ra o f t he T ertiary c ation

p eriod f rom

G reensand

( Zammit-Maempel

t op

t o

( 16m),

b ottom

1 977, i s

p .18).

U pper

B lue C lay ( 75m).

T he h orizontal s tratifi-

C oralline

L imestone

G lobigerina L imestone

( 175m),

( 227m),

L ower

C oralline L imestone ( 120m [ visible]).* T his s imple s andwich h as b een s hattered b y t ectonic d isturbances r esulting i n a s eries o f f aults t hat r un a cross t he i slands t hrowing r ocks i nto a s uccession o f r idges a nd d epressions. T hey a lso f orm i nlets w hich o ften m ake g ood h arbours. T he l argest f ault, k nown a ppropriately a s t he G reat F ault, d ivides t he n orth

o f

M alta f rom t he d ensely p opulated s outh a nd g ives

r ise

s teep e scarpment w hich i s n aturally d efensive a nd w as i n f act b y t he V ictoria L ines T he

v arious

f ashioned;

i n t he s econd h alf

t ypes

o f

t hey a lso d ecay

o f

l imestone a re

t o

a

f ortified

t he 1 9th c entury. n ormally

i nto f ertile s oil.

e asily

T he m ost

c ut

i mportant

a nd i s

G lobigerina w hich e xtends o ver t wo-third's o f M alta's s urface a rea a nd i s e specially a bundant i n t he s outh-east p art o f t he i sland. I t i s c omposed

a lmost e ntirely o f

d eep y ellow i n c olour

a nd

s hell m olluscs a nd i s

i deal

s oft,

f or b uilding p urposes.

f ine

g rained,

U pper a nd L ower

C oralline L imestone, w hich v aries i n c olour f rom n early r ed t o c ream o r g rey, i s g enerally l ess c ompact, m uch h arder, a nd o ften c rystalline o r s emi c rystalline i n s tructure. U pper C oralline i s m ore p orous a nd f issured b ut n ear g round s urface i t d evelopes a t ough s kin a veraging s everal c entimetres s uitable o f

f or

( Zammit-Maempel,

t he d igging o f

t he d ark g reen g ranules

f ull, i nto. c olour s ince

i s

f riable

o f

L ike G lobigerina i t

G reensand,

s o

c alled

t he m ineral g lauconite w ith w hich i t

r ock u seless

b oth f or b uilding

a nd

f or

w as

b ecause i s

d igging

T he a rgillaceous b eds o f b lue c lay o r m arl v ary c onsiderably i n a nd c omposition a nd a re o ften t horoughly p lastic. T hey h ave p rehistoric

p otter. a llows

v ery

p .28).

r ock-tombs.

I t t he

r egulates

i s

t imes

a lso

f ormation

t he w ater

o f

p rovided g reat

o f

f resh w ater

s upply.

O nly m aximum t hicknesses

t he

r aw

m aterial

i mportance b ecause

g iven

1

s prings

t o

t he

M altese

b eing

i mpermeable

a nd,

t o

a n

i t

e xtent,

T he

M altese l andscape i s o ften c haracterised b y u ndulating

h ills

c rossed b y w iedien o r v alleys w hich a re, s ometimes, t he b eds o f o ld w ater c ourses b elonging t o t he l ate T ertiary o r e arly Q uaternary e pochs w hen t he i slands w ere j oined t o t he E uropean l and m ass a nd, p erhaps, f or a b riefer p eriod, t o A frica a s w ell. M alta, 3 7 k ilometres i n l ength, s lopes g ently f rom w est t o e ast w here t he d eep w aters o f t he G rand H arbour a nd M arsamxett a re s ituated. I t s uffers f rom a n a cute w ater s hortage a nd m ust a lways h ave b een b are, r ocky a nd w indswept ( Luttrell 1 975, p .18). G ozo, s eparated f rom M alta b y a f ive k ilometres w ide c hannel, i s o nly s lightly m ore f ertile b ut i ts s cenery , d ominated b y a s eries o f f lat t opped h ills, i s m ore v aried. T he r arely c old a nd i n S ummer o ften e xtremely h ot a nd h umid. a lways b een a rchitecture,

w eather i s T here h ave

f ew t rees a nd t his h as i ntimately a ffected M altese w hich i s e ntirely s tone o rientated, a nd e ncouraged c ave-

d welling w hich u p t o ( Buhagiar 1 983A).

t he l ate M iddle A ges

s eems

t o h ave

b een

c ommon

E ARLY H ISTORY T he e arliest e vidence o f m an i n M alta i s d atable t o a bout t he 5 th m illenium B .C.* w hen t he i slands w ere c olonised b y N eolithic f armers w ho c rossed t he M alta C hannel f rom S icily b ringing w ith t hem s eed and d omestic a nimals. T he p rehistory o f M alta i s d ivided i nto

c orn N eo-

l ithic, C opper A ge a nd B ronze A ge. T he C opper A ge ( c. 3 ,750 - c . 2 ,200 B .C.) s aw t he e mergence o f a s pectacular c ulture o f g reat m egalithic t emples w hich s eem t o h ave b een t he c entre o f a n e laborate r eligion c losely r elated t o a n a ncestor c ult. T he d ead w ere b uried i n r ock-cut t ombs t hat c ulminated i n t he f amous H al S aflieni H ypogeum w hich d isplays i mpressive s kill i n r ock-cutting a nd e laboration. T he B ronze A ge ( c. 2 000 - 8 00 B .C.) m arked a c ultural b reak a nd i s c haracterised b y s mall d olmens a nd f ortified h ill-top s ettlements, t he d ead w ere c remated.** I n a s

p art

t he l ate B ronze A ge

t he P hoenicians

s tarted u sing t he

o f a n etwork o f M editerranean t rade.

i slands

T heir e arliest a rchaeo-

l ogical e vidence i s t he l ate 8 th - e arly 7 th c entury B .C. f or M alta a nd t he 7 th - 6 th c entury B .C. f or G ozo b ut t hese d ates p robably r eflect t he

c onsolidation

o f

i nfluence

r ather t han t he

e arliest

s ettlements

( Gouder 1979, p .173). T he P hoenicians d edicated a s anctuary t o A starte a t T as-Silg n ear M arsaxlokk a nd p robably f ounded m ajor t owns i n M alta a nd G ozo w hich, p resumably, c orrespond t o t he M elita a nd G aulos m entioned b y P tolemy i n t he 2 nd c entury A .D. ( Gouder 1 978, p .178). T here i s a lso s ome e vidence f or t wo o ther c entres i n M alta, o ne i n t he G rand H arbour a rea a nd t he o ther a t Z urrieq ( Gouder 1 978, p p.181-182) b ut t he b ulk o f a rchaeological m aterial r elating t o t his p eriod c omes

T his

i s

t he

c alculation.

d ate T he

s et b y d ates o f

r adio-carbon

•h owever, b eing d rastically r e-assessed c omparison w ith d endrochronology. * *

u sing

t he

c onventional

t he M altese p re-historic s equence a re, a s a

r esult

T he s tandard w ork f or M altese P rehistory i s E vans a nd T rump 1 972 p rovide a n e xcellent i ntroduction.

2

1 971.

o f

c areful

E vans

1 979

f rom p art

n umerous o f

r ock-tombs w hich h ave b een d iscovered i n

t he i slands

A round

t he

( infra,

m id-6th

a lmost

e very

p p.13-17). c entury B .C.

t he i slands

p assed

i nto

t he

p ossession o f C arthage, o riginally a P hoenician N orth A frican c olony w hich w as t hen s trengthening h er p ower i n t he c entral M editerranean i n a b id t o w ithstand G reek a dvance i n t his a rea. T he C arthaginians r emained i n c ontrol t ill t he l ate t hird c entury B .C. I n 2 56 o r 2 53 B .C. t he i slands w ere s acked b y t he R omans i n t he c ourse o f t he f irst P unic W ar b ut t his s eems t o h ave b een o nly a p unitive r aid f or a t t he o utbreak o f C arthaginian

t he S econd P unic W ar i n 2 18 B .C. t hey s till h ad a g arrison n umbering s lightly l ess t han 2 000 m en u nder t he

c ommand o f H amilcar t he s on o f G isco. I n t hat y ear a R oman f leet c ommanded b y t he C onsul T iberius S empronius L ongus a ttacked M alta a nd H amilcar w ho l acked a f leet s urrendered w ithout a s truggle. I n t his w ay t he i slands p assed u nder R oman d omination a nd w ere a nnexed t o t he p rovince o f S icily. T heir c ulture r emained, P unic a nd t he i nfluence o f t he G reco-Roman

h owever, p redominantly c ivilisation w as o nly

g radually a ssimilated ( Gouder 1 978, p .185). T hey m ay n ever h ave b een c ompletely R omanised. T heir c ulture u ntil t he f irst t hree c enturies A .D. c an b est b e d escribed a s P unico-Roman o r r ather P unicoH ellenistic. B urials c ontinued t o t ake p lace i n r ock-cut t ombs o n t he P hoenician m odel a nd N eo-Punic i nscriptions a ppear i n l ate c ontexts a s i n t he T ac-Caghqi

S econdary S chool H ypogeum ( infra,

A n a dequate d esideratum a nd

s urvey o f t he R oman a ntiquities o f M alta i s s till a t he w ritten s ources f or t he p eriod a re, m oreover,

d isappointingly

m eagre.

I t

w ould s eem ,

p .189).

h owever,

t hat t he

i slands

e njoyed a d iscreet s tandard o f l iving a nd c ulture. T hey h ad p ublic b uildings a nd t emples o rnamented w ith c ostly m arbles a nd c arved c ornices a nd s tucco w orks a nd t own-houses a nd v illas w ith r emarkably f ine p olychrome m osaic p avements; a nd t here w ere b aths, a t heatre a nd a n a ctive p ort w ith a dequate f acilities a nd w arehouses. T he c ity o f M elita, s et o n a r idge t o t he w est o verlooking m uch o f t he i sland, w as p rotected o n t hree s ides b y h igh c liffs a nd, o n t he o ther, b y a d eep d itch c rossed a t t wo g ates. B eyond i t l ay a l arge n ecropolis o f r ockt ombs. A lthough t hey w ere i ncluded i n t he p rovince o f S icily t he t wo i slands h eld t he p rivileged p osition o f a c ivitas f oederata a nd u nder t he E mpire t he o rdinary p rovincial a dministration s eems t o a n e xtent t o h ave b een s upplanted b y a s pecial g overnment.* T his i s i mplied b y a n i nscription r ecording C hrestion A ug(usti) l ib(eratus), p roc(urator) i nsularum M elit. e t G aul. ( C.I.L. X , 7 494). I n A .D. 6 0, P ublius w ho e ntertained t he A postle P aul w as / 7 6 .4 5T 9 P IEÄ 4ra c v a nd i n t he a ge o f T iberius o ne L . C astricius P rudens b ore t he s ame t itle. T he l atter w as e nrolled i n t he t ribus Q uirina w hich m ay i mply t hat h e w as a n e nfranchised G reek o r,

p erhaps,

t o

i n t hat

h ave

b een e nlisted

i nformation P resumably

T he

i s,

u nfortunately,

i n t he

s tandard

s upplimented

a n ative o f G aulus w hose c itizens s eem t ribe

c ourse o f

( Ashby

1 915,

a vailable a bout

t he

s econd

p .26);

c entury t he

w orks o n R oman M alta a re M ayr 1 909 b y

t he

M .A.R .

v aluable l ate c ontribution i s

a nd t he r eports B onanno 1 979.

3

n o

t he t ribe o f

o f

d irect M elita.

t wo i slands g ot

a nd t he

A shby M .A .M.

1 915 A

r espective m unicipal r anks a nd t he n ew s tatus i s r ecorded b y a n umber o f i nscriptions. O ther i nscriptions t estify t o t he w orship o f t he e mperor a nd t he i mperial h ouse; o ne m entions a f lamen o f H adrian w ho w as p atron o f t he G aulos m unicipium ( C.I.L. X 7 507). M ost i nscriptions o f R oman M alta a re G reek. T his p oints t o c onsiderable H ellenistic i nfluence d ue p robably t o c ontacts w ith e astern S icily. T here i s n o e vidence f or a G reek c olonisation. E conomically t he i slands s eem t o h ave d one w ell. T here w as a f lourishing t extile i ndustry a nd t he c ultivation o f t he o live t ree w as w ell d iffused. s ites a nd e xported.

t here

O il p rocessing p lants a re f requently m et w ith o n v illa i s

s ome r eason t o b elieve t hat o il

m ay

h ave

b een

C hristianity a rrived w ith S t. P aul i n A .D. 6 0. T he w ell k nown a ccount i n A cts. x xviii. 6 c alls t he i slanders b arbaroi w hich m ay m ean t hat t hey s poke a n ative P unic t ongue. I t d escribes h ow P aul a nd h is c ompanions w ere s hipwrecked o ff M alta a nd o f t he w elcome t hey r eceived f rom t he n atives w ho k indled t hem a f ire r ound w hich t hey w armed t hems elves. I t g oes o n t o n arrate v ividly h ow t he A postle f reed h imself f rom a p oisonous s nake t hat s prang o ut o f t he f ire a nd w as s ubsequently w elcomed b y P ublius w hose f ather h e c ured f rom a n i llness. O ther s ick w ere c ured a nd P aul w as s hown g reat k indness b ut t here i s n o m ention o f t he f ounding o f a C hristian c ommunity. T here i s i n f act n o r eal e vidence

f or C hristianity i n M alta b efore t he 4 th c entury.

A h oard o f s ixty-five b ronze c oins d ating m ostly t o t he y ears 3 523 60 A .D. d iscovered a t R abat i n 1 961 ( M .A .R . 1 961, p p.8-10) c ame m ostly f rom e astern m ints a nd m ay s uggest e conomic a nd a dministrative c onnect ions w ith t he e ast ( Luttrell 1 975, p .21). T here i s i ndirect e vidence t hat t he i slands m ay h ave b een c onquered b y t he V andals o f N orth A frica a nd t hat a long w ith S icily t hey r emained a V andal p ossession f rom a bout 4 55 t o 4 76 w hen t hey w ere h anded o ver t o O doacer, t he B arbarian k ing o f I taly, i n r eturn f or a t ribute ( Brown 1 975, p p.71-72). A b rief O strogothic i nterlude m ay, p erhaps, b e s uggested b y e leven 5 th - 6 th c entury c oins a t t he V alletta M useum b ut t heir p rovenance a nd t he i ssue r emains h ighly h ypothetical. T here i s n o

i s u nknown u nequivocal

d atable r eference t o M alta u ntil 5 33 w hen, a ccording t o P rocopius, t he B yzantine G eneral B elisarius " touched" t here o n h is w ay t o A frica. T he i slands p robably b ecame a B yzantine p ossession a round t he t ime o f t he c onquest o f S icily i n 5 35 ( Brown 1 975, p .73). T hey w ere a pparently i n B yzantine h ands i n 5 44 w hen s ome o f t he N orth A frican C hristians f leeing b efore t he B erbers m ay h ave f ound r efuge i n t he i slands. T he r eference w hich a gain c omes f rom P rocopius d oes n ot s pecifically m ention M alta b ut r efers v aguely t o " Sicily a nd t he o ther i slands". G reek a nd L atin s ources o n B yzantine M alta a re u ninformative b ut t here i s s ome e vidence f or a m ilitary g arrison a nd f or i ts u tilisation a s a p lace o f e xile f or r ebels ( Brown 1 975, p p.75, 7 6). I t c ertainly h ad a d ux i n 6 37 a nd w as p ossibly g overned b y a r egime o f m ilitary o fficers o n t he I talian a nd S icilian m odel ( Brown 1 975, p .77). T here i s

s ome

s ort o f

e vidence f or a d roungarios a nd a n a rchon w hich m ay m ean n aval o r m ilitary c ommander

( Brown 1 975,

p p.77,

8 7)

b ut

s ome t here

i s n o p roof t hat t he i slands w ere a n i mportant n aval c entre. T he f act t hat t hey d id n ot f all t o t he A rabs b efore 8 70 s uggests, n onetheless, t hat

t hey h ad a c ertain s trategical i mportance a nd t hat t here w ere g ood

d efences.

4

T he e cclesiastical h istory o f t he p eriod i s e qually p roblematical b ut c hurch o rganization s eems t o h ave b een c onnected w ith S icily a nd c ontrolled f rom R ome. T here i s n o r eal e vidence f or a b ishop b efore 5 53

w hen

a I ulianus e piscopus M elitensis s ubscribed

t he

C onstitutum

d e T ribus C apitulis o f P ope V igilius.* I n J uly 5 92 P ope G regory t he G reat o rdered L ucillus, B ishop o f M alta, t o m ake h is c lergy p ay t he p ensio o n l ands b elonging t o t he A frican C hurch. B rown ( p.75) h as p ointed o ut t hat t he r eferred l ands w ere p robably i n M alta r ather t han i n A frica a nd t hat t hey m ay r epresent w hen t he i slands t ogether w ith S icily t he e cclesia A fricana. I n a nother i nstructed t he B ishop o f S yracuse t o

a r elic o f t he V andal d omination b elonged f or a b rief p eriod t o l etter o f O ctober 5 98 G regory d epose L ucillus p resumably f or

s ome d isciplinary m isdemeanour a nd t o s trip h is a ccomplices o f t heir h onours a nd c onfine t hem i n m onasteries. A n ew b ishop, T raianus, w as n ominated b ut L ucillus s eems t o h ave r esisted a nd i n a t hird l etter G regory o rdered R omanus, h and o ver c hurch p roperty

D efensor S iciliae, t o m ake h im a nd h is s on t o T raianus. R omanus w as a lso a sked t o a llow

f ive m onks f rom T raianus's f ormer m onastery i n S yracuse t o a ccompany h im t o M alta ( Coleiro 1 965, p p.17-21). T his s uggests t hat t here w as a m onastery i n M alta b ut d irect e vidence i s l acking. T he m eaning o f t he t itle D efensor w ith w hich G regory a ddressed R omanus i s n ot c lear b ut i t i s p ossible t hat h e w as s ome s ort o f l egate e ntrusted w ith t he a dministration o f t he p atrimony o f t he R oman c hurch i n S icily a nd,

p ossibly,

o f a p apal e state o n G ozo

a lso i n M alta w here t here i s ( Luttrell 1 975,

p .21).

s ome i ndication

I n o r s hortly a fter

7 56 t he b ishoprics o f S icily a nd C alabria w ere t ransferred t o t he P atriarcate o f C onstantinople. T hat t he M altese I slands w ere i ncluded i n t he t ransfer i s p roved b y t he f act t hat t hey a re m entioned a s a s uffragan s ee w ithin t he p rovince o f S icily i n a n otitia e piscopatuum o f t he P atriarchate o f t he I conoclastic p eriod d atable t o c .730 - c .780 ( Brown, p .80). T his t ransfer p robably d id n ot s eriously a ffect l ife o n t he i slands f or t he n umber o f G reek i nscriptions f rom t he c atacombs ( infra) g ives g round t o b elieve t hat t hey h ad u ndergone t he s ame p rocess o f H ellenisation w hich o ccurred i n S icily. E xcluding

t he

c atacombs

t here

i s

v ery

l ittle

a rchaeological

• evidence f or t his o bscure p eriod. T he r uins o f a f ew r ound t owers b uilt o f l arge s tone b locks h ave b een n oted i n s everal p arts o f t he i sland w ithin s ignalling d istance o f e ach o ther. T hey a re d ifficult t o d ate b ut o ne o f t hem a t T a G awhar, i nvestigated i n 1 960, p roduced l ate R oman m aterial w hile a nother a t T a' C ieda w as c onverted i nto a M uslim b urial-ground.** T he e xcavations a t T as-Silg a nd S an P awl M ilqi c arried o ut b y t he M issione A rchaeologica I taliana a M alta*** b etween

T he

n ames

a nd

t here i s

a re h owever w ritten d ifferently i n d ifferent m anuscripts s ome d oubt a bout t he b ishop's r eal i dentity

c onnections w ith M alta ( Brown 1 975, * *

D etails i n M .A.R .

* ** U nder R ome

1 960,

p p.6-7;

t he j oint s ponsorship o f U niversity

a nd

T rump 1 970,

p p.87, 8 9-91,

C onsiglio N azionale d elle R icerche.

h is

1 21.

t he I stituto d el V icino O riente

t he C entro d i S tudi

5

a nd

p .74).

F enicio-Punici

o f

a t t he

1 963-1970 s till n eed t o b e p roperly a ssessed b ut t hey p rove t hat t he t wo s ites w ere o ccupied u ntil t he 9 th c entury w hen • they w ere d estroyed d uring M uslim r aids. A t T as-Silg t here i s a pparent e vidence f or a b asilica w ith a b aptistry a nd f or a c luster o f b uildings w hich s eem t o h ave h ad a r eligious c haracter. C agiano ( 1975, p .93) s uggests a m onastery b ut t he e vidence i s i nconclusive. T he r emains f rom S an P awl M ilqi a re m ore c ontroversial a nd t he o nly c ertain t hing i s t hat t his w as a n i mportant R oman v illa s ite e quipped f or t he p roduction o f o live o il w hich d eclined g radually d uring t he B yzantine p eriod w hen i t m ay h ave b een f ortified a s a p rotection a gainst M uslim m arauders.* T he s ame f eeling o f d ecline i s e vident i n t he R oman h ouse a t R abat w here a f ine p olychrome m osaic p avement w as c lumsily r epaired w ith " hexagonal t erracotta t iles, i rregular m arble f ragments a nd p ieces o f b roken p ottery" ( Gouder 1 979, p .518). T he e xcavations o f t he h ouse r evealed a lso s everal M uslim b urials t hat r ested d irectly o n R oman f loors. T he r ise o f M uslim p ower i n t he c ourse o f t he 8 th a nd 9 th c enturies n aturally a ffected t he i slands w hich w ere p robably r aided a n umber o f t imes b ut w ere n ot d efinitely c onquered u ntil 8 70 w hen t hey w ere c aptured b y t he A ghlabid g overnor o f S icily. T he c onquest m ay n ot h ave b een e asy a nd p ossibly p rovoked a h arsh M uslim r eaction. T here i s s ome e vidence t hat t he g eneral r ule o f t olerance p ractised e lsewhere b y t he M uslims m ay n ot h ave b een f ollowed i n M alta. ( Details i n L uttrell 1 975, p .27 a nd B rown 1 975, p p.83-86). T he e xtent o f M uslim p ersecution c annot n aturally b e d etermined b ut i t m ay p artially a ccount f or t he e rosion o f C hristianity d uring t he t wo c enturies o f t heir r ule. N o b ishop i s r ecorded a fter 8 76 a nd t he o nly k nown C hristians w ere a pparently G reek s laves. I t w as t hey w ho w elcomed R oger t he N orman w hen i n 1 090 h e p lundered t he i slands a nd r educed t hem t o t ributary s tatus t o t he N ormans i n S icily. N o a ttempt w as h owever m ade t o i nterf ere w ith t he n ow w ell e ntrenched M uslim c ulture o f t he M altese a nd M alta w as s till a s arracenis i nhabitata i n 1 175 1 975, p p.32-33 a nd W ettinger 1 984, p p.22-37). T he

( Details

i n

L uttrell

c onnection w ith L atin c ivilisation a pparently r emained

t hroughout

t he

l oose

N orman p eriod e nding i n 1 194 a nd i t w as p robably

o nly

a fter 1 220 t hat t he i slands w ere i ntegrated i n t he S icilian r ealm. T his f ollowed t he r e-organisation o f t he k ingdom b y t he H ohenstaufen E mperor F rederick I I. A round 1 224 F rederick s eemingly e xpelled m any M uslims - a nd h e m ay h ave c olonised t he i slands f rom I taly. T he A ngevin d omination w hich f ollowed t he e limination o f t he l ast H ohenstaufen c ontender t o t he S icilian t hrone i n 1 268 s aw t he e mergence f or t he f irst t ime o f a C hristian E uropean s tyle o f g overnment a nd s ociety. B y a bout 1 270 t here w as a n o rganised d iocese w hich f unctioned a s a s uffragan o f P alermo. A ll c onnections w ith t he M uslim w orld h ad d efinitely b een s evered a nd L atin C hristianity w as f urther c onsolidated b y t he l ong A rogonese r ule b etween 1 282 a nd 1 530. E ven s o t he g rafting a nd s ustaining o f C hristianity o n t he f ormerly l argely M uslim i slands m ust h ave b een d ifficult. I ts s uccess w as n one t he l ess c omplete. M uslim p ast w as s oon t o b ecome a n e mbarrassment a nd h istory d istorted

D etails

b y f alse t raditions w hich d etermined

o f

t he

R eports 1 963-1970.

t he c ourse

T as-Silg - S an P awl M ilqi e xcavations S ee a lso C agiano 1 975,

6

p p.88-95.

o f

i n

T he w as

M altese

M .A .M.

h istoriography t ill t he e arly 2 0th c entury.

T hese t raditions,

s ome o f

w hich a ppear t o h ave b een d eliberately f abricated ( Luttrell 1 977), w ere a pparently e ncouraged b y t he K nights o f S t J ohn w ho h eld M alta b etween 1 530 a nd 1 798. T he c atacombs d id n ot e scape t his m yth m aking. T hey w ere u sed a s a rguments f or t he u nbroken C hristian t raditions o f t he i slands f rom t he t ime o f S t P aul. T he i dea t hat t hey w ere u sed a s h iding p laces d uring p eriods o f p resumed R oman p ersecutions a nd M uslim i ntolerance i s a n i mportant e lement o f M altese f olklore.

T HE S TUDY O F T HE M ALTESE C ATACOMBS T he f irst k nown a ccount o f t he c atacombs o ccurs i n a D escription o f M alta w ritten a bout 1 610 b y t he M altese g alley s urgeon M arc A ntonio A xiaq. A xiaq d id n ot s uspect a C hristian o rigin b ut h e r ecognised t hem a s b urial p laces. H is a ccount i s a s f ollows: T here a re i n t his i sland, b esides t he r uins o f a ncient b uildings, v ery l arge g rottoes a nd u nderground c averns w ith c ells a nd v arious a partments o f r emarkable s hape d ug w ith s kill a nd ( containing) e xits a nd e ntrances t hrough w hich f rom o ne g rotto y ou e nter a nother; a nd y ou f ind s ome w hich i n t his w ay e xtend f or h alf a m ile a nd m ore. a ncient

S ome i nquisitive p ersons h ave c oncluded t hat i n t imes p eople l ived i n t hem e ither b ecause o f

e arthquakes w hich w ere f requent a nd b ig o r b ecause t he a rt o f b uilding h ad n ot y et b een d iscovered. T hese h ave n ot c onsidered t hat t hese g rottoes a re c learly b urialp laces a nd d ug f or n o o ther p urpose, e ven t hough t hey a re s o b eautiful a nd e mbellished w ith m any w orks, f or o ne n otices t hat i n m ost o f t hem t here i s t he p it c ut i n t he s ame r ock w here a h uman c orpse m ight r est a nd o ther s mall h oles m ade f or i nfants, i n w hich u p t o t he p resent d ay b ones a nd h uman s kulls a re t o b e s een . M oreover s ome o f t hem ( are) c overed w ith s tone-slabs a nd c ontain v ases, p lates a nd c lay o il-lamps o f v arious s hapes a ccording t o t he c ustoms o f t he a ncient. O ne i s r ight i n a ssuming t hat t he i nhabitants o f t hose t imes b elieved f irmly a s p agans, i n t he o pinion o f P ythagoras r egarding t he t ransmigration o f

t he s oul...*

A m uch m ore d etailed a nd v aluable a ccount o f t he R abat a nd M arsa c atacombs, b ased o n a p ersonal i nvestigation, a ppeared i n 1 647 i n G iovanni F rancesco A bela's D ella D escrittione d i M alta. A s cholar a nd a d iplomat w ho w as V ice-Chancellor o f t he O rder o f S t J ohn, A bela ( 1582-1655) c ounted a mong h is f riends A ntonio B asio ( c. 1 576-1629), t he g reat e xplorer o f t he R oman c atacombs, w ho m ay h ave b een b orn i n M alta o f a M altese m other. A bela c alls h im " nostro A ntonio B osio" a nd c ites t he a uthority o f R oma S otterranea b ut t he e xtent o f h is i nfluence h as y et

t o

b e

i nvestigated.

C hristian h ypogea a nd n oted

T here

A bela

a re s everal l ate c opies o f

h ere i s N .L.M.

m s. 6 31

d istinguished

t heir g raves,

( ff.

4 r-v)

7

b etween

i conography a nd

A xiaq's a ccount.

P agan

a nd

i nscriptions.

T he

o ne

u sed

H e o ver-estimated

t heir s ize a nd c omplexity a nd s ometimes

r eached w rong

c onclusions b ut i s o therwise f ull o f c areful o bservations w hich c ons titute a n i mportant s ource o f i nformation a bout t heir a ppearance i n t he 1 7th c entury. A n i mpulse t o v isit t he c atacombs h ad b y n ow b een g iven. A t S t P aul's C atacombs v isitors w ere s hown r ound b y g uides c arrying t apers ( Abela p .42). A bela h imself s ometimes c onducted t ours f or f riends o r g uests o f t he O rder. T hese i ncluded, i n 1 637, t he g reat s cholar L ukas H olste o r H olstentius a nd, a t a n e arlier p eriod, a bout 1 620, G eorgio G aulteri o r G aulterus w hom h e t ook t o M arsa w here h e h ad d iscovered a h ypogeum w ith a G reek i nscription ( infra, p .261). G aulteri's l aconic a ccount ( 1624, p .51) c ontains p robably t he f irst p rinted r eference t o M altese c atacombs. M any v isitors w ere, c ombs

i n

h owever,

c asual o nes w ho p lundered

s earch o f s upposed t reasure.

t he c ata-

S ometimes t his w as d one

w ith

g overnment a pproval a s h appened i n 1 530 w hen L uca D armenia a nd A ntonio C allus r eceived l icence t o l ook f or g old a nd s ilver!* T he c atacombs a re n ot s pecifically m entioned b ut t hey p robably d id n ot e scape t he p illage. W hen t he r ock w as s uitable t he c atacombs w ere, m oreover, q uarried b y k iln o wners f or m aking l ime. O thers w ere r e-cut a s r ockh ouses o r a nimal-pens o r c onverted i nto w ater c isterns. F inds w ere d ispersed t hough s ome w ere r escued b y A bela f or h is C abinet o f A ntiquit ies ( Bonanno 1 983). H is c ollection i ncluded s everal o il-lamps w ith C hristian s ymbols a nd o ther i tems o f t omb f urniture a s w ell a s i nscript ions s uch a s t he o ne p ainted o n t he s ealing-slab o f a t omb w hich h e g ot f rom a h ypogeum i n t he S t P aul's p arish c hurch a rea a t R abat ( Infra, A

p .159). s econd

e dition

o f A bela's w ork

e dited

b y

G iovanni

A ntonio

C iantar w as p ublished i n t wo v olumes b etween 1 772 a nd 1 780. C iantar e nlarged o n A bela's r eferences a nd i ncluded h ypogea, i nscriptions a nd o ther m aterial t hat h ad c ome t o l ight s ince A bela's d eath . O ften u nder e stimated C iantar w as i n f act a m an o f g reat e rudition w ho d eserves c redit

f or r ecording m uch t hat w ould o therwise h ave b een l ost.

I t w as .

h e w ho f irst d escribed t he B ingemma H ypogea. I n C iantar's o ld a ge, ' Jean H ouel, e ngraver t o L ouis X VI o f F rance, s topped a t M alta o n a t our o f

M editerranean

i slands

a nd

s ubsequently,

i n

1 787,

p ublished

h is

i mpressions a nd e ngravings i n v olume f our o f h is V oyage p ittoresque d es l es d e S icilie, d e M alte e t d e L ipari. H ouel, l ike m ost o f h is g eneration, w as f ascinated b y p icturesque r uins a nd h is p rimary i nterest w ere t he g reat m egalithic t emples b ut h e a lso f ound t ime t o e xplore B ingemma a nd s ketch t he p lans o f t hree o f i ts h ypogea. A ccounts

o f

t he

c atacombs

a ppear

i n

s everal

g eneral

w orks

p ublished b etween t he l ate 1 8th c entury a nd t he l ast d ecades o f t he 1 9th. U sually t hey a dd l ittle n ew a nd a re t herefore o f n egligable i nterest. T he m ost i mportant a re, p erhaps, O norato B res M alta a ntica i llustrata c o' m onumenti e c olla s toria, p ublished i n R ome i n 1 816, a nd G .P. 1 838 D ejr

B adger's

D escription o f M alta a nd G ozo w hich f irst

a ppeared

i n

a nd r an i nto s ix e ditions. I n 1 838 H ypogeum I V a t A bbatija T ad( infra, p p.213-214) w as i nvestigated a nd a b rief a ccount p ublished

i n t he M alta a ttracted t he

G overnment G azette o f 2 3rd M ay. T he c atacombs a ttention o f s everal p seudo-scholars s uch a s t he

R eferences g iven b y R .

V alentini i n A rchivium M elitense,

8

i x,

a lso R ev.

p .175.

M oses M argoliuth w ho c onsidered t hey b elonged " to t he e arly g iants w ho p eopled t his s pot" a nd w ho, i n 1 847, s pent a " tedious d ay's w ork" a t B ingemma " opening a t omb t hat h ad n ever b een t ouched" ( Margoliuth 1 850, p p.224, 2 59) o r B ishop E rrington w ho s uggested, c orrectly, t hat t he M aghlaq h ypogea r epresented " a f ar m ore r ecent p eriod t han w ould b e r epresented p .253).

b y t he b uilders o f M naidra a nd H hagiar-Kim"

( Adams

1 870,

B ishop E rrington w as a f riend o f A L eith A dams w ho, i n h is N otes o f a N aturalist i n t he N ile V alley a nd M alta ( Edinburgh 1 870) s howed g reat i nterest i n t he c atacombs w hich, h owever, h e c ompletely m isunderstood. H is g reatest c ontribution w as t he e xploration o f t he M aghlaq h ypogea. A p romising b ut s hort-lived i nitiative w as t he f oundation i n 1 866 o f a n A rchaeological S ociety ( Cassar P ullicino 1 953). I ts v ice-president, M r A . W right, s urveyed i n 1 874 a h ypogeum a t J esuits H ill, M arsa, w hich w as b eing t urned i nto a w ater r eservoir ( infra, p .262). T his h ypogeum w as a lso i nvestigated b y C esare V assallo, L ibrary,

L ibrarian a nd K eeper o f A ntiquities a t t he M alta w ho d iscovered t wo b adly m utilated h ypogea a t M istra,

o f M ellieha. e dition 1 876)

H is a nd

b ook o n M altese a ncient m onuments h is g uide t o t he L ibrary M useum

( 1851, ( 1871,

e dition 1 872) h ad a g reat i nfluence o n h is s uccessor A .A . C aruana

w as

e xtremely a ctive.

H is f irst

P ublic l imits s econd E nglish

C aruana.

c ontact w ith a c atacomb

w as i n 1 860 w hen t ogether w ith C apt S trickland R .N. h e c limbed d own a w ell i n a c attle-pen t o e xplore t he T al-Mintna h ypogea a t M qabba. B etween

1 871 a nd 1 899 h e i nvestigated s cores o f t ombs a nd s mall

c ata-

c ombs b esides m any o ther a ntiquities p roducing r ather c onfusing b ut a dequately i llustrated r eports w hich c ulminated i n 1 898 i n A ncient P agan T ombs a nd C hristian C emeteries i n t he I slands o f M alta. T his w as f ollowed a y ear l ater b y A ncient P ottery f rom t he A ncient P agan T ombs a nd C hristian C emeteries i n t he I slands o f M alta i n w hich t he r eputed t omb-pottery i n t he L ibrary M useum i s r eported u nsystematically u sually w ithout a ny r eference t o i ts p rovenance. H is m ost i mportant a chievem ent w as t he c leaning a nd s urveying o f S t P aul's C atacombs i n 1 894. H e w as l ucky t o h ave a s h is a ssistant D r F ilippo V assallo w ho w as a f ine d raughtsman a nd d rew m ost o f t he p lans w hich C aruana r eproduced o ften w ithout p roper a cknowledgement. V assallo's s ketch b ook a t t he M useum o f A rchaeology i n V alletta i s a n i mportant s ource o f i nformation. C aruana

d id n ot

c ontribute m uch t o a dvance i nterpretation o f

t he

c atacombs m any o f w hich w ere r egarded a s P hoenician, G reek , o r e ven E gyption. A t a bout t he s ame t ime, G iovanni G att S aid, r ector o f S t P aul's G rotto, R abat, f abricated p ious m yths a bout S t P aul's C atacombs w hich, h owever, c ontain s ome u seful i nformation. A l etter o f h is a sking p .392) 1 949A). G erman

f or a dvice a bout a n i nscription h e d iscovered s urvives a mong t he D e R ossi p apers a t t he A m ore c ritical s pirit m ade i tself f elt s cholar

A lbert

M ayr • w ho m ade

s everal

( no. 3 , V atican

i n t he w ritings

v isits

t o M alta

i nfra, ( Ferrua o f t he i n

t he

c losing y ears o f t he 1 9th c entury t o i nvestigate t he i slands' a ntiquit ies. H is m onograph D ie a ltchrislichen B egr Unisstgtten a uf M alta p ublished i n 1 901 i s a l andmark i n t he s tudy o f M altese p aleochristian a ntiquities. I t p aved t he w ay f or t he s urvey i n 1 911 o f E rich B ecker w hose

M alta

S epulkralkunst e xamined a ll

S otterranea - S tudien z ur A ltchristlichen u nd J üdischen i s t he

s till i n m any r espects a s tandard w ork. p resumed C hristian a nd J ewish h ypogea a nd

9

B ecker m ade a

b rilliant a ttempt t o a ssess t ions a nd d ecoration.

t heir p lans,

t ombs,

a gape-tables,

i nscrip-

O ther h ypogea m eanwhile c ontinued b eing n oted a nd o ccasionally s urveyed. I n t he c losing y ears o f t he 1 9th c entury F r M anwel M agri S .J. p hotographed t he B istra h ypogea a nd i nvestigated t hose a t T alG hammariet a nd M israh G honoq, M osta, b ut d id n ot p ublish a r eport. I n 1 903 t he M useum o f A ntiquities w as s eparated f rom t he P ublic L ibrary a nd r e-organised a s a n a utonomous d epartment u nder a b oard o f m anagem ent. I ts c urator a nd f irst d irector w as P rofessor T hemistocles Z ammit w ho d ominated t he M altese a rchaeological s cene u ntil h is d eath i n 1 935. Z ammit, w ho w as k nighted i n 1 930, w as a m an o f m any p arts. H e w as a b rilliant d octor w ho d iscovered t he c ause o f B rucellosis o r U ndulant F ever, a d istinguished h istorian, a p rolific s hort s tory w riter a nd R ector o f t he R oyal U niversity o f M alta b esides D irector o f M useum. H is g reatest c laim t o f ame i s, h owever, a s a n a rchaeologist. B y i nclination h e w as a p rehistorian b ut t his d id n ot p revent h im f rom t aking a s cholarly i nterest i n P unic, C lassical a nd P aleochristian a ntiquities. H is n otebooks a t t he V alletta M useum o f A rchaeology a re i ndispensable t o t he s tudy o f r ock-tombs a nd c atacombs. H is f riendship w ith B ecker w hom h e a ccompanied o n h is s urvey o f t he c atacombs i n 1 911 b roadened h is p erspective o f M alta's p aleochristian r emains w hich h e d id h is u tmost t o p reserve o ften a gainst g reat o dds. A m an w ho d id n ot B ellanti w ho s at o n t he h ighly i ntelligent b ut h e a d istinguished c areer a s

a lways s ee e ye t o e ye w ith Z ammit w as P .F. M useum's b oard o f m anagement. B ellanti w as l acked Z ammit's a cademic p reparation. H e h ad a c ivil s ervant, a nd a pparently, o nly t urned

t o a rchaeology u pon h is r etirement, d evoting h imself a lmost e xclusively t o t he s tudy o f r ock-tombs. D espite h is o ld a ge h e e xplored t ombs a nd c atacombs w ith t enacious d etermination k eeping a p ainstaking r ecord o f h is o bservations. H e h ad a g ood l ibrary o f r eference w orks o n t he c atacombs o f R ome a nd C arthage a nd w ith t heir h elp h e a ttempted a n a nalysis o f s tudied o il

t he e volution o f M altese t omb a rchitecture. l amps a nd i nscriptions s ome o f w hich h e s ent

H e t o

a lso G rossi

G ondi a nd o ther e pigraphists t o d ecipher. O ne o f h is f ield b ooks w ith v ery f ine s ketches ( he w as t he s on o f t he a rtist M ichele B ellanti) a nd d etailed

n otes

p reparation

i s a t t he M useum o f A rchaeology.

f or

a b ook w hich h e p ublished

M ost o f i t

i n 1 924 u nder t he

w as

i n

n ame

o f

S tudies i n M altese H istory. T wo

i mportant

s ites e xplored i n t he 1 930's w ere

T al-Bistra

a nd

S alina. T he f irst w as i nvestigated b y C .G. Z ammit, S ir T hemistocles's s on, w ho p ublished a n a dequate r eport i n t he B ulletin o f t he M useum ( Zammit C .G. 1 935). S alina w as n ot s o f ortunate. C apt L ouis U pton-Way w ho d irected m ost o f t he w ork p roduced n o r eport e xcept f or a v ery p opular a rticle i n t he T imes o f M alta ( Upton-Way 1 937). W orld W ar I I b rought

a bout

a d isruption o f

a rchaeological w ork a nd m ost s ites

w ere

a bandoned a nd b ecame d erelict. S everal h ypogea w ere c ertainly b roken i nto d uring t he d igging o f a ir-raid s helters b ut n o r ecord w as k ept a nd f inds w ere d ispersed. s everal b rief a rticles a ntiquities

h e

B etween 1 947-1948 D un G wann F arrugia p ublished i n t he S unday T imes o f M alta g iving n otice o f

d iscovered

d uring w alks i n t he

M altese

c ountryside.

O ther f inds m ostly c hance o nes w ere r ecorded i n t he M useum A nnual R eports. T he c orpus o f s ites h ad i n f act b een s ubstantially e nlarged s ince t he p ublication o f B ecker s b ook b ut d espite t he g ood d eal o f a ctivity l ittle p rogress h ad i n f act b een m ade i n t he i nterpretation o f

1 0

t he e vidence. A v ery i mportant s tep f orward w as t he s tudy o f P adre A ntonio F errua, " Le C atacombe d i M alta" w hich a ppeared i n C iviltä C attolica ( 3rd S eptember 1 949). F errua m ade a b rief b ut b rilliant a nalysis o f t he k nown d ata a nd p roposed n ew d ates a nd a f resh i nterpret ation. E qually i mportant w as t he c ontribution i n 1 970 o f G iuseppe A genllo L e C atacombe d i S cilia e d i M alta e l e l oro c aratteristiche s trutturali w hich c onfirmed t he s uspected c lose a nalogies w ith S icily. N o

n ew s urvey w as u ndertaken h owever a nd a ctivity w as c onfined t o

t he i nvestigation o f c hance f inds. T he m ost i mportant w ere, p erhaps, t he t wo h ypogea a t T ac-Caghqi S econdary S chool a t R abat w hich w ere d iscovered i n 1 952 a nd p reserved t hanks t o t he p ersonal i nitiative o f C .G. Z ammit w ho w as a t t he t ime C urator o f A rchaeology. O ne o f t hem c ontained p ublished

a n i mportant n eo-Punic i nscription a nd w as s ubsequently i n 1 972 b y V incent B org a nd B enedetto R occo u nder t he t itle

o f L 'Ipogeo d i T ac-Caghqi a M alta. T heir j oint s tudy s howed h ow m uch m ight b e l earnt i f o ther h ypogea w ere s imilarly p ublished. V incent B org w ho w as t rained a t t he P ontifical I nstitute f or S acred A rchaeology p repared i n 1 976 a n e qually i mportant r eport " Une i le e t s es h ypogges d e l 'are d es p remiers c hretiens: M alte" w hich a ppeared i n L es D ossiers d e l 'Archeologie n o.19 i n w hich h e s et o ut g uide l ines f or f uture r esearch i n t his f ield. A v ery s orry d emise, i n t he m eantime, w as t hat o f t he M useum R eports w hich c eased p ublication i n 1 971. S ince t hen n o r ecord h as b een p ublished o f n ew a rchaeological d iscoveries.

R eferences A bela

1 647

A xiaq C aruana

1 610 1 882 1 889

C aruana M ayr B ecker A shby M. A.R .. M .A.M. R eports C oleiro E vans E vans

1 909 1 913 1 915 1 960;

1 961

1 965 1 971 1 979

T rump L uttrell L uttrell

1 972 1 975

B rown C agiano

1 975 1 975

C oleiro G ouder

1 977 1 978

G ouder B onanno

1 979 1 979

B onanno B uhagiar W ettinger

1 983

1 977

1 983A 1 984

1 1

T HE M ALTESE C ATACOMBS C HARACTERISTICS A ND G ENERAL C ONSIDERATIONS

O ne

t hing t hat

i s i mmediately s triking a bout

t he M altese c atacombs

i s t he v ariety o f t heir t omb a rchitecture w hich a s a c onsequence p lastic q ualities o f t he r ock g ives t hem w hat U mberto F asola p .56)

o f t he ( 1976,

a ptly d escribes a s u n a spect

a rchitectonique,

e t q u'on n e C ompared S ousse

t o

t he u nderground

q ui

s tupefie,

r encontre p as a illeurs c emeteries

o f

R ome,

N aples,

S yracuse a nd

t hey d o i n f act p resent a s urprising w ealth o f d etail b ut

t heir

s ize i s m uch s maller. T hey a re n ever l abyrinthine a nd, w ith n egligible e xceptions, a lways d ug a t o ne l evel. T heir c ompactness a nd i ntimate p roportions w ere,

p ossibly,

o ther a ntiquarians u p

t o t he

e mbarrassing l ate

t o A bela

1 9th c entury,

( 1647,

p p.36-55)

a nd

who i nfluenced f irst

b y

B osio ( 1632) a nd s ubsequently b y D e R ossi ( 1861) m islead t heir r eaders b y r eferences t o v ast s ubterranean c ities w ith i nnumerable s treets, a lleys a nd p assageways. E ven a fter t he e xploration o f S T P AUL'S CATACOMBS b y

i n 1 894 C aruana

a dding u p

t he l engths

( 1898, o f

t he M altese c ontext o ne o ught c atacombs o r s imply h ypogea. p robably t he m ore

p .102)

s till a rgued f or a l arge s ize

t he v arious g alleries

c orrect a nd i t

i s

o f

c orridors!

t o d eny f oreign i nfluences - i mportant

t he p roduct o f T his i s n ot,

s imilarities w ith

t he m inor S icilian c emeteries h ave b een f irmly e stablished

1 970) a nd a i nvestigation t radition o f

p robable l ink w ith N orth A frica c alls f or - b ut t hese w ere g rafted t o a d eeply r ooted

r ock-tombs

t ion a nd m oulded

a nd

t o l ocal

I n

g radually g aining a cceptance.* What

o ne s hould n ever l ose s ight o f i s t hat t hey a re l argely u nique e nvironment a nd c ultural t radition. c ourse,

a nd

p erhaps t o s peak i n t erms o f m iniature T he l atter t erm, t hough t oo g eneric, i s

t hey w ere o ften g iven a M altese

a• o f

s ome

( Agnello

a t horough i ndigenous i nterpreta-

r equirements.

T HE P HOENICIAN A ND P UNICO -HELLENISTIC R OCK-GRAVES T his

i s

n ot

t he p lace

R oman

a nd B yzantine

*

f or e xample

S ee

t o s tudy i n d etail

t he c lear i ndebtedness

t omb-architecture i n M alta t o

B org 1 976

1 3

t he

o f

l ate

P heonician

a nd

P unico

H ellenistic r ock-graves.*

B asically t hese c onsist o f

a

s haft

r eached d own f oot-holes o r a f ew s teep s teps w ith o ne o r t wo b urialc hambers i n o pposite w alls. V ery l ittle s tylistic d evelopment i s n ormally n oticeable a nd d ating c onsiderations a re n ormally c onditioned b y t he t omb-furniture g rouped e ither r ound t he c orpses, i n a m ore o r l ess o rderly f ashion, o r d eposited i n t renches w hich d ivide t he c hambers i nto t wo b urial p latforms o r m ortuary-couches. T he s haft w hich v aries i n d epth f rom a bout 0 .92m t o 5 m o r m ore w as p resumably f illed u p w ith s tones a nd s ometimes s ealed w ith s labs c overed b y a l ow p yramidal m ould o f a c ement m ixture o f m ortar a nd g rounded T he p ractice o f s ealing u p t he s haft s eems t o h ave p ersisted

p ottery. i nto t he

C hristian p eriod f or t he n orthern h alf o f t he s haft o f a s mall h ypogeum a t S QAQ I L-HARRUBA , K irkop ( infra, p .254) w as f ound c overed b y a s lab. I n

s ome i nstances n oteably a t

T AC-CAGHQI,

R abat,

P unico-Hellenistic

g raves w ere d ug c lose t o e ach o ther s o c lose i n f act t hat e ither b y a ccident, o r d esign, t he c hambers o ften o pened i nto e ach o ther. t ombs

T his

m ay h ave l ed t o

s erved b y a s ingle s haft

t he g rouping o f ( Zammit

1 923,

p .6) S uch m ay i n f act h ave b een t he o rigin o f

t he M altese

' catacombs'.

O n

a nother i nstance a t T orn i 1 -Abjad n ear t he p umping s tation o n t he R abat-Dingli R oad, e ight g raves w ere c lustered r ound a d ome-like e xcavation w hich p ossibly s erved a s a p lace o f a ssembly. T he s ite w as i nvestigated b y B ellanti i n 1 920. N o r eport w as p ublished b ut f rom a b rief n ote b y B ellanti a t t he V alletta M useum o f A rchaeology, i t a ppears t hat t he d omed r oom w as i n a v ery b ad s tate o f p reservation a nd i ts e xact r elationship t o t he g raves c ould n ot b e e stablished. T his i s a p ity f or i t m ight h ave p rovided a nother i mportant l ink b etween r ockg raves a nd h ypogea. T he r e-utilisation o f g raves w as

c ommon a nd o ld b urials w ere o ften

p ushed a side t o p rovide s pace f or n ew i nterments. M ost b urials w ere b y i nhumation b ut c remation w as a lso f requent. T here i s e vidence f or w ood a nd t erracotta s arcophagi b ut c orpses w ere g enerally l aid o n t heir b ack w ithout b eing c onfined i n c offins o r t ightly w rapped i n s hrouds.** T here a re s everal i nstances o f t he s urvival a nd e xtended u se o f s uch g raves i n t he f irst f ew c enturies o f t he C hristian e ra. O ne o f t he p roofs i s t he o ccurrence a mong e arlier p ottery o f s tandard N orth

N o

s tandard

e xists Z ammit

w ork o n t he P hoenician a nd

P unico-Hellenistic

a nd t he w ritings o f C aruana ( 1882 a nd 1 898), M ayr ( 1923 a nd 1 931) a nd B aldacchino ( 1951 a nd 1 953),

g rave

( 1905), t ogether

w ith t he n otices i n t he M .A .R . a nd i n Z ammit's a rchaeological f ield-notes s till a wait a p roper c lassification a nd a ssessment. M uch v aluable w ork i s c urrently b eing u ndertaken b y M r T ancred G ouder w ho i t i s h oped w ill p ublish h is r esearch i n t he n ear f uture. * *

• See f or e xample

t he S AN N IKLAW T OMB ( infra,

1 4

p p.335-337).

a .

PAGAN ROCK -T OMBS AT

RABAT - MALTA

b.

Za .c -i -l ot

A3

' 1 4 .eg

v ; #1‚ ,41 27 4, 1 7 , .

4 7 ,

/A 72 »'

PLA N

SECT I ON

2

3

6

F EE , METS

A .B .

- PL AN -

6 F EET METS

F ig.

a . b . c . d .

2 .

N ecropolis o f t wenty-seven Punico-Hellenistic s haft graves a t T ac-Caghqi, Rabat, d iscovered a nd i nvestigated b y T . Z ammit in 1 907

P lan b y T . Z ammit s howing s ome o f t he g rave-clusters A o ne-chambered g rave A t wo-chambered g rave A s ketch b y T . Z ammit o f t he n orth c hamber o f ' c'

1 5

A frican r ed-slip d ishes d ated b y H ayes

( 1972)

t o b etween 3 25 - 4 00 A .D.

a t, f or e xample, S IGGIEWI a nd a t S AN N IKLAW n ear Q rendi, w here f inds i ncluded a lso a f ine g lass b eaker o f a bout t he 4 th • c entury A .D. T here a re

t wo c lear e xamples

H ellenistic R abat. I n

o f

t he i ntimate r elationship b etween t he P unico-

g rave a nd t he l ate R oman h ypogeum. T hey b oth t he f irst i nstance a h ypogeum c lose t o S C atald

r ecut f rom a g rave ( infra, p erhaps, m ore s ignificant

c ome f rom c hurch w as

p p.165-166) a nd i n t he s econd - w hich - a h ypogeum w as d ug i n t he s haft o f

i s, t he

g rave ( infra, p .191). T his h ypogeum a t t he j unction o f S T T ROPHIMUS S TREET a nd S T P IUS V S TREET was p acked w ith r ubble w hich s erved a s a s upport f or t he r oad a bove. I t w as a s a r esult o nly p artially e xplored a nd i ts C hristian o rigin i s d oubtful. C lose b y, h owever, i n t he TA' MARCELL F IELD a t T ac-Caghqi, a s eemingly C hristian h ypogeum w as d ug r ight

i n t he m idst

o f

a P unico-Hellenistic n ecropolis

( infra,

p p.174-

1 77).

R OCK-PILLOWS A ND H EAD-RESTS A l ate d evelopment

i n t he P unico-Hellenistic g rave w as

o f a r ock-pillow w ith h ead-rests

i n t he f orm o f

f it

H ead-rests

t he

h ead

f eature o f O ne

o f

o f

t he c orpse.

t omb a rchitecture t hroughout

t he

t he i ntroduction

c ut-out

r emained

d epressions

a

t he whole p eriod u nder

f irst k nown t ombs w ith h ead-rests

i s H AL

t o

c haracteristic F AR

r eview.

I II

w hich

p roduced a N eo-Punic i nscription d atable, p erhaps, t o b etween t he i st c entury B .C. a nd i st c entury A .D. I t h as b een i ncluded i n t his s urvey i n t he b elief t hat i t b elongs t o t he t ransition p eriod b etween t he P unico-Hellenistic a nd t he l ate R oman g rave. O ther g raves w ith h eadr ests a re s imilarly i ncluded. H ead-rests a re u sually o val b ut s quare a nd w edge-shaped e xamples c ontained

a re a lso k nown.

a lso o ne o r m ore

p resumably

s erved

a s

S ometimes

t he

r ock-pillow

c ircular h oles b etween t he h ead-rests w hich

s tands

f or a s mall p ottery v essel

o r

a

g lass

p hial. O n a f ew o ccasions s imilar h oles h ave b een a lso o bserved i n w all n iches a nd i n r ock-benches. T able 1 g ives t he l ist o f t he h ypogea i n w hich t hese h oles w ere o bserved.

T ABLE 1 H ypogea w ith c ircular h oles b etween t he h ead-rests P arish

H ypogeum

1 . 2 .

G udja M garr

H al R esqun B ingemma 2 2,

3 .

M osta

B istra 2 3,

4 .

M osta

M israh G honoq

5 .

M osta

W ied

6 . 7 .

M qabba P aola

K andja S ammat S treet

8 .

2 5

2 4,

2 7,

i l-Ghasel

Q rendi

M aghlaq I ,

9 . 1 0.

R abat R abat

S t A gatha 8 H al P ilatu P rimary

1 1.

S afi

T al-Liebru

1 7

3 0

I V S chool 2

T HE L ATE R OMAN R OCK-GRAVES A n

i mportant

a nd

t he

w ith t he i t.

a rchitectural d ifference b etween t he

l ate R oman g rave i s f loor o f

T heir

u sually

t he

w indow-tomb

w hich

o val o ut

a t

b ut w as

a rched.

T his w as

a rrangement

t ransformation.

a psed h ead a nd T his

f oot

f orm o f

l evel

o f I t

a

w indow

t he o rigin o f

s oon t o b ecome t he c ommonest

c onsiderable

e ither e nd.

t o b e

i nstead d ug a f ew c entimetres a bove

s ometimes

T he i nternal

i n p lan a nd

P unico-Hellenistic

t he b urial c hamber c eased

a ssumed i n t his w ay t he a ppearance o f b ut

w as

M altese h ypogea. u nderwent

s haft

d oorways

s quare-headed

t hat

t ype o f

t omb

t he i n

t he b urial c hamber

a lso

b ecame n arrower a nd

m ore

r ecesses

s tarted

b eing

t omb p ersisted t hroughout

h ollowed t he

w hole

p eriod t he h ypogea w ere i n u se. A nother d evelopment i s n oticeable i n t he b urial p latform. T he f loor-trench i n t he m iddle o f t he c hamber s tarted

b eing e xcluded

a nd

i nstead

t he p latform o r m ortuary c ouch

w as

r aised h igher a bove t he f loor a nd a u sually f lattened a rch w as c ut a bove i t i n t he f orm o f a c anopy. S uch w as t he p rimitive f orm o f t he M altese a rcosolium w hich u nderwent a f urther d evelopment w hen b urialt roughs

s tarted b eing d ug i n t he p latform w hich w as

i nto a s arcophagus

s ealed b y s tone s labs.

t hereby t ransformed

T roughless a rcosolia,

s ome-

t imes f itted w ith a p illow a nd h ead-rests, h owever, c ontinued i n u se a nd t hey a re n oticeable i n s everal o f t he l ate h ypogea i ncluding t he S S PAUL/AGATHA C ATACOMBS a t T he s haft p eared and o ne

t oo w as

s teps

c orner.

R abat.

i n p rocess

o f

s tarted b eing c ut

I t w as

a lso e xtended

e volution.

t o

p rovide a s mall

o f t he e ntrance t o t he b urial c hambers. w ere h owever, d ug i n s hafts. S ometimes h ill

s ide.

T he

f oot-holes d isap-

a cross i ts w hole w idth i nstead o f i n

T able 2 g ives a l ist

o f

f orecourt

N ot a ll g raves a nd t hey w ere t unnelled

i n f ront h ypogea, i nto t he

t he h illside h ypogea.

A d isused

q uarry m ay s ometimes h ave b een u sed a s, f or e xample, a t I X-XAGHRA T ALMAGHLAQ b ut i t i s d ifficult t o b e c ertain a bout t his a s t he f lank o f t he

h ill

m ay h ave

b een s haped

p rovide a s uitable e ntrance

A t

f lank

a h ill w as h ollowed o ut w ith h ypogea.

o f

B ISTRA n ear M OSTA ,

t o

h ypogea.

a nd

B INGEMMA l imits

o f M garr,

t o

t he

t he w hole

A t B INGEMMA t hey

a re

d ug i n t iered r ows a nd t here w ere r ock-cut s teps l eading f rom o ne h ypogeum t o t he o ther. E ven w hen d ug i n t he h illside t he f orecourt w as n ormally r etained.

T HE H YPOGEA T he i n

d istinction n ormally u sed h ere t he

l atter

g alleries

o r

t he

b etween g raves a nd h ypogea i s

t ombs a nd b urial

c orridors.

c hambers a re

g rouped

i n

t hat s hort

T he s maller h ypogea a pparently o riginally h ad

o nly o ne g allery a s, f or e xample a t I X-XAGHRA T AL-KACCATURA n ear B irzebbuga, b ut m ost w ere s ubsequently e nlarged b y t he a ddition o f o ne o r m ore g alleries g enerally d ug a t r ight a ngles t o t he f irst o ne. B ecker f or

u sed

t hemselves, h ypogea, o r

t he

r ight

a ngled a rrangement o f

a C hristian o rigin b ut

h alls

i nsufficient

t o

p rove

t he

p articularly t he m ajor o nes g enerally

r eached

T he l arge

a s a n

a t

i dentity R abat,

o f

h ave

a rgument

n ormally, h ypogea.

b y S ome

r ectangular r ooms

t hrough g alleries w ith t ombs.

p erhaps, m ark o ne o f t he f inal s tages a rchitecture. I n a f ew i nstances a ltogether m issing. c onsisted o f a

g alleries

s tylistic c onsiderations a re

T hey

m ay,

o f d evelopment o f M altese t ombt he g alleried a rrangement i s

S T MARY S TREET H YPOGEUM a t R abat, a pparently, h all w ith t wo d ifferent f loor l evels.

1 8

TABLE 2 H illside g raves a nd h ypogea P arish

G raves o r H ypogeum

1 .

B urmarrad

S an P awl M ilqi

2 . 3 . 4 .

G zira M arsa M arsa

Q asam i l-Fawwara J esuits H ill I I W ied i lGonna

5 .

M garr

B ingemma

6 .

M osta

B istra

7 .

N axxar

S t P aul's B ay R oad

8 . 9 .

Q rendi R abat

M aghlaq I , I I, V V I T ac-Caghqi: W indmill H ill

1 0.

R abat

T ac-Caghqi: S t T homas/ S t P ius V S treets

1 1.

R abat

A bbatija t ad-Dejr I ,

1 2.

S t J ulian's

I II T al-Ballut

1 3.

T arxien

S alib t ad-Dejma

1 4. 1 5.

S afi Z ejtun

G har t as-Semplici T orre M amo

A BBATIJA

T AD-DEJR

I h as

t ombs w hich s eem t o h ypogea

I I,

( ?) ( ?)

a n u nusually l ong h all w ith s erried

h ave b een e xcavated

s tand a part.

w ith m any w hich a re

O ne

r ows

t o a p re-determined p lan.

S S PAUL/AGATHA 8 c onsists

o f a

l arge

o f T wo h all

b urial-troughs d ug i n s ymetrically o rdered r ock-platforms l inked t o t he c eiling b y b lock-like p ilasters w ith a

r udimentary c apital. b ut

( ?)

T he o ther,

t he b urial-troughs w ere

J ESUITS' H ILL I II,

h ad a s imilar p lan

r eplaced b y f loor-tombs.

T HE T OMB-TYPES E ight d ifferent 1 .

T he.window-tomb

T his I t

t ypes

i s

p robably

c onsists

o f

t ombs

f ig.4 n o.

t he m ost

c an b e d istinguished: 1 .

c haracteristic

t omb o f

o f a g enerally o val a nd s ometimes

t he M altese

s quare

h ypogea.

c hamber

u sually

a bout 8 0cm h igh, e ntered t hrough a w indow-like o pening i n m ost c ases a bout 4 0 t o 5 0cm a bove t he f loor. T he w indow-opening i s o ften c ut a t t he b ack o f

a n iche w ith c orner p ilasters w hich • a re g enerally p lain a nd

b lock-like

b ut

p linths

c apitals.

a nd

a s callop-shell

s ometimes i n r elief.

i t c ontained a T HOMAS/PIUS V S TS c hi-rho a nd

a t

r ecess u ncommon

L ess

T he

b urial

A t PAOLA S AMMAT

B ISTRA 2 3 i t g enerally a nd

f lutings

s ometimes

f requently,

a nd

r udimentary

a psed a nd d ecorated w ith a s

i n A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR 4

p ainted i nscription. I n t hree i nstances - S S 1 , G HAR B ARCA a nd G HAJN Q AJJED 2 - t he c onch h ad a

i n r elief.

r ecesses.

o rnamented w ith

T he n iche i s

c ontains

h as

i n o ne

c hamber o ften h as a psed h ead

a nd

f oot

S TREET t he h ead-recess h ad o rnate p ilasters a p illar w ith a

t wo h ead-rests i nstance

a t

1 9

b ut

l amp-hole.

t hree

S T A GATHA 1 7

h ead-rests

a w indow-tomb

T he a re h as

h eadn ot f our

h ead-rests.

I n

i nstances

t he

a

f ew c ases

t here

i s o nly o ne h ead-rest.

c hamber i s u sually n arrow a nd c offin-like.

d oor i s

o ften n ot

S T MARY

S TREET,

c entrally

p laced

i n t he f raming n iche;

A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR 4 ,

I n T he

t hese w indow-

a t M INTNA 1 ,

a nd G HAJN Q AJJED 2 i t i s

c ut

i n

o ne c orner p robably t o f acilitate t he i nsertion o f t he c orpse i nto t he c hamber. W indow-tombs a re g enerally d ug s ide b y s ide i n t he w alls o f g alleries; o n r are o ccassions, n oteably a t T AL-LIEBRU t hey a re d ug o ne a bove t he o ther i n t wo t iers b ut a nd o rnament a nd t hey m ay h ave w all s pace PAUL/AGATHA

t he l ower t ombs l ack t he f raming n iche b een a dded a fter a ll o ther a vailable

h ad b een u tilised. I n f our i nstances - M INTNA I II, S S 1 2, H AL P ILATU S CHOOL H YPOGEUM 2 , H AL B AJJADA P RIVATE

H YPOGEUM - w indow-tombs s tanding c ubes o f r ock.

a re d ug i n f ree s tanding, o r p artially f ree T he w indow-door w as o ften f lanked b y t wo l amp-

h oles w hile t he c hamber c ontains b oth l amp-holes a nd p ottery-niches w hich a re o ften s ymmetrically a rranged. I n m ost h ypogea o f t he M altese c ountryside t he w indow-tomb i s e xclusively t he o nly t ype o f t omb. I t i s l ess c ommon a t M ARSA a nd m ore e specially o n t he m ajor R ABAT s ites; a t

S T PAUL i t

i s

c onspicuous b y i ts a lmost c omplete a bsence.

T here a re

a n umber o f e xceptions t o t he s tandard f orm: a t B ISTRA 4 0 o ne e xample h as a n L -shaped c hamber a nd a t P AOLA S AMMAT S TREET a nother h ad a n arrow p assage t o r eached u p

t he l eft o f t he h ead-recess; a t S S P AUL/AGATHA 4 o ne t omb i s t wo s teps a nd s ometimes, a s i n S S PAUL/AGATHA 1 9 a nd 2 4, t he

w indow-entrance

i s

2 .

f ig.4 n o.

T he L oculi

T his i n

t omb-type t he

i nstead o f

f or

3 .

c onsisting o f

t he b urial o f

f or

PAUL/AGATHA,

a h orizontal r ecess

i nfants o r

a dults

h ave b een n oted:

o ne

a t T AC-CAWLA,

( ?)

o n t he o ther h and v ery n umerous r ate.

O n

t he g reat

R abat

i ncluding i n s hafts. w ith a h ead-rest. 3 .

T he A rcosolium

T his

s quare h eaded.

I talian a nd N orth A frican c atacombs,

r eserved l oculi

a rched

m ay

b e o f

S ometimes

f ig.4 n o.

t wo

t ypes

e ight

a nd

a t

t wo a t

S T

L ess P AUL,

S ALINA. t he g reat

t hey a re f ound

s o

M alta

s mall c hildren.

a nd i ndicate

s ites

i n t he w all,

w as i n

c ommon

g enerally t han t wenty S IX

A T

S S

C hild-loculi

a re

i nfant m ortality

p ractically e verywhere

t hey c ontain a d iminutive

r ock-pillow

2 .

( a) w ith t roughs a nd

( b)

t roughless

a rranged

l ike a m ortuary c ouch s ometimes w ith r ock-pillows a nd h ead-rests. T ype ( b) w as a pparently e arlier a nd m ay h ave h ad a n i ndigenous d evelopment b eing

s imply

l enistic

a n

e laboration • o f

g raves.

T he

a rch

t he b urial

a bove

t he

p latform

m ortuary

i n

c ouch

P unico-Heli s

u sually

f lattened. T ype ( a) m ay h ave b een i nfluenced f rom S yracuse w here t his f orm o f t omb i s v ery c ommon. I n M alta i t i s h owever, o n a m uch s maller s cale e ach.

a nd u sually c ontains o nly t wo b urial-troughs w ith o ne h ead-rest A rcosolia w ith t hree t roughs a re, h owever, n ot i nfrequent a nd

t here a re o ne

s ome

r are

a rcosolium h ad

h ead-rests) O ther

w hile

l arge

c hild

t roughs;

a rched b esides

a t

t roughs

t wo

o f

t roughs.

A t J ESUITS

t hem b ipartite

S T PAUL a nother a rcosolium

a nd a t

S ALINA I V.

o ccasionally t hey h ave

a rcosolia

o penings. t roughs.

s ometimes

f ive

a rcosolia h ave b een n oted

( especially 1 3-14), i nstances

e xamples w ith m ore

a re d ug n ext S ome T hese

a t

S T

h as

A GATHA,

H ILL

I II

( i.e.

w ith t wo

s even

t roughs.

S S

P AUL/AGATHA

A n umber c ontain b oth a dult a nd o nly c hild-troughs.

t o e ach o ther a nd

l inked

I n s everal b y

n arrow

a rcosolia c ontain o ther b urial a rrangements a re u sually i n t he f orm o f c hild-loculi b ut

a n a rcosolium m ay a lso h ave a w indow-tomb i n t he

2 0

b ack

w all

2

g . r )

1 1 1 5 .

6 .

F i g .4 .T h e d i f f e r e n t t o m b -t y p e s o ft h e M a l t e s e h y p o g e a

1 . 2 . 3 . 4a . 4 b .

5 . 6 . 7 .

8 .

w indow-tomb Arcosolium L oculi Baldacchino w ith burial-troughs Saddle-backed b aldacchino F loor-tomb Window-doorway t o burial-cubicle Lench-tomb Table-tomb

2 1

F i g .5 a . •

• •

. . ;

. •• ••

„

••

« ... .

. _

" “ • • • • • • • • • . . . . • ••

.

'

• ; e> "

• '-

‘ •

,

1 . : ! . ; ; 2 •/ 4 ( . s :

• • i " • •

•

/• /

s • • • . 7 2• •

• • ,

, .• •• •

. ,

kt i"

e • • • •• • —•: • • ' • •• • • • : •2

•

! . .

.

,

•

«.

•

• •

f ; $ .

• ` . '

• •

• .•0

R i c h l y c a r v e d s a d d l e b a c k e d b a l d a c c h i n o a tS a l i n a 5 b .

C a r v in g a n d g r a f f i t i o fs e v e n b r a n c h e d c a n d l e s t i c k s a tS .P a u l/A g a t h a1 3

C .

0

2 5

50 1

7 5

1 Oc m

M o n o l i t h i c s t o n e d o o r w i t h l o c k i n g a r a n g em e n t a tS .P au l/A g a t h a1 0

2 2

a bove T ype

t he i nner ( b),

t rough.

f lattened;

T he a rch a bove

o nly r arely i s

t he s olium i s u sually,

i t w ell r ounded.

S ome

a s

i n

e xamples

h ave u nusual f eatures: o ne i n S T P AUL h as a t rough w ith f oot a nd h eadr ecesses s haped l ike t he c hamber o f a w indow-tomb, a nother i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 7 i s L -shaped a nd i n S T A UGUSTINE 3 o ne e xample h as t roughs d ug a t d ifferent l evels. O ne o f t he f inest a rcosolia, a t A BBATIJA T ADD EJT I , i s d ecorated w ith a n e xceptionally w ell r endered r elief o f a s callop-shell

( fig.66)

a nd

c ontains

a n

u nusually

d eep

t rough.

S ALINA I t he a rch o f a nother a rcosolium h as c orner p ilasters. h ypogea c ontain a lso c hild o r i nfant a rcosclia. T hese c onsist s mall

n iche w ith a m iniature

n oted a t 4 .

S T PAUL,

t rough d ug i n t he s ill.

S S PAUL/AGATHA ,

i s

t he m ost

T hey h ave

b een

a nd A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR I .

T he B aldacchino o r C anopied-tomb

T his

A t S ome o f a

f ig.4 n o.

4 a-b.

c ommon t omb-type o n t he R abat s ites b ut i t

i s

o nly

r arely f ound i n t he r est o f t he i sland. I t c onsists o f a c arefully c ut p latform o r t able o f r ock b etween 8 0 a nd 1 00cm h igh w ith a c anopy r eaching

u p

P AUL/AGATHA

t o

t he

2 2A-B,

c eiling. t he

I n

c anopy i s

s ome r are c ases r eplaced b y

s uch

b lock-like

a s

i n

S S

p ilasters.

B aldacchino-tombs a re o ften f ree s tanding. S ometimes a s a t S T P AUL, S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 6, a nd A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR I , t hey a re a rranged i n s erried r ows i n l arge, l ong h alls w hich t hey s plit u p i nto a g rid-iron o f p arallel c orridors w hich c ross e ach o ther a t r ight a ngles. O utside M alta t he b aldacchino-tomb i s c ommon i n t he r ural h ypogea o f S icily; a l arge e xample h as a lso b een n oted i n R ome i n t he C atacomb o f S S P eter a nd M arcellinus. T hree t ypes o f b aldacchini c an b e d istinguished: ( a) b aldacchini

w ith

s addle-backed

b urial-troughs,

b aldacchini.

U sually i t c ontains w ider t roughs w ith b aldacchini t roughs;

a re

( a)

t roughless i s b y f ar

b aldacchini,

t he

t wo n arrow t roughs w ith a s ingle t wo h ead-rests a re a lso c ommon.

o nly a bout

t wo

( b)

T ype

i n

s ix h ave S S

t hree

t roughs.

m ost

h ead-rest b ut O f t he n oted

F ive o thers h ave

P AUL/AGATHA 3 w here o ne

o f

( c)

n umerous.

t hem

i s

f our a lso

i mportant b ecause i t h as t wo a rched o penings i nstead o f o ne o n i ts f ront f acade ( fig.26). T he t ype ( b) b aldacchino h as a h ollow p latform. c ontaining a ( generally b ipartite) w indow o pening i n o ne o f t he s ides.

b urial c hamber, e ntered t hrough a S uch b aldacchini a re n ot c ommon;

t hey h ave b een n oted i n o nly s ix h ypogea: S T P AUL, S T A GATHA 5 , PAUL/AGATHA 1 6 a nd 2 4, S T A UGUSTINE 3 a nd RABAT C IVIC C ENTRE.

S S O ne

e xample i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 6 o riginally c ontained a d ouble t rough w hich was s ubsequently r e-cut i nto a b urial-chamber a nd p rovided w ith a w indow-door s addle-backed d iffers o nly

i n

( c)

o r

b aldacchino i s a n e laboration o n t ype ( b) f rom w hich i n t he s hape o f t he r oof o f t he b urial-chamber w hich

o ne

o f

t he s ides

o f

t he p latform.

T he

t ype

i t i s

c ut t o a s addle-backed o r s arcophagus-lid s hape. O nly a f ew s addleb acked b aldacchini h ave b een n oted. P ossibly t hey c arried a m ark o f d istinction a nd w ere r eserved f or s pecial p ersonages. T he k nown e xamples

c ome f rom S T PAUL,

H ORSES

H YPOGEUM a nd S ALINA w here

t heir c arved o rnamentation 5 . T his

T he T able-tomb f ig. i s

s imilar

t o

i nvariably c ontains r ecorded e xamples

S T A GATHA , t he

S S PAUL/AGATHA , t wo e xamples

f or

( fig.5a).

4 n o.

8 .

t he b aldacchino b ut b urial-troughs.

c ome

S T A UGUSTINE,

a re r emarkable

I t

l acks

t he

c anopied

p rincipally f rom S S P AUL/AGATHA.

2 3

t op.

i s n ot v ery c ommon a nd

t he

I t f ew

6 .

T he b ench-tomb f ig 4 n o.

7 .

T his c onsists o f a b urial-trough u sually f or a n i nfant o r s mall c hild d ug i n a l ow b ench. B ench-tombs a re o ften f ound i n a ntechambers o r f airly

l arge

r ooms

w hich m ay h ave s erved

a s

a ssembly

b enches may i n f act h ave b een o riginally i ntended m ay o nly h ave b een d ug i n t hem a s a r esult o f

h alls.

T he

f or s eating a nd t ombs s pace e conomy. T he

r ecorded e xamples c ome f rom t he R ABAT s ites f rom S T PAUL, S T A GATHA , S S PAUL/AGATHA, S T A UGUSTINE 3 , T AX-CAGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL a nd HAL P ILATU PRIMARY S CHOOL I . 7 .

T he F loor-tomb

T his

i s

f ig.4 n o.

p robably

5 .

a l ate f orm o f

t omb w hich m ay h ave b een

a fter a ll a vailable wall s pace h ad b een u tilised.

u sed

I n J ESUITS

o nly

H ILL I II

f loor-tombs o ccupied m ost o f t he f loor s pace a nd i n A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR I s ix f loor-tombs a re d ug s ide b y s ide i n t he v estibule. I n o ther h ypogea t hey a re u sually f ound i n t he f loors o f g alleries o r c orridors a round

b aldacchini.

l y a lways

T hey a re u sually a bout 7 0cm d eep a nd t hey g eneral-

h ave a p illow w ith h ead-rests.

F loor-tombs

a re s ometimes d ug

o utside t he e ntrance t o h ypogea. O ne s uch t omb w as n oted b y L eith A dams a t MAGHLAQ a bout 1 870. T he l argest n umber o f o pen a ir f loort ombs 8 .

i s

h owever a t

S ALINA where a bout

T he B urial-cubicles f ig.

4 n o.

t wenty-five h ave b een r eported.

6 .

T hese

a re

s mall b ox-like r ooms e ntered t hrough

o ften

c ut

l evel w ith t he f loor o f

s mall

t he g allery.

w indow-openings

T hey a re r eached d own

t hree o r f our s teep s teps a nd u sually c ontain t hree ( sometimes t roughl ess) a rcosolia g rouped r ound a c entral s pace w hich o ccasionally c ontains s ealed

a

p it

6 , f lanked b y a rched n iche. M ellenistic T hey

m ay,

p lug i s

g rave

e xceptions

T he w indow-door w hich

s ometimes,

t o

b e q uite e arly b ut s uch a s a t

t he s tandard

g enerally P AUL/AGATHA

c losely

r esemble.

t hey c ontinue t o f eature

S S PAUL/AGATHA .

f orm.

S S

r ecessed a t t he b ack o f a f lata re a r elic o f t he P unico-

t he b urial-chamber o f w hich t hey

c ontexts

w as

a s f or e xample a t

t wo L -shaped b enches a nd S uch b urial-cublicles

t herefore,

s eemingly l ate o f

i n t he m iddle.

b y a s tone

i n

T here a re a n umber

T he b ack-wall a rcosolium i s

s ome-

t imes r eplaced b y a w indow-tomb a nd i n o ne i nstance, a t T AC-CAWLA , w as a pparently r eplaced b y a c hild-loculi. I n s everal e xamples B ISTRA ,

B INGEMMA a nd e lsewhere,

a nd

.

t he

r ecesses t omb

t he a rcosolia a re e liminated a ltogether

a rrangement

c onsists

o n e ither s ide o f a s hort

i n t he b ack w all.

r ecesses i s

i nternal

h ave

n oticeable

i nstead

I n o ne i nstance a t

P hoenician

b locked

b y

f lat-arched

t he

t he f loor a nd

a nd P unico-Hellenistic g raves

m egalithic s tones w hich,

a

w indow-

S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 2 t he

s imilar

t o

s uch

t o t hose

o f

2 .

t he b urial-chambers

s ometimes,

t wo

A nother v ariant

w indow-door i s

S EALING-SLABS A ND O THER B LOCKING ARRANGEMENTS P l. I n

t wo

r espectively.

B INGEMMA 1 7 a nd 2 0 w here

c hambers i s c ut a bout 7 0cm a bove t he n eighbouring w indow-tombs.

o f

c orridor w hich m ay h ave

s ix a nd s even h ead-rests a t

i t a t

t ight

f itted

w ere i n

a

r ebate. B urial-cubicles i n t he l ater h ypogea w ere c losed b y e qually b ulky s tone b locks w hich, h owever, h ad a c ubicle p rojection i n t he f orm o f

a p lug t hat

s topped

t he w indow-door.

2 4

T here a re s everal

e xamples o f

s uch p lug-doors.

W indow-tombs w ere

s ealed b y t hin s labs

s ometimes

h eld

i n p osition b y c ross-bars a s a t MAGHLAQ I o r b y a s tone b lock f itted i n a s hallow t rench o n t he s ill i n f ront o f t he d oor. t renches

h ave b een n oticed a t M INTNA ,

e lsewhere.

T hree

s ealing-slab

t ombs

MAGHLAQ,

a t M AGHLAQ

w ith t wo e nd-pins

t hat

t hat S uch

S T A UGUSTINE ( Rabat)

I s eem t o h ave b een c losed f itted i n s ocket h oles

o n

b y

a nd a

e ither

s ide o f t he w indow-door. I n a nother i nstance a s ealing-slab f ound i ntact i n MAGHLAQ I V h ad a b oss-like p rojection a t o ne e nd w hich f itted i n

a s emi-circular g roove

i n o ne o f

t he j ambs o f

t he

d oor

( fig.108).

A t S ALINA 3 t wo d rilled h oles a bove t he u ntie, o n e ither s ide, s uggest t hat i n t his c ase t he s lab w as n ailed i n p osition. O ccasionally t here w as n o s ealing-slab a nd i n t he VALLETTA R OAD H YPOGEUM a t A TTARD, t he e ntrance t o t he e ast c hamber w as s topped b y r ubble. T he T A MARCELL H YPOGEUM h as, b esides, p roduced e vidence f or b aked c lay s labs i nstead o f

t he m ore u sual

s tone o nes.

B urial-troughs which w ere B ecker

i n a rcosolia a nd o ther

s ometimes

c ut f rom r e-used

t ombs w ere

s tones.

s ealed b y

s labs

O ne s uch s lab n oticed b y

i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 3 r etained a f ragment o f

a c arved

d ecoration

t hat i ncluded a n i nscribed c ross-monogram w hile i n S S P AUL/AGATHA I V a c ouple o f s labs c ame f rom a b uilding t hat h ad m oulded o rnament. T he t hickness o f t he s labs v aried f rom a f ew c entimetres t o a bout 2 0cm; o ne o f t he l argest o bserved ( p1.2a) m easures 5 0 x 4 6 x 2 0cm ( infra, p .95). T he s labs w ere n ot i n

S S

a lways

PAUL/AGATHA

p itched p yramid c .

l aid f lat o n t he t roughs.

O n t hree a rcosolia

1 0 t hey w ere c emented a t a n a ngle

t o

f orm

a

l ow

4 8cm h igh.

T he s ealing-slabs

o f

l oculi

a nd

f loor-tombs w ere o ften l ess

t hick.

A t S S PAUL/AGATHA 1 4 a f loor t omb i nvestigated b y Z ammit i n 1 911 s ealed b y t hree s labs w ith r espective d imensions o f 4 9 x 6 0, 5 1 x

w as 5 7,

5 9

t wo

x

1 4cm,

w hich

l eft

a g ap a t o ne e nd t hat

w as

c overed

b y

i rregular s tones. I n s ome c hild-loculi w hich w ere o ften o f v ery s mall s ize, t he o pening w as s imply p lastered o ver w ith a c oarse m ortar w itho ut a s ealing-slab b eing a pplied.

' WATER PROOFING A ND D RAINING ARRANGEMENTS S ealing-slabs i rrespective o f t he t ombs t hey c losed w ere u sually c oncealed b eneath a t hick c oating o f a c ement c ompound o f l ime a nd g round p ottery. T he w alls a nd c eiling o f t he h ypogeum w ere s imilarly p lastered

t hough a f iner p aste w as

s ometimes

a pplied.

T he p lastering

o r s tuccoing o f h ypogea s erved a p ractical a s w ell a s a n a esthetic p urpose. I t c oncealed t he t ool m arks a nd r ough s tone a nd i t r endered t hem w ater p roof. T he l atter c onsideration w as o f p rimary i mportance b ecause o f t he p orous n ature o f M altese r ock. c hambers w ere s ecured f rom d amp a nd m oisture.

I n t his w ay t he b urialT ombs a nd h ypogea w ere

c arefully d rained. A t M INTNA g utters w ere c ut t hrough t he f loors o f t he f orecourt a nd t he t hresholds o f t he g alleries. T he b urial p latform m ay

h ave

b een p urposely d eveloped

c orpse w hen t he

t omb w as

f or a s imilar p urpose

f looded.

t o

p revent w ater

I n t he

p aved w ith l arge

f rom

r eaching

t he

S AN N IKLAW T OMB t he f loor w as

s tone s labs.

S ome b urial-chambers a lso h ad p its, u sually V -shaped t o s erve a s b ody d rains. T he m ost i nteresting a re p ossibly t hose a t M ISRAH G HONOQ w here

t hey o ccur

b een o bserved

i n a w indow-tomb a nd

i n t ombs

a t

S T P AUL,

2 5

i n a n a rcosolium.

S T A GATHA ,

S .

T hey h ave a lso

C ATALD,

a nd A BBATIJA

T AD-DEJR

I .

P ossibly f or a s imilar p urpose a s mall h ole w as

d rilled

t hrough t he r idges t hat f rame t he t roughless a rcosolia i n t he s outhe ast h ypogeum a t T AC-CAGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL a nd, a t M INTNA, a n arrow g utter w as

c ut i n t he s ill o f

t he w indow-tombs.

M ONOLITHIC S TONE D OORS S everal o f

t he l arger h ypogea w ere p rovided w ith m onolithic s tone d oors

w ith p ivots f itted w ith

t hat w orked i n l arge s ocket-holes. S ometimes t hey w ere a l ock. O ne s uch d oor i s p reserved i n s itu i n S S

P AUL/AGATHA 1 0.

I t i s

c ut

i n h ard c oralline l imestone a nd m easures 1 37

x 6 6 x 1 8cm ( fig.5c). N ot a ll d oors w ere, h owever, n ecessarily o f s tone, w ooden d oors m ay h ave b een e qually c ommon. T he d oorway o f t he m ajor c atacomb o f S T P AUL, 1 07 x 2 88cm, w as p resumably t oo l arge f or a s tone d oor a nd a t S ALINA 3 t he v ery s mall s ocket h oles w hich h ave a d iametre o f o nly a bout 3 cm, s uggest a nother w ooden d oor t hat t urned o n i ron p ins. T able 3 l ists t he h ypogea t hat c ontain e vidence f or p ivotd oors.

I n s ome i nstances

c eiling

a t

t he b ack o f

s uch a s a t

S .

C ATALD a nd S S P AUL/AGATHA 3 t he

t he d oorway w as p urposely h eightened

t o

a llow

w ere

f ound

t he m assive d oor t o s wing i n e ase.

B URIAL A RRANGEMENTS T he

v ery

g reat

m ajority

o f

t he t ombs

i n

t he

h ypogea

c ompletely r ifled. A s s tated a bove i n t he i ntroduction M alta h as b een a n a rchaeological h unting g round f or c enturies a nd t he w ork o f t he d espoilers i s e verywhere e vident i n t he h ypogea. S ometimes a s i n t he c ase o f a lmost a ll s addle-backed b aldacchini, w hen t he e ntrance t o t he b urial-chamber w as e ffectively c oncealed b eneath t he t hick f ilm o f c ement t hat c overed t he w hole e xterior o f t he t omb, t hey d ug a h ole t hrough t he r oof t o g et t o i ts c ontents. O nly o n v ery f ew o ccasions s uch a s i n a h ypogeum i n t he F IELD A DJOINING S TRADA C OLLEGIO a t R abat, d iscovered i n 1 929, w ere t ombs f ound u nopened. T he t ombs i ncluded s everal c hild-loculi, a w indow-tomb a nd a b aldacchino. T heir c ontents a re d iscussed i nfra p p.171-172. I t i s i nteresting t hat a lthough b oth t he w indow-tomb a nd t he b aldacchino h ad t wo h ead-rests t hey i n f act c ontained t hree b urials. A nother s ealed w indow-tomb i n S S P AUL/AGATHA w as o pened

b y Z ammit

i n 1 915.

H e n oted i t a s f ollows

1 13-114) :

2 6

( Notebook 4 ,

f f.

2 0th J uly ' 15: B ajjada P eppi

I n o ne o f t he c atacombs a t H al r eports a t omb u nopened t his

m orning. I g o a t o nce a nd o pen t he t omb w ith h im . I t i s a t omb w ith a n a rcosolium.* T he c overing s lab i s i n s itu q uite f lush w ith t he w all o f t he e ntrance. T he s ill i s a lso f illed u p w ith m ortar t hough o n i nvestigation i t i s f ound w ith

t hat t he c entral p ortion i s f illed u p t wo l arge s tones a nd o ther s maller o nes

l aid i n a m ortar o f l ime.** T his i s r emoved a nd t he m ortar r ound t he s lab i s r emoved. T he t hickness o f t he m ortar r ound t he s lab i s a bout 2 ins a nd s tones w ere u sed t o ( wedged i n v ery c arefully) t o k eep t he s lab i n s itu. I n t he s ill t he s lab g oes d own f rom a bout 8 ins. O n r emoving t he s lab ( 1'11" x 1 '6" x 5 ") t wo s keletons w ere f ound l aid i n t he c hamber, ( they) w ater;

a re r educed t o p ulp b y a ction o f n o f urniture o r p ersonal o rnaments

t he a re

f ound. S ame m ovements o f b ones a re d ue t o t he f looding o f t he c hambers. T he i nnermost s kelet on t he

h as n ot h is h ead i n t he h ead s pace*** a nd r emains o f t he s kull a re o n t he b reast.

I ts l ight b ones a re v ery s hort; l egs, t highs a nd a rms a re l aid s traight. T he o ther s keleton h as t he h ead f airly l aid i n t he h ead-space. B oth s kulls w ere s upported i n s itu b y m eans o f s tones, o ne f or t he r ight b ody, t wo f or t he l eft. a part

T he a rms o f t his s keleton a re s omewhat f rom t he c hest a nd t he t high b ones a re

w idely d ivaricated a s i f s ome g rowth o r o ther o bstacle p revented t he c losing o f t he l egs. I n

t he h ypogeum i n t he F IELD A DJOINING S TRADA C OLLEGIO i t w as

n oticed

t hat t he b odies h ad b een l aid o n t heir b acks w ithout h aving b een w rapped u p c losely i n s watheing c loths. T he s ame p ractice h ad e arlier b een n oted i n t he S AN N IKLAW T OMB a nd m ay i n f act h ave b een t rue o f m ost b urials. T he a rchitecture o f m ost o f t he t omb-types e xcluded t he u se o f c offins. b urial-cublicles,

T hese m ay, h owever, h ave b een u sed i n s ome o f t he o r o n t roughless a rcosolia t hat d o n ot h ave h ead-

r ests. O ne p ossible e vidence f or t heir u se c omes f rom T AC-CAGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL w here f inds i ncluded f ragments o f n ails a nd w ood a nd b ronze c offin c lamps

Z ammit m eans * *

J udging

p .186).

a w indow-tomb

f rom Z ammit's

w ere p laced * ** i .e.

( infra,

r ough s ketch i t w ould a ppear t hat

i n a n arrow t rench o n t he s ill.

h eadrest.

2 7

t he

s tones

T ABLE 3

H ypogea w ith p ivot d oors*

P arish

H ypogea

1 .

R abat

S t P aul: m ain e ntrance a nd d oorways ' 1-m i n H all A

2 .

R abat

3 . 4 .

R abat R abat

S t A gatha 2 : ' e' S t A gatha 5 : S t A gatha 8 :

5 .

R abat

S S P aul/Agatha 3 :

6 .

R abat

t o h alls ' VII' a nd ' IX' S S P aul/Agatha 7 : d oorways

7 .

R abat

t o e xtensions I I a nd I II S S P aul/Agatha 1 0: d oorways

8 .

R abat

t o g allery ' aa' a nd c ubicle ' ee' S S P aul/Agatha I I: d oorway t o

9 .

R abat

1 0.

R abat

g allery ' ee' S S P aul/Agatha 1 4: d oorways t o e xtensions ' I-II" S t A ugustine 2 : d oorways t o

1 1.

R abat

e xtensions S t A ugustine 3 :

1 2.

R abat

1 3.

R abat

1 4.

R abat

1 5.

R abat

1 6.

R abat

A bbatija t ad-Dejr 2 : e ntrance d oorway A bbatija t ad-Dejr 3 :

1 7; 1 8. 1 9.

S t P aul's B ay S t P aul's B ay S t P aul's B ay

e ntrance d oorway S alina 1 : e ntrance d oorway S alina 2 : e ntrance d oorway S alina 3 : e ntrance d oorway

2 0.

S t P aul's

S alina 5 :

*

d oorway t o h all e ntrance d oorway d oorway t o h all d oorways

d oorways t o

e xtensions ' 1-2' T ac-Caghqi H ill; f ound l ying o n t he f loor T ac-Caghqi S econdary S chool ( South-east H ypogeum): e ntrance d oorway S . C atald: e ntrance d oorway

B ay

T he l etters a nd n umbers

e ntrance d oorway

r efer t o t he p lans

r espective h ypogea

2 8

o f

t he

R E-UTILISATION O F T OMBS S everal a nd 1 2

t ombs h ave p roduced e vidence f or r e-utilisation. A t B istra 1 1 o ld t ombs w ere r ecut t o m ake s pace f or n ew o nes a nd a t T AL-

L IEBRU

t he c hamber o f

a w indow-tomb w as p rovided w ith a

s econd

h ead-

r ecess w ith t wo h ead-rests. W hen a t omb w as r e-used t he o ld b ones w ere p resumably d eposited i n o ssuaries. T he e vidence f or t hese i s h owever s carce. A t S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 4 a c ubicle w hich d oes n ot c ontain t ombs w as r eportedly f ound f ull o f b ones ( infra, p p.125-126) a nd t he p latform o f t o

a l arge b aldacchino w as p rovided w ith t roughs w hich w ere t oo s mall s erve a s t ombs a nd m ight h ave c ontained b one f ragments. A f loor-

t omb i n t he s ame c atacomb, o pened b y Z ammit i n 1 911, m iscellany o f b ones w hich s uggested a n o ssuary ( infra,

p roduced a p .122). A n

u nfinished w indow-tomb i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 9 ( infra, p .137), m ight h ave s erved a s imilar p urpose. B ox-like c uttings i n r ock-benches a t S S P AUL/AGATHA 2 0 a nd a t T AC-CAGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL m ay h ave c ontained s mall b ones. T he m ost i mportant e vidence c omes, h owever, f rom S AU NA w here a h ypogeum d iscovered i n t he 1 8th c entury w as f ound p iled w ith s keletons.

A

s imilar

h ypogeum

f rom

t he

s ame

s ite

( SALINA

i nvestigated i n 1 936 w as s imilarly p acked w ith b ones. T he h ypogeum p roduced a " jug" f illed w ith h uman b ones ( infra, p .342).

2 ) s ame

C HRISTIAN A ND N ON-CHRISTIAN H YPOGEA O ne h ow

o bvious d ifficulty i n t he i nterpretation o f t o

d istinguish

b etween

C hristian

a nd

t he M altese h ypogea i s n on-Christian

s ites.

C hristian s ymbols i n t he f orm o f c rosses a nd c ross m onograms, p alm f ronds, d oves w ith o live b ranches a nd o ther i conographical m otifs o ccur o nly • in a f ew h ypogea ( figs.6-7-8). T here a re a lso a f ew i nscriptions. O ne f rom t he G ZIRA T A S AN T UNAS H YPOGEUM , a t M arsascala, i s i n t he f orm o f a p rayer i nvoking J esus C hrist; a nother f rom S T P AUL c ontains c rosses a nd c hi-rhos w hile t he w ording o f s everal o thers i s p resumably C hristian. T hese c ome

O ther i nscriptions, h owever, p oint t o a J ewish o rigin. f rom h ypogea w hich p rominently d isplay t he s even-branched

c andlestick. 1 3, a nd 1 4,

S ix h ypogea: S T A GATHA 1 7 a nd 1 8, S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 0, 1 2, c an o n t hese g rounds b e s hown t o b e J ewish ( fig.5b). T hey

h ave t he s ame p lan a nd t omb-types a s t he C hristian h ypogea a nd a re i n t he s ame b urial g round. T here m ay a lso h ave b een n ecropolis a t M tarfa o utside R abat a t a s ite a ppropriately

d ug

a J ewish k nown a s

K IBUR 1 L-LHUD o r t he J ewish G rottoes. A t omb-slab s aid t o h ave b een f ound i n t he l ocality h ad a H ebrew i nscription ( infra, p p. 2 17-218). A n eo-Punic i nscription i s p ainted i n t he s outh-east h ypogeum a t T ACC AGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL w here i t m akes r eference t o a l ibation r ite. T his h ypogeum i s a lso s eemingly n ot C hristian. T he i nscription h as b een d ated b y a nalogies t o n eo-Punic t exts e lsewhere, p articularly S icily, t o b etween t he i st c entury B .C. a nd t he i st c entury A .D. T HE ' AGAPE T ABLES' O ne a pparent w ay o f d etermining t he o ccurance i n s everal o f i ncorporated

i n

a

t he C hristian i dentity o f a h ypogeum i s t hem o f r ock-cut t ables g enerally

l ow p latform w ith s loping s ides i n t he f orm

o f

a

d ining c ouch o r t riclinium ( p1.3). T hey a re n ormally e xcavated i n a n a psed e xedra w ith a r ock-cut c anopy o r f lattened a rch a t t he e ntrance. T he t op o f t he t able w hich i s u sually c ircular i s o ften b ordered b y a l ow r idge n otched a t o ne e nd. M any f antastic t heories a bout t hem w ere c onjectured b etween t he 1 7th a nd t he l ate 1 9th c enturies. T hey w ere

2 9

t hought

t o

b e

s tone b asins w here t he d ead w ere w ashed

p rior

t o

t he

e ntombment o r e ven f lour m ills! ( Zammit 1 923, p . 1 3). A m ore l ogical s uggestion w as p ut f orward b y B ecker ( 1913, p p. 1 12-121) w ho p roposed t hat t hey w ere t ables f or a c ommemorative m eal i n h onour o f t he d ead. H e c ompared t hem t o s imilar s tructures f rom P ompei a nd e astern a nd N orth A frican s ites i ncluding t he b asilica o f S t S alsa a t T ipasa. S ome o f t he e xamples h e q uoted c ame f rom P agan c ontexts b ut h e h ad p ointed i n t he r ight d irection a nd a ttention w as d rawn t o t he b anquet s cenes i n t he R oman c atacombs p articularly i n P eter a nd M arcellinus w here t he p articipants a re s hown r eclined o n a d ining c ouch r ound a t able. E ver s ince t hen i t h as b een c ustomary t o r egard t hem a s t ables f or t he A gape p racticed b y t he e arly C hristians. H ence t he n ame ' agape-tables b y w hich t hey a re k nown. T he c ustom o f f uneral f easts o n t ombs o n d eath a nniversaries w as c ommon i n t he a ncient w orld a nd i t i s o ften r epresented i n a rt a s, f or e xample, o n t he t omb o f t he y oung a edile V estorius P riscus n ear t he P orta V esuvius a t P ompei. T he c ustom w as h ard t o e radicate a nd w as c ontinued b y t he C hristians e specially a s a c ommemoration o f m artyrs. I n t he C hristian c ontext, i n R ome, c omm emorative m eals o r r efrigeraries a re, a pparently, f irst a ttested i n t he a d C atacumbas c emeterial c omplex o n t he V ia A ppia A ntica. A w ell k nown e xample a re t he h undreds o f g raffiti o n t he p laster o n t he w alled b enches o f w hat w as p resumably a 3 rd c entury p ilgrims' l oggia a t t he h allowed s ite w here t he B asilica A postolorum w as s ubsequently b uilt i n t he c ourse o f t he 4 th c entury. T he g raffiti m ention r efrigeraries h eld i n h onour o f t he m ajor A postles P eter a nd P aul a nd i t s eems p robable t hat a m emorial c ult t o t he t wo A postles m ay h ave b een i naugurated a t t he s ite a round t he y ear 2 58 A .D. ( K jaergaard 1 984). T he r efrigerary p ractice s eems t o h ave e ntailed a c ommunal m eal p articipated i n b y f amily a nd f riends o f t he d eceased o nce a y ear o n t he o ccasion o f

t he h is

d eath. I n t he 4 th c entury r efrigeraries g ave r ise t o c onsiderable a buse e specially i n t he A frican c hurch b ut, d espite e fforts t o s uppress i t,

i t

s eems

T he

t o h ave s urvived f or a c onsiderable t ime.

a gape-tables g ive a u nique c haracter t o

t he M altese

h ypogea.

U sually t hey a re s ituated a t t he e ntrance t o a n i mportant g allery o r i n a h all w hich m ay h ave s erved f or a ssemblies. I n a f ew c ases, i n S T A GATHA 1 3,

S S P AUL/AGATHA 3 ,

S T A UGUSTINE 3 ,

T AC-CAWLA ,

a l ow s tone

b ench a long t he o pposite w all m ay h ave p rovided s eating a ccommodation. I n f ourteen i nstances t he t able i s f lanked b y t wo s eats. I n S T A GATHA 8 t wo b enches a re c ut a t

t he b ack o f

t he t able b ut

t hey m ay h ave

s erved

a s s helves r ather t han a s s eats. I n o ne o f t he t ables i n S S P AUL/ A GATHA 6 t here i s o nly o ne s eat w hich i s, q uite u ncharacteristically, c ut

i n a s eparate s tone b lock. A

h ypogeum m ay h ave m ore

t han o ne t able.

T here a re t hree

i n

S S

P AUL/AGATHA 7 a nd i n S T A UGUSTINE 2 . S everal o thers h ave t wo. S omet imes, a s i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 6 t hey f ace e ach o ther o n o pposite s ides o f a h all. M ost t ables a re c ircular b ut t hey m ay a lso b e o val o r h orses hoe s haped. T hree t ables s tand a part b ecause t hey h ave a s quare s hape a nd a re c ut i n a s eparate s tone b lock. T hey w ere f ound i n t he n orthw est h ypogeum a t T AC-CAGHQI S ECONDARY S CHOOL, i n S S P AUL/AGATHA 2 1 a nd i n S ALINA 2 . T he t riclinium i s m issing i n t he t hree c ases. A t T ACC AG NI

t he

t able i s f itted

i n a s hallow t rench i n t he f loor

a nd

t he

w all a t i ts b ack i s a psed. T he t ombs;

a psed o nly

i n

e xedra

a t

t he b ack o f

t he

t able

t hree e xamples a t M INTNA I I,

3 0

n ormally

S T A GATHA 8

c ontained a nd

G HAJN

a

F ig .6 . a . b . c . d . e . f .

C rosses a nd C ross M onograms

Rabat, S t. P aul C atacombs. C ross m onogram i n l aurel wreath. A fter A bele 1 646 R abat, S t. Agatha 5 . I nscribed c ross m onogram a bove t he e ntranc d oorway S t. P aul's B ay, S alina 5 . I nscribed G reek c ross o n b aldacchinot omb Rabat, A bbatija t ad-Dejr 1 . C eiling d ecoration i n a b aldacchino t omb M c iabba, Tal-Kandja. I nscribed G reek c ross o n t he c eiling o f t he hypogeum R abat, A bbatija t ad-Dejr 3 . D eeply i ncised G reek c ross w ith e nd-bars o n e ntrance t o b urial-chamber

3 1

Q AJJED 2 , i s i t t ombless. T he t ombs a re u sually c hild-loculi b ut w indow-tombs a re a lso f requent. I n s even i nstances - S T A GATHA 1 a nd 1 1,

S S

P AUL/AGATHA

a rcosolium A UGUSTINE

a nd 3

4 ,

7 a nd

i n a f ew o ther

a nd

1 8,

a nd

S T P AUL ( Hall A )

PAUL/AGATHA 3 ,4 a nd 7 ,

S T A UGUSTINE 3 - t here

c ases - S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 8 - t here

i s a

S T A UGUSTINE 2 a nd S .

t he e xedra a s hallow c upboard-like o bjects c onnected w ith t he ' agape

a nd

i s

a n

2 2B,

S T

A t

S S

C ATALD t here i s a lso

b aldacchino.

i n

r ecess w hich c elebration.

p ossibly c ontained I n a f ew o ther

i nstances t he e xedra i s p ierced b y a l ow, u sually s quare-headed d oorway which l eads t o a s hort g allery w ith a rcosolia. T ombs, e specially a rcosolia, o utside t he a gape-room w ere s ometimes c onnected t o t he e xedra b y s mall u sually a rched o penings. T his m ay i mply m ost

a d esire

t o

i mportant

b e

f inished w ith g reat o r

l ight

b uried

f eature

o f

c lose

t o

t he t able w hich w as

t he h ypogeum.

c are.

N ormally

p robably

T ables w ere a lways

t hey w ere

b rown s tucco w hich o ccasionally ( as

t he

c ut

a nd

r endered w ith a d ark r ed

i n o ne

o f

t he

t wo e xamples

i n H all A a t S T P AUL) s erved a s a b ed f or a p ainted d ecoration. s ome i nstances, a t B INGEMMA 3 , S T A GATHA 3 -14-15, a nd S ALINA 5 , c eiling

a bove

t he

t able w as

c ut

o n a p rojecting

l edge o f

r ock

I n t he w hich

s imulates a m oulded c orbelled s upport. O ne g ets t he i mpression t hat a n e ffort w as b eing m ade t o i mitate a f lat-domed b uilding. A t S T A GATHA 3 t he m oulded

l edge

i s

s upported b y D oric p ilasters a t e ither e nd

o f

t he

e xedra. T he C hristian i dentity o f t hat

( a)

l east

i t n ever o ccurs

s even

C hristian*. 1 .

S T

i nstances

t he A gape-table

i t

o ccurs

i n

a t b y

t hat

t he f act

( b) a re

i n

a t

c learly

T hese a re: P AUL

- o pposite

i ncorporating S S i s

h inted

c ontexts

a n ow t otally d estroyed

b aldacchino w ith a L atin i nscription

2 .

i s

i n s eemingly J ewish h ypogea a nd

i n t he

t ext

c rosses

a nd

t able

( infra,

i s

a

p .392 n o.10)

c ross m onograms

PAUL/AGATHA 6 - t he e xedra a t t he b ack o f d ecorated w ith a G reek c ross f itted i n

t he t able a r oughly

c ircular w indow 3 .

S T

A GATHA 3 - o pposite

n iche

t he d estroyed

t able

i s

a

p ainted

c ontaining a c ross m onogram t ogether w ith a n a lpha

a nd

o mega a nd o ther

S T

T HOMAS/ST

o pposite

t he

C hristian s ymbols

P IUS V S TREETS H YPOGEUM 1 - a t able

i s

w indow-tomb

d ecorated w ith a n i nscribed

c ross

m onogram i n r elief 5 .

G HAR

B ARCA

- a

w indow-tomb

o pposite

t he

t able

i s

d ecorated w ith a c ross m onogram 6 .

G HAJN

Q AJJED

2

- a w indow-tomb o pposite

t he

t able

i s

d ecorated w ith a c ross m onogram

T hey w ere

f irst

c atalogued

b y V incent

5 6-57)

3 3

B org

i n 1 976

( Borg

1 976,

p p.

7 .

S ALINA 5 - a b aldacchino o pposite t he t able c arvings o f i nscribed G reek c rosses

A nother s how

i nteresting

s igns

p oint

a bout

t he a gape

o f a w ilful m utilation.

t ables

O ne g ets

h as

i s

i ncised

t hat m ost

o f

t hem

t he i mpression t hat

t he

' agape'-celebration w as a t s ome p oint s uppressed b ut r emained i n u se f or a c onsiderable t ime a fterwards.

t hat t he h ypogea I n s ome i nstances

t ables

t he

w ere

i ntroduced A frica

m ust

A frican

c ompletely

d estroyed.

M alta i s

u nknown b ut

i n

n ot

C hurch

b e o ver l ooked.

H ow

a nd w hen

t he p ossible T he p ossible

s tarting f rom a bout

t ables

i nfluence c onnections

t he m id-4th c entury

T he

t he

t he B asilica o f

o ne

e xamples

n ear

r egion r ound T ipasa i n A lgeria h as

d iscovered

i n L ibya r emains o f

S t

i n 1 969 a nd

S alsa,

m entioned

1 974 r espectively a nd

t he

a lready i mportant n oted i n

p roduced, a bove,

N orth

w ith

h ave

b een d iscussed i n t he i ntroduction ( Supra p p.4-5) a nd i t i s t o n ote t hat t ables s imilar t o t he M altese m odel h ave b een N orth A frica.

w ere

o f

b esides

t wo

o ther

a nother w as

i n 1 956 a t G argareresc n ear T ripoli. O utside N orth s imilar t ables h ave b een n oted i n S pain i n t he a bove

f ound A frica g round

C hristian C emetery o f S F ructuosus a t T erragona a nd, m ore r ecently a t C artagenia. P ossibly a s a r esult o f t he c onservatism o f t he i slands, t he

t ables m ay h ave

s urvived i n M alta l onger

A nother p roblem c oncerns s eats

f ronting

s ome o f

t he

t he n ature o f

t han i n o ther c ountries. t he M altese

' Agape'.

T he

t ables m ay s uggest a p residing m inister a nd

a n a ssistant. T he n otch i n t he r idge r ound t he t able-top c an, p erhaps, b e i nterpreted a s a p ractical c leaning s olution, t he f ood p articles b eing b rushed t hrough i t a t t he e nd o f t he c eremony. A c oncave c utting i n

t he

f ront

o f

t he

t able m ay o n t he o ther h and h ave

s erved t o c ontain

a n a mphora. T he c rammed s pace o f t he h ypogea s eems t o h int, h owever, t hat i f a m eal w as a ctually p artaken o f i t m ust h ave b een o nly s omet hing s ymbolical. A t able a t B ISTRA 6 h as a n u nusually d eep b asin-top which, i f o riginal, m ight h ave s erved t o c ontain w ater. C .G. Z ammit w ho

s urveyed

i t

i n 1 933 t hought

i t w as a b aptismal

b asin.

W ater m ay,

h owever, a lso s uggest a r itual a blution o r l ibation. A l ibation m ay a lso b e s uggested b y t he t able a t M INTNA 2 w here t he n otch i n t he r idge i s m issing a nd t here i s p oured. A ll t his i s,

i nstead a h ole t hrough w hich w ater c ould b e h owever, h ighly h ypothetical b ut t he m atter

d eserves t o b e t horoughly i nvestigated. G ood e vidence f or a l ibation r ite i n a p robably p re-Christian c ontext i s p rovided b y t he s outh-east h ypogeum

a t

T AC-CAGHQI

b urial-cubicles

a re

S ECONDARY S CHOOL w here

p erforated

b y

t he p lug-doors

n arrow d iagonal

c hannels

o f

t he

a nd

a

p ainted n eo-Punic i nscription i nvokes t he s pirits o f t he d ead t o b e p acified b y t he g ift t hat i s b eing o ffered ( infra, p .189). T his r itual may h ave

s urvived C hristianity a nd

P AUL/AGATHA 3 w here

a p lug-door i s

t here i s

s ome e vidence f or i t

s imilarly p erforated

( infra,

i n

S S

p p.99-

1 00).

N ICHES, S ome

L AMP-HOLES A ND L IGHT-WELLS

h ypogea

c ontain

o rnate n iches w hich p ossibly a lso

h ad

a

c ult

s ignificance. T he m ost s ignificant a re a t M INTNA 3 a nd S S P AUL/AGATHA 3 . O thers a re f ound a t S T P AUL ( Hypogeum I ) a nd a t T AL-LIEBRU. O ther n iches w ere m eant a nd

s ometimes

t o h old p ottery.

t hey h ave

T hese a re o ften r emarkably w ell c ut

a n a psed v ault.

3 4

T hey

a re u sually f ound

i n t he

•

b.

C .

F ig.8 .

C arvings f rom E arly C hristian S ites

a .

G udja, Hal R esqun. D eeply i ncised c arving o f t wo p elicans f eeding t heir y oung

b .

S t. P aul's B ay, S alina 1 5. unidentified s pecies

c .

Rabat, S S. P aul/Agatha 3 . unidentified o bject

a pparent

I ncised c arving o f a b iped o f

G raffiti o f t wo

3 5

b irds and a n

a .

b.

C .

F ig.9

C arvings f rom E arly C hristian S ites

a .

G udja, Hal R esqun . I ncised c arving o f t he C reation o r o f t he H eavenly Paradise

b .

T as-Silg.

c .

Kalkara, Xaghra t a' S anta D uminka. probable Orant f igure

G raffito o f a n u nidentified s ubject

3 6

I ncised c arving o f a

a gape-chambers

a t

t he

b ack o f

t he

t able.

L amp-holes,

h eaded o r p yramidal o ccur i n c onsiderable q uantities a nd i nside t ombs. O pposite t he a gape-table i n p yramidal

l amp-holes

B INGEMMA S ix

a re

s ymmetrically a rranged i n t wo

1 8 s even l amp-holes

l amp-holes

a re

a lso

a re c ut

c ut

O n a ccount

o f

i n a r ow i n t he

t he s mall

r ound

r ows

a nd

i n a r ow a bove a m utilated

P AUL/AGATHA 2 3. I n t he J ewish h ypogea f requent. I n S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 2 t here a re, d ozen.

e ither

b oth i n g alleries M INTNA 2 , e ight

i nner

g allery

i n

t omb. o f

S S

l amp-holes a re f ar l ess f or e xample, o nly h alf a

s ize o f m ost h ypogea t here a re o nly

a

f ew l ight-wells. A n umber o f h ypogea w ere, h owever, p rovided w ith v entilation s hafts i n t he s hape o f s lit w indows t hat o ften f lank t he e ntrance

t o g alleries.

T HE D ECORATION O F T HE H YPOGEA O ne

s triking

d ecoration. q ualities i t

a spect

o f

t he M altese h ypogea i s

t he

a pparent

l ack

o f

I n a n i sland w here s tone i s r emarkable f or i ts p lastic s eems s trange t hat t he p ossibilities o f c arved d ecoration

w ere n ot b etter e xploited. T he r ichly c arved h ypogea a t S ALINA , H AL R ESQUN, P AOLA S AMMAT S TREET a nd XAGHRA T A S ANTA D UMINKA a re e xceptions t o

t he

g eneral

o ccasional

r ule

c ross

a nd d ecoration w as

o r

u sually

c hi-rho m onogram ( fig.6)

r estricted

o r

l ess

t o

f requently

a n a

c ommon i conographical m otif s uch a s a p alm f rond. E ven a rchitectural o rnament w as r estricted. W indow-tombs s ometimes h ad s callop-shells i n t he

c onches

( p1.4b) r ound

o f

a nd, t he

a rched

w indow-tomb ( fig.7b)

w as

a nd

b aldacchino ( fig.

t heir

n iches

a nd

o n a f ew o ccasions, o penings f lanked

t he

o f

c arried

b aldacchini.

b y a c arving

s ame

c risply

c arved

p ilasters

a h ood-mould w ith e nd v olutes

d ecoration

A t

s imulating

i s

u sed

a t A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR I w here

i t

o n

Q ASAM a

l atticed

t he

e ncloses

o f

a

m onogram

6 d). P aintings

a re e ven

M ore c an b e d iscovered w hite T he

f ilm

l ess

o f m ould

i f

c ommon.

t he

t hat

A f ew f ragments

t he

d iscovery

o f

t wo

h ypogea w ere

i n s ome

c leaning o f a f ew t ombs

b ranched

s urvive

T he

t o

c overs

w hole

i mportant

i nscriptions,

g raffito

( fig.38).

a reas. 1 947

p ainted

T he

S T

t he p owdery w all

1 4 a bout a

a t

i n o ther d iffused.

l ed

s even-

h ypogea

m ay

r eveal.

i conography

c omprises

t o b e c leaned o f

i nstances

i n S S PAUL/AGATHA 1 3 a nd

c andlestick a nd a b oat

s till h ave m uch

I t

a

s creen

c eiling

a c ross

A GATHA ( fig.7a) b ut d aubs o f p aint a re f requently n oticed h ypogea. T hey s uggest t hat t he p ainting o f t ombs w as q uite

t ö

c urled

I L-FAWWARA

b esides

o f

t he M altese h ypogea i s

t he v arious

c rosses a nd

l isted

c ross

i n A ppendix I II.

m onograms

s everal

s ymbolical b irds a nd a nimals w hich i nclude d oves w ith o live b ranches, a t l east t wo p eacocks, t wo p robable p elicans, a p ossible l amb o r s tag, a g roup o f h orses, a p ossible h are a nd, p erhaps, a f ish. T here a re a lso t hree b oats a nd a p ossible a nchor a nd t he J ewish h ypogea a ll c arry s even-branched A GATHA

3

r elief

c arvings

c andlesticks.

a nd 2 3,

T AC-CAGHQI o f

t ools

F ive h ypogea - S T A GATHA 1 6, S ECONDARY S CHOOL a nd G HAR

o n s ealing-slabs

o n o r

n ear

S S

B ARCA t ombs,

P AUL/ - h ave w hich

p resumably i ndicate t he t rade o r p rofession o f t he e ntombed T he f ew e xamples o f f igure i conography i nclude t he r espective

( fig.10). p aintings

o f a s eated

d estroyed

f igure i n S T P AUL a nd a s tanding f igure

i n a n ow

h ypogeum n ear S C atald c hurch a t R abat ( fig.7b). C arvings a t H AL R ESQUN a nd I X-XAGHRA T A' S D UMINKA i nclude, b esides, g raffiti o f a h uman

f ace w ith

t wo

o pen a rms

( fig.9a-c).

3 7

T ogether w ith t he p ainting

o f

t he s tanding

f igure,

w ho

h ad a t l east o ne o pen a rm,

r epresent o rants. S tylistically t he t o t he s ame a rtistic m ilieu a s t hose

t hey p ossibly

p ainted f ragments s eem t o b elong i n t he c atacombs o f S yracuse b ut

t he H AL R ESQUN a nd S . D UMINKA g raffiti t ogether w ith a s tylistically r elated c arving o f a n u nidentified s ubject f ound i n 1 966 a t T as-Silg ( fig.9b) m ay p oint A frican i nfluence. A n

t o a n i ndigenous

i nteresting

e lement

s tyle

p erhaps

i n t he d ecoration o f

b etraying

t he h ypogea

N orth

w as

t he

u se o f m arble. A t A BBATIJA T AD-DEJR I t here i s e vidence t hat s ome a t l east o f t he b aldacchini w ere c overed w ith m arble s labs. E vidence f or t he u se o f m arble, f rom o ther s ites.

t hough o n a p robably m uch s maller s cale, h as c ome A t S T P AUL t he b urial-troughs o f a l arge a rcosolium

i n H all B h ad m arble l ids a nd a t S T A GATHA 3 t he s ill o f t he o rnate n iche i n t he a gape r oom a nd o f a n earby w indow-tomb w ere c overed w ith m arble. A t S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 8 a s mall p iece o f m arble i s e mbedded i n t he f ront o f a b aldacchino w here i t p ossibly f ormed p art o f a s helf a nd i n t he s ame h all a s mall t rough d ug i n a n iche w as a lso c overed w ith m arble. A t S S P AUL/AGATHA 1 9 a nother s plinter o f m arble i s e mbedded i n t he w as

w all n ext t o a w indow-tomb a nd a t S S P AUL/AGATHA 2 3 a c hild l oculi c losed b y a m arble s lab. O ther h ypogea m ay h ave h ad a p avement o f

t errocotta t iles. 2 4 b ut

S o f ar

t here m ight

h ave

t he

o nly e vidence

c omes

f rom S S

P AUL/AGATHA

b een o ther e xamples.

I NSCRIPTIONS I nscriptions w ere

s ometimes

c ut

o n m arble

s labs.

M ore o ften t hey w ere

s cratched o r p ainted o n t omb l ids o r o n n earby w alls. T he f ragments o f i nscriptions a re c atalogued i n A ppendix I . T hey a re d isappointingly f ew a nd s ometimes t hey a re u nimformative. O f t he t hirty-nine k nown i nscriptions, s ixteen a re G reek. T his s eems t o s tress t he p rocess o f H ellenisation B yzantine a lready

t hat

t he i slands w ere u ndergoing i n t he

p eriods.

r eferred

T he

l ate R oman

L atin i nscription f rom G ZIRA T A

S AN

t o a bove e choes a p rayer f ormula w hich a ppears

a n i nscription f rom N umidia a nd m ay,

t herefore,

a nd T UMAS

a lso o n

b e a nother p ointer

t o

l inks w ith t he A frican C hurch. A c onsiderable n umber o f i nscriptions a re d atable t o t he 5 th-6th c enturies A .D. S everal m ention i ndications a nd

o ne

G enerally

( no.21 t hey

p .396)

s uggest

s eems

t o

c ontain a r eference

a p rotracted u tilisation o f

t o

a

c onsulship.

t he h ypogea.

DATING T HE H YPOGEA I n t he C hristian c emeteries

o f

R abat

a nd e lsewhere

t he o ccurance o f

t he

c hi-rho

a nd C onstantinian c ross m onograms w ould s eem t o e xclude a d ate

p rior

t he m id-4th c entury A .D.

t o

a nd

a l ate d ate i s,

b esides

i ndicated

b y a n umber o f o ther c onsiderations. T he p lan o f s everal h ypogea, p articularly o n t he R abat s ites, c onsisting o f r ectangular h alls w ith b aldacchini

h ave

w here o ne a t

T repiedi

o n e pigraphical

a c lose p arallel w ith t he i n t he

e vidence,

r ural

c atacombs

p rovence o f M odica h as

t o A .D.

3 99

( Agnello

1 970,

o f

b een d ated p p.

S icily f irmly,

2 23-234).

T he

f ew f ragments o f f rescoes, e specially f rom S T A GATHA, s uggest a f amiliarity w ith s ome o f t he p ost-Constantinian m urals o f t he c atacombs o f S yracuse e specially V igna C assia. a rchitectural d etails p articularly a lso

i ndicative

a nd

t he

r ow o f

b lind

T he u nclassical o rnamentation o f t he p ilasters o f w indow-tombs a re i n t he g allery b ehind

t he

a gape-room i n S T A GATHA 3 s eem t o r ecall t he b lind a rcading o n e xterior o f B yzantine b uildings. A n a pproximate t ime r ange f rom

t he t he

3 8

a rches

F i g . io S om e c a rv in g s o f t o o l s f r om t h e R a b a t S i t es

a .C h a r B a r c a . R e l i e f o ft i n sm i t h s 't o o ls

9

1

•

,

b. S tA g a t h al6 .R e l i e f o ff a rm i n g i m p l em e n t s

i p

.

•

h :Li

'U

bd

U

1 g

,

9 c .S .P a u l /A g a th a 3 . P l ug -d o o r w i th r e l i e f

o fs u r g i c a l i n s t r um e n t s

3 9

2 0

1

I

4 0

CM

d .S .P a u l /A g a t h a2 3 . R e l i e f o fs t o n e w o r k e r s 't o o l s

L amps f rom t he Maltese hypogea

2 .

t ' x e

, ••

1 . N orth A frican r ed ware l amps a . F rom S an P awl M ilqi b -c. Unknown p rovenance 2 .

( Hayes T ype I I A )

R omano-Maltese l amps a fter d rawings b y P .F.

4 0

B ellanti

4 th t o t he 6 th c enturies A .D. s eems l ikely a t l east f or t he C hristian h ypogea. T his i s g iven w eight b y t he N orth A frican r ed-ware l amps ( Hayes T ype I IA) w hich a re f requently r eported f rom g raves a nd h ypogea ( fig.11a) a nd w hich b elong t o a t ype w hich d oes n ot s eem t o h ave b een p roduced b efore 4 00 A .D. ( Hayes 1 972, p . 3 13). A p ossibly e arlier l amp b elonged t o w hat m ay b e t ermed a R omano-Maltese t ype. T his h ad a t hin w alled r ounded b ody w ith c arination, a f lat b ase a nd a w ide f lat d iscus w ith a f illing-hole f lanked b y t wo o r m ore v ents. T he n ozzle w as n ormally a rrow-shaped a nd w hen t here w as a h andle ( which w as o ften n ot t he c ase) t his w as u sually j ust a s mall k nob. T he c olour o f t he c lay w as o ften b uff o r l ight g rey. I t w as p ossibly t he f avoured t ype o f t omb-lamp b efore t he i ntroduction o f t he N orth A frican l amp. l amps ( fig.11b) h ave b een r eported f rom a n umber o f h ypogea a nd

S uch t hey

w ere a ssociated w ith C hristian g raves b y b oth Z ammit a nd B ellanti. t able I V l ists t he g raves a nd h ypogea i n w hich t hese t wo t ypes o f l amp h ave b een f ound.

( a)

T ABLE I v N orth A frican R ed-Ware L amps ( Hayes T ype I IA)

H ypogeum

P arish

N o o f l amps

1 .

B urmarrad

S P awl M ilqi

2

2 .

K irkop

S afi R .A .F. S tation T omb

4 a nd s everal f ragments

3 . 4 .

M arsa R abat

J esuits H ill I V S t A gatha 5

3 a t l east 2 0

5 .

Z ejtun

3

6 .

G ozo

G iardino B otanico I I S annat T omb ( b)

1

R omano M altese L amps

1 . 2 .

M osta R abat

B istra T ac-Caghqi S chool H ypogea ( northe ast h ypogeum)

3 .

R abat

T ac-Caghqi S chool H ypogea ( south-

4 .

R abat

H ypogea n ear S . C atald ( Hypogeum 2 )

5 .

R abat

H ypogeum t o t he n orth-west o f A bbatija t ad-Dejr

6 .

R abat

G hajn Q ajjed I I

1

7 .

S afi

S t G eorge's S treet

1

2

e ast h ypogeum)

H ow

l ong d id

t he h ypogea c ontinue t o

s erve a s

c emeteries?

O nce

a gain t his i s a p roblem t hat o nly a p roper a rchaeological i nvestigation

4 1

c an

a nswer.

T here a re n onetheless s ome

u tilisation.

A

g old c oin o f P hocas

S ALINA h ypogea a nd

i ndications o f

a

p rotracted

( 602-610 A .D.) w as f ound n ear

p ottery f rom G HAJN Q AJJED

I I i ncluded s ome

t he

s herds

o f

H yspano-Moresco p ottery d ated b y C .G. Z ammit t o a bout t he 9 th c entury. A nother p ossible c lue i s p rovided b y t he m utilated a gape-tables w hich s how

t hat

' agape

p eople

c ontinued

c eremony h ad

b eing b uried i n t he

h ypogea

a fter

t he

b ecome o bsolete.

O WNERSHIP O F T HE H YPOGEA Who

f inally

o wned

t he h ypogea?

T he s mall

s ize o f

a

g reat

n umber,

e specially i n t he c ountryside, p oint t o p rivate, p ossibly f amily c emeteries. T he l arger o nes a t R abat a nd M arsa m ay h ave b een c ommunal b urial-grounds. A f ew o f t hese m ay, h owever h ave b een p rivately o wned. A

G reek

H ILL

i nscription,

d atable

I a t M arsa r ecords

a nd Anicetos w ho w ere, f ar t he e xtension o f

t hat

t o a bout

t he 5 th c entury,

f rom J ESUITS'

t he c emetery w as p urchased f rom Z osimetis

p ossibly, i ts p roprietors. I t i s n ot k nown h ow a h ypogeum w as l imited b y p roperty r ights.

C orridors a nd g alleries s ometimes e nd a bruptly a nd t ombs w ere c rammed i n a r estricted a rea. N or i s i t k nown w hether t here w ere f ossores o r k opiatae

i n

t he

R oman

s ense w ho d ug

a nd

s taffed

t he

c emeteries.

P resumably f unerary a rrangements w ere r egulated b y l egislation w as p ossibly t he s ame a s t hat p revailing e lsewhere i n t he l ate a nd

B yzantine

w orld b ut

t he M altese h ypogea h ave

o n t his a s o n s everal o ther i mportant s o

f ar s hed

R eferences A bela

1 647

C aruana C aruana

1 882 1 898

M ayr

1 905

B ecker

1 913

Z ammit N otebooks Z ammit 1 923 Z ammit

1 931

B ellanti m s B ellanti

1 924

F errua A gnello

1 949 1 970

B org

1 976

F asola

1 976

K jaergaard

1 984

4 2

l ittle

l ight.

w hich R oman i ssues

P lnte 1

a .

T he p artly c leared s haft o f a P unicoH ellenistic grave s howing t he e ntrance t o t he b urial-chamber

b .

R emains o f a mphorae a nd o ther p ottery wares f rom a F unicoH ellenistic g rave under e xcavation

P late 2

a . A w indow -tomb i n a sma l l h ypogeum a t T a ' Kand ja , Mqabba

b . D e ta i l o f t he c hamber o f a w indow -tomb s how ing t he h ead -recess , h ead r es ts a nd p yram ida l l amp -ho le

P la te 3

a . A p lug -door t ha t s topped t he e n trance t o a b ur ia l c ub ic le a tS S . P au l/Aga tha 3

b . A s ea l ing -s lab o f a n a rco s o l ium -trough a t S S . P au l/ Aga tha 3

2 , J . •

P la te 4

aa nd b Agape -tab les a t S S . P au l/Aga tha 3

P la te 5

a . De ta i l o f o rna te n iche a t M intna 3 , Mqabba

b . Sma l l i ng

h a lf c o lumn

t he

e n trance

f l ank t o

a

w indow -tomb i n ap r iva te l y

owned

h ypogeum

Ha l B a j jada , R aba t

a t

S ITES

O n

a ccount

t he

o f

R abat

I N T HE R ABAT D ISTRICT

t he g reat c oncentration o f

d istrict

i s d ivided

i nto

h ypogea

e ight

z ones:

H al B ajjada, S t P aul's P arish C hurch A rea, P ilatu, T ac-Caghqi, T al Virtu, B ir i r-Riehbu,

H al O ut-

l ying

m ost

A reas.

i mportant

H al

a nd

i s

B ajjada

( fig.12)

t herefore d iscussed

i s

t he

f irst.

HAL B AJJADA S T P AUL C ATACOMBS H istory o f

S ite

T his s ite, i mportant

w hich c ontains t he l argest a nd t o a c ertain e xtent t he m ost e arly C hristian b urial g round o f t he M altese I slands, o wes

i ts n ame

t o

t he

p opular m yth

t hat

i t w as

c onnected

t o

S t P aul's G rotto,

a f ew m etres a way t o t he n orth-west ( infra, ) I t p robably h ad a m odest o rigin a s a s mall c atacomb b ut w as s ubsequently e nlarged b y t he l inking

o f n eighbouring h ypogea a nd r ecut

i nto a c ommunal c emetery

t o

s erve t he c ity o f M elita. P resumably a bandoned a nd d espoiled d uring t he S aracenic p eriod, a s ection o f i t s eems t o h ave b een r ehabilitated a s a s hrine a fter t he r echristianization o f t he i slands i n t he c ourse o f t he 1 3th c entury. T he v anished m urals i n t he b ack w all o f t he c alled " basilica" a t t he e ntrance m ay h ave d ated f rom t his p eriod.

s oT he

p lace w as t hen a bandoned o nce a gain a nd f ell i nto d isrepair. T he e ntrance w as b locked b ut a ccess w as s till p ossible t hrough a t ortuous t unnel

f rom

A lley). t reasure

a n

i ndependent h ypogeum i n D iar H anzira

A ny v isitors m ust o r s uitable s tone

a ppropriated

s ome o f

t he m ore

p ens w ere a lso g uilty o f t ersely

r ecorded N ot

b y

o ne

( now

C atacombs

h ave b een c asual o nes, s eekers a fter b uried t o r educe t o l ime. T he l ocal f armers w ho e asily a ccessible

a reas

c onsiderable m utilation.

C aruana

( 1898,

p .

s ingle

a rea w as

f or u se

a s

a nimal

T he d evastation i s

1 02): f ound

t o

h ave

e scaped

p illage: n ot o ne s ingle s epulchre u nrifled... I ts s olid a rchitectural f orm i s a ll t hat r emains i ntact A t he c ult b y

m ore

( infra, a

m ixture

G iov. r emains. o ver

f avourable

1 7th c entury,

t he

c limate

r esult,

p p.158-159). o f

" pious

F rancesco

A bela

H e w as

e stimated,

a wed a nd

t owards

p erhaps,

t he

c atacombs

T he n ew v isitors

c uriosity"and w ho w rote

r epeats

t he o ld

i nteresting d etails:

4 9

w ho m ay h ave

s cholarly

t he

b y t heir e xtent

i s n oticeable

i n

o f a n ew e mphasis o n t he P auline

f irst a nd

i nquisition

v aluable

c omplexity,

l egends

b ut

b een p rompted

a ccount

i ncluded o f

t he

w hich h e g rossly

i s o therwise

f ull

o f

F ig . 12

Rabat. Late R oman and Byzantine b urial Hal Bajjada and B ir i r-Riehbu

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 .

S t Paul's Catacombs S t Agatha Catacombs SS Paul/Agatha Catacombs St V enera Catacombs ( ?) S t Augustine's Catacombs Private Hypogeum Hypogeo t o t he west o f S t

B IR

s ites a t

Agatha

I R-RIEHBU

. Abbatija t ad-Dejr 2 . H ypogea t o t he n orth-west 3 . B ir i r-Riehbu Hypogeum

5 0

o f

T ad-Dejr

(t he c emetery) o f S t P aul c ontiguous t o t he c hurch o f t he s aint, a nd h is h oly g rotto, w here t here a re t he c averns a nd s ubterranean r ock e xcavat ions t o b e s een w ith a n i nfinite n umber o f s treets, l anes a nd c orridors w hich f orm a l abyrinth m aking i t n ecessary f or t he c urious t o m ake u se o f A riadne s s tring. I n t he w alls o f t he s aid s treets o ne s ees g raves e verywhere, o n e ither s ide, o ne a bove t he o ther, c ut t o m easure t he c orpses w hich t hey b uried t here, a nd t hese c emeteries a re s o v ast t hat t hey i n f act r esemble a n u nderground c ity b ecause t hey c over s everal m iles a nd a re a ll s ituated b eyond t he d itch o f t he o ld c ity o utside w hich t hey w ere l ocated; t hrough s ome o f t hem o ne h as t o w alk w ith a l ight a ccompanied b y p eople f amiliar t o t he p lace,

o thers a re b locked a nd t heir

p assages e ncumbered w ith e arth a nd s tones f rom c ut

a bove.

t hat f ell

O ne r eaches t hem d own c ertain

i n t he l iving

r ock

..

( Abela 1 647,

p .

s teps 4 2)

S ubsequent a uthors u p t o t he l ate 1 9th c entury c ontented t hemselves w ith r ehushes o f A bela's d escription w ithout a ny s ignificant a dditions. F antastic s tories a bout t he s ize o f t he c atacombs m eanwhile c ontinued t o c irculate a nd t here w ere r umours o f p eople g etting l ost i n t hem w ithout a ppearing a gain a nd o f a s ow w hich, l et l oose i n o ne o f t he c aves l inked t o t he c atacomb m ade i ts a ppearance i n t he d istant v illage o f T he

S iggiewi

( Caruana 1 898,

n ame T ad-Dlam ( the D ark P lace)

p .101)

b y w hich t he s ite w as k nown s ums u p

t he s uperstitious a ttitude o f t he c ountry f olk w ho s cratched g raffiti o f c rosses o n i ts w alls a nd c eiling t o w ard o ff t he e vil s pirits w ho w ere t hought t o i nhabit i t. A mong t he c lerical a nd i ntellectual c lasses o ther m yths c oncerning s upposed m artyrs a nd P auline a ssociat ions w ere p ropagated b y p ious l iterature f oremost a mong t hem t he w ritings o f G att S aid. T hese, h owever, h ad t he p ositive e ffect o f k eeping a live i nterest i n t he s ite b ut n o s teps w ere t aken f or i ts « exploration a nd r estoration. I n 1 882 o nly a s mall p ortion w as a ccess ible a nd C aruana ( pp. 1 06-107) s till b elieved i t t o b e l inked t o S t P aul's G rotto. H e d escribes t he d evious a pproach t hat w as s till t he o nly a vailable a ccess: E leven

d escending s teps w ithin a p rivate e nclosure

b ehind t he C ollege o f t he G rotto o f S t t o a f issure-like c utting i n t he r ock,

P aul, m ore

l ead t han

1 0ft b elow t he l evel o f t he a djoining g round. i s t he e ntrance t o s teep n arrow s teps s torey o f

t his

t he C atacomb. T welve l ead t o t he f irst o r

T his m ore, u pper

c emetery

T he s ite m eanwhile c ontinued

t o

c laim t he i nterest o f

b oth a ntiquarians

a nd c urious t ourists. I ts m ost F amous v isitor w as p robably L ord N elson w ho w as s hown r ound i t o n 4 th M ay 1 800 b y t he R ev C anons o f t he G rotto o f S t P aul w ho c arried f our t orches w ith f our w icks e ach. N elson, w ho w as t hen r esiding a t t he P alace o f S an A ntonio, w as a ccompanied b y L ord a nd

L ady H amilton a nd C apt.

A lexander B all

5 1

( Archives

o f

t he G rotto o f

S t P aul.

R abat,

v ol.

B D eliberazzioni,

f .

1 81)

I n t he l ast d ecade o f t he 1 9th c entury, t he G overnment a ppropriated t he s ite d espite t he s trong p rotests o f t he c hurch a uthorities w ho c laimed t he o wnership. T he w ork o f c leaning a nd s urveying t he c atacombs s tarted o n 2 nd J anuary 1 894 a nd c ontinued u ntil t he e nd o f A ugust u nder t he d irection o f C aruana w ho, i n a s ubsequent m onograph ( 1898, 1 02), j ustly p rided h imself o n t he r esult: T he o nce c leared;

b locked u p c orridors a nd a reas t he w alled u p p assages o pened;

a re a nd

p p.

1 01-

n ow t he

w hole p lace, i ncluding t he p ortions a ppropriated b y p rivate l andlords, h as b een r egularly s urveyed a nd m apped I t

r emains

i n f act h is m ost e nduring a chievement.

a l atin i nscription,

w ere

a bove t he m odern e ntrance,

A m arble p laque w ith

r ecords t he e vent.

T he c atacombs t urned o ut t o b e m uch s maller t han e xpected a nd t hey i solated w ithin w hat C aruana ( 1898, p .101) d escribes a s " well

d efined b oundaries". T hey e xtend i n f act f or o nly c .67.05m o n a n orths outh a xis a nd f or 4 5.72m i n a n orth-west - s outh-east d irection ; t he t otal a rea c overed i s a bout 2 166 s q. m etres. " This" c onceded C aruana " d oes n ot i ndicate a v ery c onsiderable e xtent". H e m aintained, h owever, t hat i t d oes n ot r eflect t he t rue p icture t hat c an b est b e o btained b y a dding u p t he l engths o f t he v arious g alleries a nd p assages a s t hough t hey w ere i n a s traight l ine. S een i n t his l ight t he h ypogeum i s 8 32.2m l ong! C aruana w rongly t hought t hat i t w as " similar i n g eneral" t o t he R oman c atacombs w ith w hich h e f requently d raws c omparisons. H e a dmits, h owever, t hat i t i s f ar l ess d eep a veraging o nly b etween 4 .57 a nd 5 .48m. D espite

i ts

l imitations C aruana's m onograph r emains a n

i mportant

d ocument p articularly o n a ccount o f i ts m easured d rawings, t he w ork o f F ilippo V assallo, w hich t hough o ccasionally i naccurate a re s till t he o nly a vailable p lane. V aluable c ontributions t o t he s tudy o f t he s ite w ere s ubsequently m ade b y M ayr, B ecker, Z ammit a nd F errua b ut a n ew s urvey i s l ong o ver d ue. S hortly a fter i ts r estoration i t w as o pened t o t he p ublic ( electricity w as i nstalled o n 2 0th J uly 1 925) a nd i t i s t oday a p opular t ourist a ttraction. T he s tate o f u pkeep i s o n t he w hole

f air b ut

c ertain s ections

h ave

r ecently b een b locked

p resumably

b ecause t hey h ad b ecome s tructurally u nsound. D escription o f R emains

( fig.13).

T he o riginal

t he h ypogeum w as d own a f light o f

a ccess

t o

e ighteen s teep

s teps c ut i n a s haft a bove w hich a s mall r oom w ith a n o rnate N eoC lassical f acade w as b uilt i n t he f irst d ecade o f t he 2 0th c entury. A c omfortable s taircase h as r ecently b een p rovided. T he s haft, 6 .70m l ong x 1 .52m w ide, i s n oteworthy b ecause i t i s l ined w ith l oculi a nd l amp-holes d ug a t d ifferent l evels. T welve l oculi a re o f t he u sual c hild v ariety b ut t here a re a lso t wo l arge o nes, m easuring r espectively 1 60 x w all.

6 7 x 4 7cm a nd 1 60 x 6 9 x 5 4cm, d ug s ide b y s ide i n O ne o f t hem h as a r ock-pillow w ith a h ead-rest w hile

i s b ordered l ength-wise t he l atter

t hree

b y a l ow r idge,

c hild-loculi

a re

c ut

5 2

t he t he

1 0cm h igh x 1 0cm w ide.

i n a t iered

r ow.

r ight o ther B eneath

FI G .

1 3

PÄ 2 3AT .

STPA UL

CA Ti l ,CON 41 2 ,S

1 • • , . .. . . .

,

. ., 1,

% . ..—\-- -, .

•

s . —. , • ‘ , ,x —; 4 ,. ;, , , I i t ( • , , , > , -. _ • , , ' , , - .; ' 1 •

5

. "

, .

• .

. , ,' St

/

•

c ' , , \ ' , . . , .t > . 3 ' • ,
-: �-i_�· \ •

r

'

Fig. 18. Rabat. st. Agatha Catacombs A. Plan and Sectiona-1 Elevation of the Cave-Church B. Pain ted niche in Hypogeum 3 c. Detail of 'B' showing dove with flowering twig

72

D escription o f R emains T he

c atacombs

f ig.17a.

o ccupy a n a rea o f

c .3,800 s q.

m a nd t hey a re m ade u p o f

a bout t wenty o riginally i ndependent h ypogea m ost o f w hich t ogether i n a v ery a d h oc m anner i n p ossibly q uite r ecent

w ere f used t imes. A t

l east t wo o f t he h ypogea b elonged t o a J ewish c ommunity a nd t he d igging o f s ome o f t he b urial-chambers d isturbed e arlier P unico-Hellenistic s haft-graves. T he C hristian o rigin o f t he m ain c omplex i s, h owever, d istinguished b y t he a gape-table s et-ups a nd b y t he c ross m onograms a nd o ther i conographical m otifs. T he s herds o f N orth A frican r ed w are l amps f ound d uring t he 1 955-58 s urvey a lso p oint t o C hristian u se. T he c atacombs a re t oday e ntered f rom t he c ave-church. T he n orths outh c luster r eached t hrough a m odern o pening i n t he r ight w all c ontains s even h ypogea ( 1-7) s ome o f w hich h ave o nly r ecently b een i nvestigated. I t i s b etter p reserved a nd a s ection w as o pened t o t he p ublic o n 3 rd F ebruary 1 958. t he

o nly k nown p art o f

T he w est-east

t he c atacombs

c luster w as

f or m any y ears

a nd i t h as c onsequently

s uffered

g reater m utilation. I t i s m ade u p o f a bout s even o ther h ypogea ( 8-11; 1 3-15) p arts o f w hich h ave n ot y et b een e ntirely c leaned o f e arth a nd d ebris. A t l east t hree o ther h ypogea ( 16-17-18) e scaped f usion w ith e ither o f t he t wo c lusters a nd h ave e ach p reserved a n i ndependent e ntrance. S ignificantly t wo o f t hem ( 17, 1 8) a re J ewish; t he o ther h as n o d istinctive r eligious f eatures.

s ome

T he c ave-church ( fig.18a) e ntered d own t wenty r ock-cut s teps a rchaeological i nterest f or v estiges o f t ombs c an b e m ade o ut

b oth w alls

a nd c eiling a nd,

c lose

t o t he d oor

t o t he w est-east

h as i n

c luster,

a f ew c hild l oculi a re w ell p reserved. B y t he e ntrance t o t he n orths outh c luster, o n t he r ight, a n a rcosolium h as l ikewise b een l eft u ndisturbed w hile a w alled-up a rched d oor o utside t he c hurch t o t he l eft, p ossibly l eads t o a n u nexplored h ypogeum. T he c hurch i s o f u nknown a ntiquity b ut t he e arly 1 6th c entury m urals w ere p ainted o n a n e arlier f resco-cycle t he f ew r emaining f ragments o f w hich c an b e d ated, o n s tylistic c enturies. T he

c onsiderations,

t o

t he

l ate 1 3th

v arious h ypogea a re h ere d escribed

o r

t he

s eparately

e arly

1 4th

s tarting

w ith

t hose i n t he n orth-south c luster. T hese a re r eached t hrough a n arrow t unnel, 5 .49m l ong, w hich c uts t hrough t wo w indow-tombs. H ypogeum 1 T his

f ig.17b.

w est-east

h ypogeum i s o nly p artially e xplored

f or

i ts

w estern

s ection, w hich p resumably i ncludes t he o riginal e ntrance, i s p acked w ith s tones a nd e arth a nd c oncealed b ehind a m odern r ubble w all. I ts p resent a ppearance i s t hat o f a l arge r ectangular r oom , 1.68 x 5 .18m, d ominated b y f our b aldacchini, ' 1-2-3-4', w hich h ave r oughly s imilar d imensions, m easuring c . 2 .14m l ong a nd b etween 1 .52 a nd 2 .13m w ide. T he f irst t omb i n t he e ast, ' 4', c ontains t wo d rain-pits. F ifteen c hild-loculi a re w est

c orner

t here

c ut

i n t he w alls o f

t he

a re a n i ncomplete a rcosolium ' 5

w hich h as

r ecently b een f illed u p

w as m eant

t o

( Camilleri,

b e b ipartite b ut o nly

7 3

t he o uter

p .

r oom a nd i n t he s outha nd 1 7).

a f loor-tomb ' 6' T he a rcosolium

t rough w as e xcavated.

A t

t he

w est

e nd

t wo a gape-tables

f ace e ach o ther o n e ither

s ide

o f

a

n arrow p assage t hat p resumably l ed t o t he e ntrance o f t he h ypogeum. T he t able o n t he r ight i s m utilated a nd i ts e xedra i s p ierced b y t he o pening t o H ypogeum 2 . T he r oom i s w ell f inished a nd t here a re t races o f

p ainted

s tucco n ear t he a gape-tables

H ypogeum 2

a nd b y

t he m odern r ubble w all.

f ig.17c.

T his n orth-south h ypogeum, r eached d own f ive s teps f rom t he o pening i n H ypogeum 1 , c ontains s ome o f t he b est p reserved p ainted d ecorations i n t he M altese h ypogea. T he e ntrance s teps l ead t o a 3 .5m l ong c orridor, ' a', t hat c ontains a n a rcosolium, ' 1', 1 .73 x 0 .45m , i n t he b ack w all o f w hich i s a c hild-loculi, 4 6 x 2 0cm. T his c orridor g ives a ccess t o a 6 .71m l ong g allery, ' bb', i n w hich a re t hree m ain t ombs, ' 2-3-4', a nd s everal c hild-loculi. I n f ront o f ' 3 a nd ' 4' t here a re a lso a n umber o f f loor-tombs w hich h ave n ot y et b een i nvestigated ( Camilleri, p .19). T ombs ' 3' a nd ' 4' a re o f c onsiderable i nterest. ' 3' i s a p artially d etached b aldacchino, 2 .44 x 1 .53m , t hat c ontains a r emarkable p ainted i nscription. T he i nscription, c ommemorating L eonia w ho w as b uried b efore t he c alends o f S eptember, ( infra, p .393 n o.6 a nd f ig.119D) i s i n G reek c haracters p ainted w hite a gainst a r ed b ack-ground a nd e nclosed i n a r ectangular f rame, 3 4 x 4 9cm , s ustained b y t wo w ell m odelled g enii w hich m ay b etray a f amiliarity w ith l ate H ellenistic a rt. I t i s u nfortunately b adly m utilated a nd F errua ( 1949, p . 5 14) w ho d eciphered i t,

e xcused B ecker f or m isinterpreting i t:

e

s tata b arbaramente d evastata d ai c uriosi, t anto c he è d a c ompatire i l B ecker, M alta S otteranea, S trasburgo 1 913, p . 1 39, d i n on a vervi c apito n ulla, n eanche c on l 'aiuto d ell'Hiller v on G aertringen H e h imself

a dmits

t o d ifficulty i n r eading i t

c he a f atica v i h o p otuto d ecifrare T omb ' 4' w as e ntirely p ainted. L arge f ragments o f i ts p aintings w ere d iscovered b y F r C amilleri i n 1 958 w hen a t hin i ntonaco-coating w as r emoved. T hey h ad, a pparently, b een c overed u p i n a ntiquity p roba bly b ecause i t w as i ntended t o r edecorate t he t omb. T he r ecovered p aintings i nclude t wo l aurel ( ?) w reaths d ecorated w ith r ibbons a nd e nclosing t hree r ed r oses t hat s tem f rom t he s ame s talk. O n t he f ront o f t he t omb t wo b irds, o ne o f w hich i s p ossibly a d ove, a re p ainted o n t he i ntrados o f t he l arge a rched o pening. T hey a re d rawn i n a d ark o chre p igment o n a b uff g round a nd a re e nclosed i n a n o rnate f rame o f a bstract c urvelinear d esigns t hat f ollows t he o utlines o f t he a rch a nd f lanking p ilasters ( fig.7a). T he c olours u sed a re t he u sual r ed a nd y ellow o chres, v erdigris a nd a d ark b lue-grey a chieved b y t he m ixture o f c harcoal a nd l ime. D aubs o f p aint a re a lso v isible o n t he c eiling a nd

' c',

l ower p art

o f

t he

t omb.

G allery ' bb' l eads t hrough a r ectangular d oor t o a n o blong s pace, w hich c ontains t he s ix s teps d own w hich a ccess w as o riginally

g ained

t o

t he

s ection j ust d escribed.

T he r eal e ntrance t o

t he h ypo-

g eum w hich a lso l ay i n t his a rea i s n ow b locked. A t t he b ack o f s teps ( above w hich i s a t omb f or o ne p erson) t he h ypogeum e xtends n orth-south

d irection

t o i nclude a n

7 4

a gape-chamber,

' d',

w hich

t he i n a w as

w alled u p i n A pril 1 956 b ecause i ts r oof t hreatened c ollapse ( Camilleri, p . 1 9). T his w as e ntered t hrough a s quare-headed d oorway, 1 .68 x 1 .58m, a nd c ontained t he u sual s emi-circular e xedra i n t he b ack w all o f w hich w as a w indow-tomb w ith a b ipartite c hamber, 1 .73 x 1 .22m. R eturning t o a rea ' c', o ne s ees o n t he e ast w all a s quareh eaded d oorway l eading t o a h all, ' e'. S ocket-holes o n t he f loor a nd c eiling s uggest t hat i t w as c losed b y a d oor t hat w orked o n p ivots. T his h all c ontains a l arge b ipartite b aldacchino, ' 8', 2 .14 x 1 .53m, a nd t hree a rcosolia, ' 9-10-11 . T here a re a lso t wo f loor-tombs a nd n ine c hild-loculi o ne o f w hich i s d ug i n t he p latform o f a rcosolium 1 1 . T he n arrow c orridor i n f ront o f t his t omb t urns a t r ight a ngles t o m eet a n u nfinished g allery, ' ff i n t he n orth-east c orner o f w hich a m odern o pening l eads d own t hree s teps t o H ypogeum 3 . B efore 1 958 t hese t wo h ypogea w ere c onnected b y a n a ccidental b reak i n t he r ock ( Camilleri,

p .21).

H ypogeum 3

f ig.19.

T his i s p robably t he f inest h ypogeum i n t he S t A gatha c omplex. I t i s o rientated e ast-west a nd c onsists o f t wo s hort g alleries, ' aa' a nd ' bb', e xcavated a t r ight a ngles t o e ach o ther, w hich c onverge o n t he a gape-chamber. T he s tepped e ntrance f rom H ypogeum 2 l eads t o g allery ' aa' w hich i s 7 .62m l ong a nd h as t hree w indow-tombs, ' 1-2-3'. T ombs ' 1' a nd ' 2' a re d ug s ide b y s ide i n t he s outh w all a nd h ave s imilar p roport ions. T heir b ipartite b urial-chambers m easure a pproximately 1 .93 x 1 .22m a nd a re e ntered t hrough w indows r ecessed i n d eep, a rched n iches. T he n iche o f ' 2' w as f lanked b y p ilasters w hich h ave b een a lmost c ompletely d estroyed b y q uarrying. T omb ' 1', w hich i s b etter c ut, h ad a n i nscription i n r ed o chre o n t he s tucco t hat c overed t he s ealings lab. T his i s, a s u sual, m issing b ut a f ew l etters o n t he s tucco r ound t he

c orners

o f

t he w indow-opening w ere v isible u p t o a f ew y ears

( Camilleri, p . 2 1). t he o pposite w all.

a go

T omb ' 3'is l evel w ith t he f loor o f t he g allery i n I ts c hamber i s l ikewise b ipartite b ut i t l acks

i nteresting f eatures. G allery ' bb' h as o nly a b ipartite w indow-tomb,

' 4',

i n i ts w est

w all. A t i ts n orthern e nd i t i s c rossed a t r ight a ngles b y a nother g allery, ' cc', w hich c ontains n o t ombs b ut l eads t o a c ircular p it, ' 5', 9 2cm i n d iameter a nd 1 .37m d eep. I t w as c losed w ith s ealing s labs a nd c ontained b one s plinters w hich h ave b een r emoved t o t he S t A gatha M useum w hich F r C amilleri h as s et u p a bove t he c atacombs. I ts p urpose i s u nknown b ut t he b ones m ay p oint t o a n o ssuary a s s uggested b y C amilleri ( p. 2 4). T o t he l eft o f t his p it a m odern o pening l eads t o H ypogeum 4 .

t he

T he a gape-chamber, m ost i nteresting

e ntered t hrough a n a rched d oorway, i s o ne i n M alta. I ts m ost s ignificant f eature i s

o f a

s hallow, a psed n iche, ' 6', d ecorated w ith a w ell p reserved f resco o f a s callop-shell b eneath w hich t he c hi-rho m onogram i s p ainted i n r ed o chre.

O n t he s ides

a re

t wo v ases e ach f lanked b y a d ove

t hat

c arries

a f lowering t wig a nd t he s pace b etween i s o rnamented w ith f lowers a nd l eaves w hich w ere, p erhaps, m eant t o r epresent t he h eavenly p aradise ( fig.18b-c).

T he p ainting m ay b elong t o t he s ame a rtistic m elieu a s

t he

M arcia f resco i n t he c atacomb o f V igna C assia a t S yracuse w here t wo p eacocks f lank a v ase, p erhaps a s ymbol o f t he r efrigerium o f t he s oul, a nd t he g irl M arcia a ppears f or h er j udgement i n a f lowery g arden. F loral d ecorations w ere a s p opular i n t he S yracuse c atacombs - a t V igna

7 5

C assia t hey w ere u sed w ith p assionate p rofusion - a s t hey w ere a t R ome a nd t he d epiction o f b irds b esides v ases w as a lso w idespread. A w ell k nown e xample i s a f resco i n t he C atacomb o f D omitiIla a t R ome. W hoe ver w as r esponsible f or p ainting t his n iche m ay, t herefore, h ave b een c onversant w ith c atacomb p aintings e lsewhere a nd t he w ell r endering o f t he t wo d oves s uggest a f airly c ompetent a rtist. T he p igments a re t he s ame a s t hose u sed i n H ypogeum 2 . T he s ill o f t he n iche w as c overed w ith a w hite m arble s lab a f ragment o f w hich i s p reserved i n s itu. O ther p ieces, f ound b y F r C amilleri d uring t he c leaning o f t he c hamber, a re p reserved i n t he S t A gatha M useum.

n iche

T he c ircular a gape-table w as s ituated e xactly i n f ront o f a nd i t w as f lanked b y t wo l ow b enches t hat j utted o ut f rom

t he t he

t riclinium. O nly o ne o f t hem h as s urvived t he q uarrying t hat h as a lmost c ompletely d estroyed b oth t able a nd t riclinium. T he e xedra i s, h owever, w ell p reserved a nd i t c onfirms f urther t he c are w ith w hich e verything i n t his c hamber w as e xecuted. T he d eep c urve i s h ere d ecorated b y a c ornice o f p lain m oulding t hat f ollows t he l ine o f t he c eiling a nd i s s ustained b y t wo p seudo-Doric p ilasters c arved o ut t he r ock a t e ither e nd o f t he s emi-circle. T here a re t wo t ombs:

o f a

c hild-loculi, 7 6 x 2 1cm , a nd a w indow-tomb, ' 7'. T he l atter i s r ecessed i n a n a rched n iche a nd i ts b urial c hamber, 1 .68 x 0 .61m, w as i ntended f or o ne b urial o nly. T he

3 .81m

l ong

p assage

s eparating

t he p ainted

n iche

f rom

t he

a gape-table l eads t o t wo s hort c orridors, ' d a nd ' ee'. T he f ormer, r ecently w alled u p ( Camilleri, p . 2 3), l eads t o t he o riginal e ntrance o f t he h ypogeum w hich w as d own s everal s teps. C orridor ' ee', 3 .20 x 0 .92m s eems t o h ave b een i ntimately c onnected w ith t he a gape-chamber. I ts m ost i nteresting f eature a re f our l arge b lind a rches e xcavated s ide b y s ide o n t he n orth w all. T his s trange a rrangement, w hich v aguely r ecalls t he b lind a rcading o n t he e xterior o f B yzantine b uildings, s eems t o h ave s erved o nly a d ecorative p urpose. T he w all o pposite c ontains t wo w indow-tombs, ' 8-9', w ith a b ipartite c hamber. T he s ill o f ' 9' w as c overed b y a m arble s lab a p iece o f w hich i s s till s tuck t o t he r ock ; ' 8' s till

o ther f ragments w ere f ound n earby ( Camilleri, c ontains b one f ragments.

H ypogeum 4 T his

s mall

p .

2 3).

T omb

f ig.19b. w est-east

h ypogeum i s

c ut

i n v ery f riable

r ock

a nd

i s,

c onsequently, i n b ad s tate o f p reservation. T he m odern o pening i n H ypogeum 3 l eads t hrough a n arrow c orridor t o a l ong h all, ' aa', 9 .14 x 3.66m , w ith a n a gape-table a nd a f ree s tanding b ipartite b aldacchino, B oth a re m utilated b ut t he b aldacchino p reserves a g raffito o f a p alm-frond. A t

t he w estern e nd o f

t he c hamber,

a b ipartite

f loor-tomb,

' 2',

m easures 1 .68 x 1 .7 x 0 .95m d eep a nd n ext t o i t, o n t he r ight, a nother t omb, ' 3', h as t hree h ead-rests. C amilleri f ound i n i t t he r emains o f a f emale a dult a nd t hose o f a n ewly b orn c hild ( Camilleri, p . 2 5). T here a re a lso t wo c hild-loculi a nd a n u n-finished w indow-tomb, ' 8'. I n f ront o f t he a gape-table i s a c orridor, ' bb', 5 .30 x 0 .92m , w ith f our b ipartite t ombs, t hree o f w hich ( '4-5-6') a re c ut i n a r ow a long t he n orth w all. A t t he w est e nd o f ' bb' t wo s teps, c ut i n a l arge s tone-block,

l ead u p t o a s mall s quare c ourt,

o riginal e ntrance

t o

t his

' c',

t hat

c ontains

t he

h ypogeum a nd a m odern o pening t o H ypogeum 5 .

7 6

a

HYPOGEUM 4

HYPOGEUM 3

p l an a f te r V Cyr i l ler i

F ig.19

Rabat,

S t.

Agatha Catacombs.

Hypogea 3 -4-5

d .

S addle-backed b aldacchino

e .

P artially d etached s addle-backed b aldacchino v olutes c urling r ound i ts arched o pening.

7 7

' 2' w ith s piral

F IG .2 0 R aba t , S t .Aga tha H ypogeum 5 . F ragmen ts o f o i l l amps

H ypogeum 5

f ig.19c.

T his n orth-south h ypogeum w as c leaned a nd s urveyed b etween 1 955-1958 u nder t he d irection o f F r C amilleri. I t i s o ne o f t he l argest i n t he c omplex a nd o ccupies a n a rea o f a pproximately 2 23sq. m . T he u sual s hort g alleries a nd c orridors a re m issing a nd i ts p lan i s i nstead a n e longated r ectangle w ith a rcosolia a nd s erried r ows o f b aldacchini. T he q uality o f w orkmanship a nd f inish i s h igh; o ne o f t he t ombs i s e laborately d ecorated i nscriptions.

a nd

t here i s e vidence

t hat

s everal

o thers

h ad

T he h ypogeum i s e ntered t hrough a s quare-headed d oorway r ecessed i n a n a rched f rame t hat e ncloses a n i nscribed c ross m onogram ( fig.6b). T he d oor w orked o n p ivots a nd i ts l ock f itted i n a s mall r ectangular h ole i n o ne o f t he j ambs. r ight, a re t he r emains o f

I mmediately i nside a t riclinium. I ts

l arge t omb w ith f our-head-rests w hich i s

t he e ntrance, t o t he t able i s m utilated b y a

t unnelled r ight

i nto i t.

t omb a t t he b ack o f t he t riclinium i s t he m ost o rnate i n t he b ut i t i s l ikewise b adly p reserved. T his i s a p artially s addle-backed b aldacchino, ' 1', w ith s piral v olutes c urling

T he

h ypogeum d etached r ound t he

t op o f i ts a rched c anopy w hich i s f lanked b y p lain p ilasters w ith l amph oles i n t heir c apitals ( fig.19e). T he t omb w hich i s b ipartite m easures 2 .18 x 1 .42m a nd i t i s f lanked b y t wo s hort p assages, ' a-b', t o

w hich

i t

i s l inked b y a rched o penings.

P assage

' a

c ontains

c hild-loculi a nd a w indow-opening t o H ypogeum 7 w hile ' b' h as p artite w indow-tomb.

a

a b i-

N ext t o t he t riclinium, t o t he r ight, i s a b etter p reserved s addle-backed t omb, ' 2'. I t l acks c arved d ecorations b ut i s l arger a nd c ompletely f ree s tanding. I t m easures 3 .35 x 2 .41m a nd h as a b ip artite b urial-chamber e ntered t hrough a w indow i n o ne o f i ts s hort s ides ( fig.19d). p resumably m ade b y

I ts s arcophagus l id i s m utilated b y a l arge t he d espoilers t o g et t o t he b urial c hamber.

h ole

T he o ther t ombs i n t he h ypogeum c an h e g rouped i nto e ight b aldacchini, ' 3-8-9-10-13-14-15-16 ; f our a rcosolia, ' 5-6-11-18'; t hree b ipartite w indow-tombs, ' 4-12-19'; a nd t hree c hild-tombs, ' 7-20-21 . P assages ' c-d-e-f' m ay i ndicate p rojected e xtensions. W ith t he e xcept ion o f ' 8', w hich i s l arge e nough f or o nly o ne b urial, a ll t he b aldacchini a re b ipartite. B aldacchini ' 8' a nd ' 15' b oth h ad i nscript ions. T hat o f ' 15' w as h eld i n p lace b y n ails s till e mbedded i n t he r ock. ' Part o f a w hite m arble t ablet w ith a G reek i nscription w as f ound a mong t he d ebris a nd i s n ow i n t he S t A gatha M useum. A nother p iece o f a G reek i nscription o n a w hite m arble s lab w as d iscovered s ubsequently i n t he g arden f ragments s eem

a bove t he s trangely

c atacombs ( Camilleri, t o f it t ogether b ut a s

d eciphered

i mpossible

t o s ay w hether t hey f ormed

a rcosolia

t he

i t

i s

p . 2 8). n either p art

T he t wo h as b een o f

t he s ame

i nscription. A mong

t he

m ost

i nteresting

i s

' 18'

w hich

i s

u nusually l arge a nd h as f ive t rough-tombs t wo o f w hich a re b ipartite. A rcosolium ' 11' h as t hree b ipartite t roughs a nd a rcosolia ' 5-6' t wo t ombs

e ach.

-2 2-23

.

A t

T o

t he

l eft o f ' 18'

T he w indow-tombs t he

b ack o f

a re

t wo o ther i ncomplete

a rcosolia,

a re a ll b ipartite.

b aldacchino ' 16 ,

7 9

i s a s hallow a rched n iche f lanked

o n e ither s ide

b y a n o rnate p ilaster w ith a p seudo-Carinthian c apital. T his i s e ither a n u nfinished w indow-tomb o r a s hrine o f s ome i mportance. T he t wo p ilasters c ontain t races o f r espective G reek a nd n eo-Punic i nscriptions n either o f w hich h as b een p roperly i nvestigated. F inds S everal f ragments o f N orth A frican l amps ( Hayes T ype I IA) w ere d iscovered d uring t he 1 955-1958 s urvey. A ll s eem t o b elong t o t he s tandard t ype o f d eep-bodied n early c ircular l amps w ith r ounded s ides m erging w ith a b road d eep n ozzle w ith a l arge w ick-hole. T hey h ave a s olid s light

s pike-like h andle, f lattened o n t he s ides; a f lat r im a nd a c oncave c ircular d iscus m erging w ith a b road f lat c hannel o n t he

t op o f t he n ozzle. S mall r idges r un r ound t he r im a nd d iscus a nd m erge w ith a U -shaped r idge r ound t he e dge o f t he t op o f t he n ozzle. T he f ragments f rom H ypogeum 5 t hat c ould b e i dentified w ith c ertainty i n t he 1 .

c ollection o f

t he

S t A gatha M useum a re t he f ollowing:*

L arge f ragment o f t op w ith h alf o f r im, d iscus a nd n ozzle. H andle m issing; n ozzle b roken a t t he w ick-hole. L . 9 cm W . 4 cm. D iscus: r emains o f w ell k nown m otif o f t wo m en c arrying a l arge b unch o f g rapes s uspended f illing-hole t o r . a nd g rapes

2 .

L arge

i n r elief.

f ragment

8 .10cm

f rom a p ole; o ne m an w ith h alf o f b unch a nd p reserved. R im: s croll w ork w ith v ine l eaves

W .

o f

5 cm.

( fig.20a)

h alf o f

t op w ith h andle;

D iscus:

n ozzle

m issing.

d ove c arrying o live b ranch

i n

L . b eak;

f illing-hole i n t he m iddle o f b ody. R im: f ive r oundels o f s ixt een s hort r ays r adiating f rom a c entral s tud; l ast r oundel o n 1 . l inked b y l ong ( fig.20b) 3 .

c hevrons.

S mall f ragment o f t op a nd b ottom w ith p art o f r im a nd d iscus. L . 5 cm W . 3 .4cm. D iscus: c hipped s tem , p robably o f c hi-rho m otif. R im : z ig-zag l ine i n r elief a nd t hree s tuds i n tr iangular f ormat ion r epeated

4 .

s talk t o t riangular m otif w ith m ultiple

t hree t imes.

( fig.20c) o f

F ragment

o f

t op w ith p art

n ozzle.

L .

5 .6cm W .

r im,

4 .3cm.

d iscus a nd s mall

D iscus:

s ection

c x Z

f our s tylised f igures i i

p riestly r obes ( ?) i n a r ow, e lbows a nd f eet t ouching. R im: a rrow-heads i n r elief d ecorated w ith s tuds a nd m ultiple c hevrons. ( fig.20d) 5 .

F ragment w ith h andle R eddish c lay. e nclosing

f our

a nd p art

D iscus: s tuds

o f

r im a nd d iscus.

s mall r oundel

o f

L .

4 cm W . 5 .4cm.

t wo c oncentric

i n r ectangular f ormation a nd

c ircl2s

s urrounded b y a n

o uter c ircle o f s tuds; p ossibly s tylised f lower w ith r emains o f l eaf t o 1 . R im: 1 . s tylised s ix-petalled f lowers i n r elief a lternating w ith d ecorated l ozenges; r . s tylised f lower a nd q uatrefoil m otif.

( fig.20e)

T he M useum h as a f ine c ollection o f l ate R oman l amps m ost o f w hich a re o f u nknown p rovenance a nd s eem t o h ave c ome f rom p rivate c ollections.

8 0

6 .

S mall f ragment o f r im a nd h andle. L . 2 .5cm W . 4 .8cm. R im : t wo s tylised c ircular f lowers i n r elief a nd s quare m otif e nclosing t wo c oncentric c ircles b etween t hem . ( fig.20f)

7 .

S mall f ragment o f t op w ith p art o f r im a nd s mall s ection o f d iscus a nd n ozzle. L . 6 .2cm W . 2 .2cm. R im : t hree c oncentric c ircles a nd s tylised l eaf-motif f lanking n ozzle. ( fig.20g)

8 .

F ragment

w ith h andle a nd p art o f

r im a nd

d iscus.

L .

3 .7cm

W .

4 .5cm. R eddish c lay; t races o f b lackening b y f ire. D iscus: t op p art o f c hi-rho m onogram. R im : a s tylised f lower i n r elief o n e ither s ide o f t he h andle. ( fig.20h) 9 .

S mall f ragment w ith h andle a nd r im. c lay b lackened b y f ire. ( fig.20i)

R im :

L .

2 .3cm W . 4 .9cm.

R eddish

i ncised p alm-frond o r o live b ranch .

1 0.

F ragment o f f illing-hole. p atterns i n b etween t hem .

r im a nd s mall s ection o f d iscus i ncluding p art o f L . 2 .8cm W . 6 cm . R im : t wo o rnate m ultiple l ozenge r elief w ith s tylised f lower o f s ix b iforate p etals ( fig.20j)

1 1.

F ragment o f r im. L . 1 .5cm W . 4 .2cm. R eddish c lay b lackened b y f ire. R im : t wo q uatrefoils i n r elief w ith r oundel o f c oncentric c ircles b etween t hem. ( fig.20k)

1 2.

F ragment w ith h andle a nd p art o f r im. L . 2 .5cm W . 5 .7cm. P inkish-red c lay w ith p atches o f l ime. R im : 1 . t riangular m otif i n r elief w ith s tudded d ecoration a nd s tudded l ozenge m otif e nclosing r oundel o f c oncentric c ircles; r . t riangular m otif i n r elief w ith s tudded d ecoration. ( fig.201)

1 3.

F ragment w ith h andle a nd p art o f r im a nd d iscus i ncluding f illingh ole. L . 5 .6cm W . 4 .8cm. D iscus: w orn o ut c hi-rho m onogram. R im : s croll w ork . ( fig.20m)

1.

S mall f ragment o f r im. L . 1 .4cm W . 4 .5cm. R im: t hree r oundels o f c oncentric c ircles a nd f ive-petalled f loral m otif, p robably f lanking n ozzle. ( fig.20n)

1 5.

L arge f ragment w ith h andle, 1 . r im a nd s mall s ection o f d iscus a nd n ozzle i ncluding h alf o f w ick-hole. B rownish-grey c lay w ith p atches o f l ime; b lackening a t t he n ozzle. L . 1cm W . 2 .2cm. R im : t hree t riangles i n r elief a lternating w ith t hree r oundels o f c oncentric c ircles. ( fig.20o)

1 6.

L arge f ragment w ith h andle a nd h alf o f r im a nd d iscus i ncluding p art o f f illing-hole. L . 4 .5cm W . 7 .6cm . S igns o f b lackening b y f ire. D iscus: t wo h orses r acing. R im: 1 . h alf h orse i n r elief a nd p lain a rrow-head; r . t wo a rrow-heads w ith r acing h orse b etween t hem. ( fig.20p)

1 7.

F ront o f t op; n ozzle a nd p art o f d iscus i ncluding o ne f illing-hole m issing. L . 9 .8cm W . 7 .8cm. L ight r ed c lay. D iscus: c hi-rho m onogram w ith s tudded d ecoration. R im: f our s piral v olutes i n r elief a lternating w ith o rnate q uintefoils. ( fig.20q)

8 1

1 8.

W ell p reserved f ront o f t op; n ozzle b roken a t t he w ick-hole. L . 1 0.5cm W . 7 .10cm . L ight r ed c lay ; b lackening a t t he n ozzle. D iscus: c hi-rho m onogram i n r ectangular f rame t opped b y s egmental a rch e nclosing r oundel o f t wo c oncentric c ircles; c oiled m otif a t f oot o f c hi-rho; s tudded d ecoration t hroughout. T wo f illingh oles. R im : t hree s tudded c hevrons i n r elief a lternating w ith r oundels o f s tudded c ircles e nclosing s piral v olutes; t wo s mall s piral v olutes d ecorated w ith s tuds f lanking n ozzle. ( fig.20r)

1 9.

W ell p reserved f ront o f t op; n ozzle b roken a t t he w ick-hole. L . 9 .6cm W . 6 cm . R eddish w are; b lackening a t t he n ozzle. D iscus: b unch o f g rapes f lanked b y f illing-holes. R im : b adly w orn d ecoration o f t hree s tylised f loral m otifs i n r elief a lternating w ith t hree s temmed-hearts. ( fig.20s)

2 0.

F ront o f t op. P art o f r im a nd n ozzle m issing; d iscus b roken a t r . f illing-hole. L . 8 .5cm W . 5 .1cm. B lackening a t t he n ozzle. D iscus: f lower-pot ( ?) w ith f ive-leafed p lant. R im : d ecoration w orn o ut. ( fig.20t)

H ypogeum 6 T his

i s

f ig.21a .

a

P unico-Hellenistic t omb r eutilised b y t he

C hristians

w ho

b roke i nto i t d uring t he e xcavation o f H ypogeum 5 . S teps l eading d own t o i t w ere c ut b y t he s ide o f b aldacchino ' 8 ( fig.19c) a nd t wo w indowg raves ( one o f w hich w as l eft i ncomplete) w ere d ug i n t wo o f i ts w alls. T he t omb c onsisted o f a r ectangular c hamber, 3 .5 x 2 .74m e ntered d own a s haft w ith f oot-holes, 3 .5m d eep x 2 .6m l ong. I ts m ost n oteworthy f eature w as a s mall t rench w ith l arge s herds o f a n a mphora. F r C amilleri ( p. 2 9) r eports o ther f inds b eneath a s tone b lock , 6 5cm s quare a nd 4 6cm t hick, o n t he f loor o f t he t rench w here t races o f f ire w ere a lso o bserved; t hey i ncluded: f ragments o f g lass p hials, a c omp lete b ilychnis l amp a nd s everal p ottery s herds. A ll a re n ow i n t he S t A gatha M useum. H ypogeum 7 T his o nly

f ig.21b.

e ast-west h ypogeum h as n ot y et b een p roperly i nvestigated a nd t he a ccess t o i t i s a t p resent t hrough a s mall w indow-opening, 4 6cm

s quare, i n H ypogeum 5 ( fig.19c). T he o riginal e ntrance, b locked w ith e arth a nd r ubble, l eads t o a l arge a ntechamber,

w hich ' a',

i s c .

3 .20cm s quare, c ontaining t he e ntrances t o t hree c ubicles g rouped r ound i t i n a c ruciform f ormation. A n i nteresting f eature o f t he a ntechamber i s a l ow L -shaped b ench t hat ' 2'

a nd

f lanks

t he r espective d oorways

' 3' a nd c ontains a c hild's g rave.

T he t hree

t o c ubicles

c ubicles

h ave

s imilar s quare p lans w ith a pparently t roughless a rcosolia. C ubicle ' 1' i s c . 2 .31m s quare a nd i ts t hree a rcosolia h ave a pproximate r espective m easurements o f 1 .78 x 0 .61, 1 .83 x 1 .10, 1 .75 x 1 .47m ; t he s mallest w as s eemingly i ntended f or o ne b urial. C ubicle ' 2' h as s lightly s maller d imensions b ut b esides t he t hree a rcosolia i t a lso c ontains t he e ntrance t o a s mall c hamber, ' 4', c . 2 .14m s quare, w hich i s s till p acked w ith r ubble. C hamber ' 3', c . 2 .44 x 2 .37m, c an b e r eached f rom H ypogeum 5 . I ts a rcosolia m easure r espectively c . 1 .78 x 0 .61, c . 1 .83 x 1 .10,

c .

1 .75 x 1 .47m.

8 2

a

Hypogeum 6

Hypogeum

7

after

F ig.2 1 . Rabat,

S t.

Agatha Catacombs.

8 3

V .

Camilleri

Hypogea 6 -7-8-9

a

Hypogeum

1 0 after

V .

Comilleri

--a e li f f o g -

Hypogeum

F ig.22 c -d.

Rabat, D etails

1 1

S t.

Agatha Catacombs.

o f Hypogeum 1 1

8 4

Hypogea 1 0-11

H ypogeum 8 T his

i s

f ig.21c.

t he

f irst

h ypogeum

i n

t he

w est-east

c luster

a nd

h as,

c onsequently, s uffered g reat m utilation d uring W orld W ar I I. I ts i nterest l ies i n t he f act t hat d espite i ts s mall s ize i t h as t wo a gapet ables. T he m odern e ast-west e ntrance-corridor, 2 .44 x 0 .61m , l eads i nto w hat w as o riginally t he i nnermost s ection. T his c onsists o f a n L s haped h all,

' aa',

d ominated b y t hree p artially d etached b aldacchini,

' 1-2-3'. T here a re a lso t wo a rcosolia, ' 4-5', a nd t hree c hild-loculi. A t r ight a ngles t o ' 5 a n arrow d oorway l eads t o t he i nner a gape-room, ' b'. S ocket-holes i n t he f loor a nd c eiling s uggest w as c losed b y a p ivot-door. R oom ' b' w as

t hat

t he

d oorway

p artially d estroyed d uring t he w ar t o a ccommodate t he

c oncrete e ntrance t o a n a ir-raid s helter. H alf o f t he e xedra w as q uarried a way b ut i ts m ain f eatures h ave s urvived. T hree c hild-loculi a re c ut i n i ts c urved w all a nd a t t he b ack o f t he c ircular t able, a w indow-door, 0 .46m s quare, l eads t o a s hort g allery, ' cc', 4 .19 x 0 .61m , w hich c ontains f our a rcosolia, ' 6-7-8-9', e xcavated a long t he s ide w alls, a nd a b ipartite w indow-tomb, ' 10 , i n t he b ack w all. I n t he l atter t he t wo h ead-rests a re f lanked b y t wo c ircular h oles. C hamber ' b' w as o riginally r eached f rom g allery ' dd' w hich i s c . 4 .26m l ong a nd m ust h ave l ed t o t he o riginal e ntrance o f t he h ypogeum. T his s eems t o h ave b een c ompletely d estroyed a nd ' dd' h as i nstead b een t ransformed i nto a c orridor l eading t o H ypogeum 1 0. I t c ontains a w ell p reserved a gape-table n oteworthy f or t he t wo s eats i n t he c urved w all o f i ts e xedra. T his i s p robably t he o nly k nown e xample o f s eats c ut b ehind t he t able i nstead o f i n f ront o f i t. P ossibly t hey w ere n ot i ntended f or s eating a t a ll b ut s erved a s s helves f or o bjects a ssociated w ith t he a gape r itual. I n f ront o f t he t able, o n t he o ther s ide o f t he g allery a re a b ipartite w indow t omb, ' 11 , a nd t wo c hildg raves. A nother w indow-tomb, ' 12' i s s till l ocked b y i ts s ealing-slab a nd i s a ccessible o nly t hrough a b reak i n t he r ock i n H ypogeum 1 0. I ts b urial-chamber i s b ipartite a nd m easures 1 .83 x 0 .97m. H ypogeum 9

f ig.21d.

T he o riginal e ntrance t o t his w est-east h ypogeum w as d estroyed w hen t he a ir-raid s helter, m entioned a bove, w as e xcavated. I t i s o therwise w ell p reserved a nd c an e asily b e r eached f rom t he e ntrance c orridor t o t he s helter. I ts p lan c onsisting o f a c ircular h all ' a', 3 .35m i n d iameter, w ith a g allery ' bb' a t i ts w est e nd, i s u nusual f or M alta a nd r ecalls t he r otonde o f t he c atacomb o f S an G iovanni a t S yracuse b y w hich i t c ould h ave b een r emotely i nspired. T he s outhern h alf o f t he h all c ontains a w ell p reserved a gape-table. A nother t able, d estroyed, p ossibly o ccupied t he n orth e nd. I t i s n ot u ncommon t o

n ow f ind

a gape-tables f acing e ach o ther i n t he s ame r oom a nd t he c ircular s hape o f ' a' s eems t o s uggest s uch a n a rrangement. T he c urved w all a t t he b ack o f t he t able c ontains t he e ntrances t o t wo b urial c hambers, ' c-d'. T he l arger, ' c', i s r eached d own a f ew s teps a nd c onsists o f a s hort c orridor w ith a n a rcosolium o n e ither s ide. C hamber ' d' i s s imilar b ut i t h as o nly o ne a rcosolium. A nother b urial-chamber ' e' i s e xcavated i n t he o pposite w all. I t m easures, 3 .15 x 1 .98m , a nd h as t wo a rcosolia. G allery a rcosolia,

' bb', ' 1-2-3'.

5 .57m

l ong

i s

l ined w ith t ombs

O f ; g reater i nterest

8 5

i ncluding

i s a h andsome

t hree

s addle-backed

b aldacchino ' 4', t he S arcophagus l id o f w hich i s c arved f rom a s eparate s tone a nd c arefully c emented o n t he p latform. At t he w est e nd o f t he g allery f ive s teps l ead d own t o a nother a rcosolium, ' 5', w ith a w indowt omb, ' 6', d ug b eneath t he t rough-tombs. T he s teps a re f lanked o n t he r ight b y w indow-tomb, ' 8', a nd o n t he l eft b y a n a rcosolium. H ypogeum 1 0

f ig.22a.

T his s outh-north h ypogeum i s n ow r eached f rom H ypogeum 8 f or i ts o riginal e ntrance w as b locked a bout 1 890 ( Camilleri, p . 3 6). I t c ons ists o f a n arrow g allery, ' aa a nd t wo l arge h alls ' bb' a nd ' cc'. T he m odern e ntrance l eads t o c hamber ' bb', 8 .8 x 3 .35m , w hich c ontains t hree b ipartite b aldacchini, ' 1-2-3', t he l argest m easuring 2 .34 x 1 .98m ; ' 1' a nd ' 3' a re f ree s tanding. T here a re a lso t wo a rcosolia, 4 -10 . ' 10' w as i ntended f or o ne b urial b ut ' 4' h as t hree h ead-rests o ne o f w hich w as m eant f or a c hild. T he

m ost

i mportant

f eature o f ' bb'

i s,

h owever,

a l arge

a gape-

t able w ith s even c hild-loculi i n t he c urved w all o f t he e xedra. T o t he r ight o f t he t able, a s hort p assage l eads t o h all ' cc' w hich c ontains t wo f ine s addle-backed b aldacchini, ' 5-6'. T heir r espective m easurements a re 2 .21 x 1 .4m a nd 2 .26 x 1 .63m. G allery ' aa' i s a lso e ntered f rom h all ' bb' t hrough t he p assage b etween t ombs ' 2' a nd ' 3'. T he g allery i s l ined w ith t ombs. T hese c onsist o f t hree w indow-tombs, t wo a rcosolia, a nd a c hild-loculi. H ypogeum 1 1 f ig.22b T he o riginal e ntrance t o t his e ast-west h ypogeum w as l ikewise b locked a bout 1 890 ( Camilleri, p . 3 6). I t l ed d irectly t o t he a gape-room, ' a', w hich h as a f inely p roportioned e xedra, o f

t he

t able

3 .30m i n d iameter.

i s a b ipartite a rcosolium ,

' 3'

( fig.22d),

A t

a nd

t he b ack

t wo

c hild-

l oculi. O pposite t he t able t wo s teps l ead d own t o a n L -shaped h all, ' bb', which c ontains t wo f ree-standing b aldacchini, ' 1-2', w ith a d ouble t rough e ach. T he l arger m easures 2 .90 x 1 .53m. A t c hild

t he s outh e nd o f l oculi,

d ivides

t he a gape-room a l arge r ock-pilaster w ith t wo t he s pace i nto

b oth l eading t o a l ong r oom,

' cc',

t wo n arrow c orridors

7 .62m l ong;

( fig.22c)

i ts w idth v aries

f rom

3 .55 t o 5 .3m. I t c ontains t hree f ree s tanding b aldacchini, ' 4-5-6', a rranged i n a r ow, o ne b ehind t he o ther. T he m iddle t omb h as t hree h ead-rests

b ut

t he o ther t wo a re b ipartite.

R eturning t o t he a gape-room ,

t hree s teps a t

t he n orth-end

l ead t o

a s hort c orridor c ontaining t he d oor t o t rapezium-shaped a ntechamber, ' d', w hich c ontains t wo c hild-graves a nd a s mall a rched n iche. O n i ts f loor i s a m egalithic b lock, 1 .52 x 0 .76 x 0 .46m, w hich m ay h ave s topped t he e ntrance. I n t he e ast w all i s t he d oorway t o t wo s mall b urial-chambers, ' e-f', i n b oth o f w hich t wo a rcosolia f ace e ach o ther o n o pposite w alls. A t t he e ast e nd o f ' f' s everal s teps l ead d own t o S ite

1 2.

S ite

1 2

T his n o

s ite,

w hich c overs

e vidence

a n u neven a rea o f

f or t ombs a nd i f

t here w as

8 6

a bout

1 57sq. m etres,

e ver a h ypogeum

c ontains

( which

s eems

2

3

5

4

6

7 1 •

F ig.23

Rabat,

S t.

a .

Hypogeum 1 3.

b .

Hypogeum 1 4

c .

Hypogeum 1 5

Agatha Catacombs.

Hypogea 1 3-14-15

P lan and various d etails

8 7

de l i i i i2 16 0 4

a

Hypogeum

Hypogeum

17

18

e r r '

Fig. 24 .

Rabat,

a .

Hypogeum 1 6

b .

Hypogeum 1 7

c .

Hypogeum 18

d -e.

S t.

Agatha C atacombs.

D etails o f Hypogeum 1 7 8 8

Hypogea 1 6-17-18

u nlikely)

i t

h as

b een e ntirely q uarried a way.

T he r ock

i s

h ighly

u nsuitable; i t i s s oft a nd f riable a nd c ontains s trata o f b rownish c lay. C ut t hrough i t a re t hree n arrow p assages t hat l ink t ogether i n a Y f ormation a nd

l ead

r espectively t o H ypogea 1 0,

1 1,

1 3.

3 9) s uggests t hat t hey m ay h ave b een e xcavated a bout w est-east c luster w as m ade a ccessible t o t he p ublic. H ypogeum 1 3 T his

C amilleri 1 890

( p.

w hen

t he

f ig.23a.

e ast-west h ypogeum w as o riginally r eached d own s everal

s teps

t hat

l ed t o a s mall f orecourt ' a t hrough w hich a ccess w as g ained t o t hree s eparate e xtensions e xcavated a t r ight a ngles t o e ach o ther. T he m ain e xtension l ies o n t he s ame a xis a s t he e ntrance a nd i s r eached d own t wo s teps t hrough a n arrow d oorway, 1 .37 x 0 .68m, i n t he e ast w all o f t he f orecourt. T he d oorway l eads t o a f inely f inished a gape-room, ' bb', s tuccoed w ith a r eddish-brown i ntonaco w hich h as p reserved r emarkably w ell. T he s emi-circular e xedra e xcavated a long t he s outh w all c ontains a l arge l amp-hole a nd s ix c hild l oculi w ith d imensions v arying b etween 0 .77 x 0 .23 a nd 0 .56 x 0 .23m ( fig.23a/5). l oculi o f s imilar s ize, d ug a t d ifferent

T here a re s everal o ther l evels i n t he w alls o f t he

c hamber ( fig.23a/4) w hich d oes n ot h ave a ny o ther t ombs a nd s eems t o h ave s erved p rimarily a s a p lace o f a ssembly. A l ow b ench, 0 .55 x 0 .48m , t hat s kirts t he n orth a nd w est w alls m ay h ave p rovided s eating a ccommodation. I n t he n orth w all i t i s b reached i n t he m iddle t o m ake w ay f or a s quare-headed d oorway, 1 .63 x 0 .71m , s et i n a n a rched f rame ( fig.23a/3) t hat l eads t o a s hort g allery, ' cc', 2 .81 x 0 .81m, w hich d oes n ot c ontain t ombs. I t p robably m arks t he s tart o f a p rojected n orth-south e xtension. I n t he e ast w all o f

t he a gape-room i s a f ine a psed n iche,

0 .53

x

0 .50m , w hich w as p robably i ntended t o c ontain a s mall v ase o r s ome o ther p ottery v essel. T his w all i s p ierced b y a s egmental h eaded w indow-door, 0 .61 x 0 .56m , r ecessed i n a n e longated a rched f rame ( fig. 2 3a/1), w hich l eads d own t wo s teps t o a b urial-chamber, ' d', ( fig. 2 3a/6). T he p lug-door t hat s ealed t he w indow-door l ies o n t he f loor i n f ront o f t he a gape-table. C hamber ' d', 1 .82 x 2 .92 x 1 .29m, c ontains t wo p latforms o ne o f w hich, ' 2', h as a r ock-pillow w ith o ne h ead-rest. T hey a re 0 .66 a nd 0 .55m h igh r espectively a nd a re s eparated f rom e ach o ther d oor,

b y a 1 .01m w ide p assage a t t he e nd o f w hich i s a nother w indow0 .81 x 0 .42m ( fig.23a/2). T his l eads d own t wo s teps t o a n

u nfinished c hamber ' e' w hich i s p ierced b y t he c ircular w ater-cistern p robably d ug a bout 1 890 ( Camilleri, p . 4 0).

d own

s haft

o f

a

R eturning t o f orecourt ' a', a n o pening i n t he n orth w all l eads t wo s teps t o t he s econd e xtension w hich c onsists o f a l arge h all,

' ff', w ith a s hort g allery ' g' i n t he n orth-east c orner. H all ' ff' i s d ominated b y t he d ilapidated r emains o f a b ipartite b aldacchino ' 3' w hich i s c ut i n v ery f riable r ock. T here a re, b esides, t wo a rcosolia ' 5-6' a nd a w indow-tomb, ' 4'. ' 5' c ontains t wo c hild-loculi i n i ts s hort t he

s ides w hile t rough-tombs.

' 6' h as a w indow-tomb c ut T hree

i nto i ts p latform ,

o ther w indow-tombs,

' 7-8-9'

a re

b eneath f ound

i n

g allery ' g'. T he t hird e xtension, r eached b y t wo s teps f orecourt c onsists o f a s hort g allery, ' hh', 1 0-11 ,

f acing

e ach o ther i n o pposite w alls.

o ne b urial o nly w hile ' 10'

i s

b ipartite.

8 9

i n t he s outh w all o f t he w ith t wo w indow-tombs, ' 11' w as

i ntended

f or

T his g allery w as b roken i nto

a bout

1 890 a nd

H ypogeum 1 4 T his

i s

n ow t he o nly a ccess

t o

t he h ypogeum.

f ig.23b.

e ast-west h ypogeum i s

t he

l argest

i n t he c omplex a nd a lso

t he

o ne

t hat h as s uffered t he g reatest m utilation. I t w as a lso, a pparently, t he f irst t o b e o pened t o t he p ublic i n 1 890 a nd a s taircase c ons tructed a bout t his t ime ( Camilleri, p . 4 2) l eads t o o ne o f i ts c hambers. I t c an n ow b e r eached f rom t wo d irections f rom H ypogea 1 0 a nd 1 3 r espectively. T he m odern a pproach f rom 1 3 i s t hrough a n arrow u neven c orridor t hat b reaks i nto t he b ack w all o f a s hort e ast-west g allery, ' aa', w hich c ontains t he r emains o f t hree w indow-tombs, ' 1-23 '. F ollowing t his g allery o ne c omes t o a r oughly r ectangular v estibule, ' b', t hrough w hich a ccess i s m ade t o t hree s eparate e xtens ions e xcavated a t r ight a ngles t o e ach o ther a nd o rientated r espectively s outh-north, n orth-south a nd w est-east. E ntrance t o t he n orth-south e xtension i s t hrough a n arrow d oor t hat l eads t o a l arge h all, ' c', 7 .32 x 6 .40m. A ll t ombs h ere, w ith t he o nly e xception o f a s mall w indow-tomb, ' 4', w ere i ndiscriminately d estroyed d uring W orld W ar I I b y t he p eople w ho u sed i t a s a n a ir-raid s helter ( Camilleri, p . 4 2). T here i s, h owever, s ome e vidence t o s uggest a b aldacchino a nd, p ossibly, a n a gape-table. T wo o penings i n t he w est w all l ead r espectively t o t he 1 890 s taircase a nd t o a w ell p reserved a gape-room, ' d w hich, t hough l ess o rnate, r ecalls t he o ne i n H ypogeum 3 . T he t able i s f lanked b y t wo l ow s eats a nd t he c urved e xedra i s d ecorated w ith s imilar m ouldings a nd l ikewise p ierced b y a w indow-tomb, ' 5'. T he p ainted n iche i s, h owever, m issing a nd i n i ts p lace t here i s i nstead a f inely c ut w indow-tomb, ' 6'. T hree o ther w indow-tombs, ' 7-8-9', a re d ug i n t he c orridor t hat s kirts t he a gape-table. T ombs ' 7' a nd ' 8' a re q uite n oteworthy. O ne o f t hem i s f lanked b y t wo f ine a rches a nd d ecorated w ith a n d amaged b y t he s haft

i ncised s callop-shell m otif. o f a m odern c istern.

T omb

' 9'

i s

b adly

B y t he s ide o f t he l ast t omb, a t ortuous p assage w ith a b aldacchino, ' 10 , a nd a w indow-tomb, ' 11 , l eads t o t he i nnermost c orner o f t he w est-east s ection. T his s ection, w hich h as a m ain e ntrance i n v estibule ' b', c onsists o f a l ong h all, ' ee', 1 0.97 x 4 .27m, w ith t wo f ree s tanding b aldacchini, ' 12-13 , o ne o f w hich i s i n a r uinous s tate. T he o ther t ombs a re t wo w indow-graves, ' 14-15 , w hich a re b oth c onsiderably d amaged. T he

s outh-north s ection i s m ade o f

f ive

r ectangular r ooms

w hich, ' f-g-hi', a re d ug i n a r ow a nd l ead t o e ach o ther. r eached t hrough a n arrow d oor i n v estibule ' b'. R oom ' f', 3 .66m ,

f our

o f

T hey a re 5 .49 x

c ontains a w ell p reserved a gape-table w ith a b ipartite w indow-

t omb, ' 16', a nd a c hild l oculi i n t he c urved w all o f i ts e xedra. R ooms ' g' a nd ' h', 3 .66 x 2 .14m a nd 3 .96 x 2 .74m , r espectively b oth h ave b ip artite w indow-tombs, ' 17-18-19 . T here i s, h owever, e vidence t hat ' h' h ad a lso a b aldacchino. R oom ' i' i s t he l argest, m easuring 5 .49 x 3 .66m.

I n i ts m iddle w as a l arge

b aldacchino b ut

o nly f ragments o f

t he

a rches o f t he c anopy a re n ow v isible. T he f ifth r oom, ' j', e ntered f rom a n o pening i n t he s outh w all o f ' f' i s t he s mallest a nd c ontains t wo b ipartite w indow-tombs, ' 20-21 . T here a re a lso t he d ilapidated r emains

o f

a p ossible a rcosolium,

p assage t o H ypogeum 1 0 w as

' 22 ,

c ut t hrough i t.

9 0

w hich w as d estroyed w hen

a

H ypogeum 1 5

f ig.23c.

T his h ypogeum w as d iscovered b y F r C amilleri i n 1 974 w hen a c arefully b uilt w all a t t he e nd o f o ne o f t he c orridors i n H ypogeum 1 4 w as r emoved. T he w all w as f ound b locking t he e ntrance t o a s hort g allery t hat c ut t hrough a n a rcosolium, ' l'. T he h ypogeum i s o rientated n orths outh a nd c onsists o f a l ong h all, ' aa', 6 .10 x 3 .66m, w ith t wo b aldacchini

i n

t he m iddle.

O ne o f

t hem ,

' 3',

c ontains

a

c ubical

c hamber w ith t wo h ead-rests e ntered t hrough a w indow-opening i n o ne o f t he l ong s ides. T here a re a lso t wo w indow-tombs, ' 4-5'; a t hird w indow-tomb, ' 6', i s c ut i n a s hort g allery, ' b', i n t he n orth-west c orner, w hich p robably m arks t he s tart o f a p rojected e xtension. ' 5 h as a n o rnate e ntrance n iche d ecorated w ith t wo s mall a rches.

T omb T he

m ost i mportant f eature o f t he h ypogeum i s, h owever, a w ell p reserved a gape-table w ith t wo r ock-cut s eats i n f ront o f i t. T he c urved w all o f i ts e xedra i s d ecorated w ith a c ornice o f p lain m oulding. T he o riginal e ntrance t o t he h ypogeum w as t hrough a s mall d own a f light o f s teps a t t he s outh e nd. H ypogeum 1 6

f orecourt,

c,

r eached

f ig.24a.

T his h ypogeum w as b roken i nto a bout 1 933 w hile w orks w ere i n p rogress o n t he M other H ouse o f t he M issionary S ociety o f S t P aul. I ts e ntrance w as s ealed i n 1 960/1 a nd i t i s n ow i naccessable. O ne m ust t herefore d epend f or i ts d escription o n t he p lan a nd b rief a ccount o f F r C amilleri ( pp. 4 6-47). R ather t han o f o ne h ypogeum, o ne s hould p erhaps t alk o f a t l east t wo h ypogea, ' A' a nd ' B', o rientated r espectively e ast-west m odern

a nd s outh-north,

a ccess w as

f used

t ogether a t a n u nknown p eriod.

t hrough a n arrow o pening w hich l ed t o a l arge

T he r oom,

' aa', ( in h ypogeum ' A'), m utilated i n 1 933 w hen a f oundation w all w as b uilt a cross i t. I t m easured 4 .27 x 2 .90m a nd c ontained t wo a rcosolia, ' 1-2',

a t

r ight a ngles

t o e ach o ther.

b aldacchino i n t he m iddle. h ad t wo a rcosolia, ' 4-5', t omb,

' 3',

T here w as a lso e vidence f or

a

A s hort c orridor i n t he s outh-west c orner i n i ts s ide w alls a nd a b ipartite w indow-

i n t he b ack w all.

B y t he s ide o f t he f oundation w all w as t he e ntrance t o a n i rregularly s haped a rea, ' cc', ( maximum d imensions, 3 .35 x 2 .44m) w ith t wo b ipartite a rcosolia, ' 6-7'. A rcosolium ' 7' w as c ut a t t he b ack o f a r ock b ench, c . 1 .52m w ide, a nd c ontained t wo c hild l oculi, o ne i n t he b ack -w all a nd t he o ther b y i ts l eft s ide. T he w alls o f ' cc' n arrowed i n

o ne c orner t o o nly 3 1cm .

A t

t his p oint w as a n o pening t o a

s hort

c orridor, 1 .52 x 0 .76m, t hrough w hich o ne e ntered a l ong h all, ' dd', 6 .40 x 3 .5m , w hich l ed i n i ts t urn t o a l arge r oom, ' ee', 5 .47 x 3 .92m. H all ' dd' c ontained o nly a n a rcosolium, ' 8', b ut t here w as e vidence f or a t l east o ne b aldacchino t omb, ' 9', i n t he m iddle. R oom ' ee' h ad t hree f ree s tanding I n

b aldacchini,

t he s outh-west

o riginally

a

' 10-11-12 .

c orner o f

c hild's g rave"

T his c onsisted t unnelled i n i ts

h all ' dd',

( Camilleri,

" a s mall h ole

p .45)

l ed

t o

w hich

h ypogeum

w as B.

o f a s quare r oom, ' f', w ith a s hort g allery, ' gg', s outh w all. R oom ' f', 2 .3m s quare c ontained: ( a) t he

o riginal e ntrance s teps " full o f s tones a nd r ubble" ( Camilleri, p .46) a nd ( b) a l arge w indow-tomb, ' 13 . T he l atter w as n oteworthy f or t he r elief c arving o f f arm-tools t o t he l eft o f i ts e ntrance-niche ( fig.10b). T here w ere f ive t ools: t wo s cythes, a w innowing f ork , a h oe ( ?) a nd a p lough ( ?), w hich c overed a n a rea o f c . 5 6 x 4 3cm. A

9 1

p laster

c opy

M useum. T he o f f armers.

a nd

t aken

b y F r C amilleri

i s e xhibited

t ools p robably i ndicate t hat

i n

t he

S t

A gatha

t he t omb b elonged t o a f amily

G allery ' gg', 4 .27m l ong w as f lanked b y t wo a rcosolia , ' 14-15 , t wo w indow-tombs, ' 16-17 , a nd t here w as a nother w indow-tomb, ' 18 ,

i n i ts b ack w all. i n i ts b ack w all. H ypogeum 1 7 T he

A rcosolium ' 15 ,

h ad a c hild l oculi,

1 .14 x 0 .31m,

f ig.24b.

J ewish i dentity o f

t his a nd

t he n ext h ypogeum i s i ndicated

b y

t he

f ragments o f i nscriptions a nd t he c arvings o f t he s even-branched c andlestick. A ccess t o H ypogeum 1 7 i s t hrough t he o riginal e ntrance, d own e ight r ock-cut s teps a t t he b ottom o f w hich i s a n a rched d oor d ecorated w ith a s mall s even-branched c andlestick. A l arger m enorah i s c arved b y t he l eft j amb o f t he d oor ( fig.24d; p 1.6b). T his l eads t o a l ong u neven c orridor, ' aa', w hich i s p robably a n u nfinished g allery. I t c ontains o nly t wo w indow-tombs, ' 1-2', a nd a n i ncomplete t omb, ' 3'.

w ide,

T he m ain s ection o f t he h ypogeum i s r eached d own f our s teps, 1 .52m t hat l ead d own t o a s mall v estibule, ' b'. T hrough a d oor i n i ts

b ack w all o ne e nters d own t wo s teps a l arge t rapezium-shaped h all, ' cc', w hich i s e xcavated i n t wo l evels. T he u pper l evel c ontains t wo w indow-tombs, ' 4-5', w hich f ace e ach o ther i n o pposite w alls. T omb ' 5' w as i ntended f or o ne b urial o nly b ut ' 4 i s o ne o f t he l argest w indowt ombs i n M altese h ypogea. I ts b urial c hamber m easures 1 .93 x 2 .3m a nd h as f our h ead-rests. T he m ain i nterest o f t his t omb i s, h owever, a G reek i nscription w ith a g raffito o f am enorah. I t w as d iscovered a nd d eciphered b y F errua w ho p ublished i t i n 1 949 ( Ferrua 1 949, p . 5 14). I t i s i nscribed i n t wo l ines a nd r ecords t he r esting p lace o f D ionisia k nown a lso a s I rene ( infra, p .393 n o.10). I n

t he

l ower

p art

o f

t he h all t here i s o nly

a

c hild

l oculi.

C loseby, i n t he b ack w all, a d oor l eads t o a h all, ' d', 3 .66 x 3 .5m, c ontaining s ix w indow-tombs, ' 7-8-9-10-11-12 , f our o f w hich a re b ip artite. ' 7' h as a n i ncised G reek i nscription w hich i s i n a p oor s tate o f p reservation d ue t o t he f riable n ature o f t he r ock. I t h as n ot y et b een d eciphered e xcept f or t he w ord s we HO which i s p robably t he n ame o f t he m an w ho w as b uried i n t he t omb. T races o f a nother i nscription i n r ed . ochre c an a lso b e m ade o ut r ound t he w indow-door o f ' 10' ( infra, p .349 n o.12). I t w as p resumably p ainted o n t he s ealing s lab w hich i s a s u sual m issing. F errua t ranscribed t he l etter f ragments ( brandelli d i l ettere) o f t he f irst l ine a nd h e n oted, b esides, t he r emains o f y et a nother i nscription w hich s tarted w ith t he w ord KYPIE . H e t hat t his h ad b een m utilated q uite r ecently ( Ferrua 1 949A).

s uspected

T omb ' 11' i s a lso o f s ome i nterest b ecause i t d isturbed a n e arlier P unico-Hellenistic g rave t he r emains o f w hich a re v isible t hrough a h ole

i n

g allery,

t he

c eiling.

' e',

w hich c ontains

N ext

t o t omb ' 9' a n u nfinished

i s

t he e ntrance

t omb.

t o

a

s hort

O ne f inal n oteworthy

a spect o f t his h ypogeum i s t hat, a ccording t o C amilleri ( p. 4 9), i ts r ooms a re t he l oftiest i n t he c omplex. T hey s ometimes r each a h eight o f 2 .44m .

9 2

H ypogeum 1 8 T his

s mall

f ig.24c. h ypogeum i s m utilated b y t he f oundation w all

o f

a

r ecent

b uilding w hich b locks t he o riginal e ntrance. I t c onsists o f t wo s hort g alleries, ' a', a nd ' b c onnected b y a n arrow d oorway. G allery ' a', 2 .24 x 0 .92m , c ontains a c hild-arcosolium ' 1' a nd a c hild l oculi, ' 2', i n t he w all o pposite. T o t he l eft o f ' 2' i s a r ough c arving o f a m enorah s chematised i nto a s even-branched t wig. A m ore o rthodox m enorah i s c arved a bove t he d oor t o g allery ' b' w hich i s 2 .82m l ong a nd c ontains a b ipartite w indow-tomb i n a t ypical a rched n iche, 1 .83 x 0 .91

x 0 .73m.

A c hild l oculi,

' 4',

i s d ug i n t he w all o pposite.

C hronology T he

e laboration

o f

t he c emeterial c omplex j ust d escribed

m ust

h ave

i nvolved a g reat a mount o f l abour a nd i t s eems l ikely t hat t his w as s pread o ver a c onsiderable p eriod o f t ime. T here i s a s u sual l ittle d ating e vidence b ut t he t wo C onstantinian c ross-monograms i n H ypogea 3 a nd 5 p reclude a p eriod p rior t o t he e arly 4 th c entury. A f irm t erminus p ost q uem m ay, t herefore, b e p rovided f or a t l east, t hese t wo h ypogea b ut t here a re a lso o ther u seful i ndications. T he f ew p ainted f ragments i n H ypogea 2 a nd 3 s uggest f amiliarity w ith a t l east s ome o f t he p ost C onstantinian m urals o f t he c atacombs o f S yracuse s uch a s t he M arcia f resco a t V igna C assia. T his m ay a llow u s t o a rrive a t a n a pproximate d ate r ange w hich i s c ollaborated b y t he N orth A frican r ed w are l amps ( Hayes T ype I IA) w hich b elong t o a t ype w hich d oes n ot s eem t o h ave b een p roduced b efore A .D.400 ( Hayes 1 972, p .313). A l ate 4 th5 th c entury d ate w as i n f act s uggested b y F errua i n 1 949 ( Ferrua 1 949, p .515). T he r eal p roblem i s h ow l ong t he h ypogea r emained i n u se. I n t he c omplete a bsence o f a ny r eal e xcavations t his c annot p ossibly b e d etermin & l. S tylistic c onsiderations d o n ot h elp b ecause t here d oes n ot s eem t o h ave b een a ny s ignificant d evelopment i n t omb a rchitecture. A v aluable i ndication i s, h owever, p rovided b y t he a gape-tables s everal o f w hich w ere m utilated a fter t hey b ecame l iturgically o bsolete. I n o ne i nstance a t omb w as e ven c ut i nto o ne o f t hem. T his s eems t o d enote a p rotracted u tilisation o f t he h ypogea. T he r estuccoing o f o ne o f t he p ainted t ombs i n H ypogeum 2 , p ossibly t o a llow a n ew d ecoration, s eems t o p oint t o t he s ame d irection w ith s ome o f t he t ombs b eing r eutilised. T he c ircular p it i n H ypogeum 3 , o ssuary, d oes s eem t o s upport t his h ypothesis. R eferences A bela 1 647, p p.44-45 C aruana 1 881, p .18 C aruana 1 899 C aruana 1 901, p p.4-5 B ecker 1 913, p p.37-44 F errua 1 949,

p p.514-515

F errua 1 949A A gnello 1 970,

p p.233-234

H ayes 1 972, p .313 B uhagiar 1 969, p p.16-19 B uhagiar 1 975, L uttrell 1 975 C amilleri

p p.169-170

1 978

9 3

i f

i t

w as

i ndeed

a n

T HE

S S P AUL/AGATHA C ATACOMBS

I n t he a rea b etween t he m ajor s ites o f S t P aul a nd S t A gatha a re s everal h ypogea o f v arying e xtension a nd i mportance m ost o f w hich h ave a n i ndependent a ccess t hrough a s mall r oom, f itted w ith a n i ron g ate, e rected a bove t he s haft i n t he e arly 2 0th c entury. T hey a re n umbered 3 t o 2 4 o n s mall m arble t ablets b ut t his e numeration i s r ather a rbitrary a nd i n s ome i nstances s eparate h ypogea h ave b een p rovided w ith a c ommon a ccess; ' 17 , f or e xample, g roups t ogether a C hristian a nd a , p resuma bly, J ewish h ypogeum. N o.1 w as, u nderstandably, S t P aul C atacombs. N o.2 w as, o n t he o ther h and, t he o ld c ustodian's r oom w hich i s n ow u sed a s a t ool s hed! T he h ypogea a re h ere r eferred t o a s " catacombs" i n a ccordance w ith t he M useum's c lassification e ven t hough s ome a re t oo s mall t o w arrant s uch a n ame. I n 1 898 C aruana i ncluded t he p lans o f f our o f t he m ore i mportant o nes ( nos. 3 -4-14-17) i n A ncient P agan T ombs a nd C hristian C emeteries a nd i n 1 913 B ecker p ublished a b rief d escription o f t he c luster i n h is M alta S otteranea. C atacombs 1 2 a nd 1 3 h ad m eanwhile, i n 1 909, b een s urveyed b y H .J. M yatt w hose p lans a nd s ections a re r eproduced h ere. T he o ther p lans ( with t he e xception o f c atacombs 4 a nd

1 7,

w hich

a re

a fter C aruana) w ere p repared p urposely

f or

t his

s tudy. I n s pite o f t heir s ignificance t he c atacombs h ave s uffered n eglect a nd t hree ( 5-21-24) a re, a t t he t ime o f w riting, t emporarily, i naccessible. C atacombs 3 a nd 4 a re s ituated n ext t o e ach o ther w ithin t he b oundary w all o f S t P aul's C atacombs w hile 5 t o 2 3 a re g rouped t ogether a cross t he r oad i n a n e nclosed a rea ( previously k nown a s S t A gatha's F ield) t hat i s a t p resent a dministered b y a g overnment f arming c o-operative. C atacomb 2 4 s tands b y i tself o n t he s ame s ide a s S t P aul C atacombs a nd i s e ntered d irectly f rom S t A gatha S treet. C atacombs 1 01 2-13-14-17A a re a pparently J ewish.

T he r est

a re,

p robably,

m ostly

C hristian. D escription o f R emains C atacomb 3

f igs.25-26.

T his i s o ne o f t he l argest a nd m ost i nteresting h ypogea o f t he c luster a nd w as p robably a s mall c ommunal c emetery. S even r ock-cut s teps l ead d own t o a n u ncharacteristically l ong f orecourt, ' aa', w hich c ontains t he e ntrances t o t he v arious s ections. T he m ain t wo s ections a re t unnelled i nto o pposite w alls a nd a re r eached t hrough l arge d oorways a t t he b ottom o f t he e ntrance s teps. T he d oorway o n t he l eft i s m utilated b ut w as

p robably s quare-headed.

I t m easures

1 79 x 9 5cm a nd

l eads d own

t hree s teps i nto a l arge a gape-room, ' V', w hich h as a m aximum h eight o f 1 95cm. T he w ell-preserved t ricliniumplatform i s c ut r ound a c ircular t able. I t h as t he u sual s loping s ides a nd r eached a m aximum h eight o f o nly 2 3cm ( p1.36). O pposite i t, a long t he w all t o t he r ight o f t he d oorway, I t

i s

c ut

i s a l ow b ench w hich, i n t wo l evels

a r oughly L oculi ' 11

c ut, i s

a nd

p erhaps,

a bove

i t

p rovided s eating a ccommodation.

a re

t wo c hild-loculi,

' 9-11 ,

a nd

c upboard-like, r ecess, ' 10 , 5 0 x 6 3 x 5 1cm h igh . t he m ore i nteresting a nd h as a 6 cm-wide r ebate f or a

s ealing-slab a nd a m iniature h ead-recess. T he

c urved w all a t

t he b ack o f

p atches o f a b rownish s tucco, 1 6-17' a nd t wo a rched n iches,

t he t riclinium w hich r etains

c ontains ' 12-14 .

9 4

a f ew

f our o ther c hild-loculi, ' 13-15T he l atter a re r emarkably w ell-

c ut a nd w ere p ossibly r elated t o t he a gape r itual. ' 12 , 6 4 x 2 7 x 6 1cm , i s a psed; ' 14 , 7 4 x 2 5 x 6 4cm , i s a d ouble n iche w ith a s hallow r ecess, l evels,

5 7 x 1 1 x 4 5cm, a t t he b ack. T he l oculi, c ut a t d ifferent r etain f ragments o f t he s ealing-slabs c emented i n t he c orners

b ut o nly ' 17 h as a w ell d efined r ebate, c . 9 cm w ide. a s mall h ead-recess w hich i s a lso n oticeable i n ' 16 . m utilated b y a m odern h ole t hat l eads t o C atacomb 4 .

T his l oculi h as L oculi ' 15' i s

I n t he m iddle o f t he w all, a t t he b ack o f t he t able, a n arrow d oorway l eads d own t hree s teps t o a s hort g allery, ' VI', c . 1 84cm h igh, w ith t wo a rcosolia a nd a b ipartite w indow-tomb, h ave c are.

f lattened a rches, c . 9 5cm h igh, T he o ne i n t he r ight w all h as

l oculi, ' 18 . w ere p robably s labs,

' 19 .

B oth a rcosolia

a nd a re c ut w ith c onsiderable t wo t rough-tombs a nd a c hild-

T he i nner t rough c ontains a m iscellany o f b ones ( which d umped i n i t i n m odern t imes) a nd o ne o f i ts s ealing-

5 0 x 4 6 x c .

2 0cm t hick,

i s s till i n p lace

( p1.2b).

T he o uter

t rough h as a n u nusual w edge-shaped h ead-rest. T he o ther a rcosolium a lso c ontains two t roughs b ut o ne o f t hem w as i ntended f or a n ew-born c hild a nd i s o nly c . 2 5cm d eep. A l arge m odern h ole i n t he b ack w all l eads

t o C atacomb 4 .

R eturning t o f orecourt ' aa', t he b etter p reserved s egmental-headed d oorway i n t he r ight w all l eads t o a s econd a gape-room , ' VII'. I t w as c losed b y a d oor t hat w orked o n p ivots t hat f itted i n t he l arge h oles n oticeable i n t he t hreshold a nd a t t he b ack o f t he l intle w here t he c eiling i s h eightened b y 3 3cm t o f orm a s emi-circular c urve, p resumably t o

a llow

t he l arge d oor

t o o pen a nd c lose i n e ase.

T he r oom

h as

r oughly r ectangular p lan a nd i s 1 77cm h igh. I t w as d imly l it b y s lit-windows, ' 1-2', o n e ither s ide o f t he d oorway. O n t he r ight, a gape-exedra i s r ecessed b ehind a f lattened a rch w hich c reates

a t wo t he t he

i llusion o f a c anopy. T he t riclinium h as a m aximum h eight o f 5 1cm i n t he m iddle a nd i ts s ides s lope g ently t o 2 8cm. A t o ne e nd i t p rojects f orward t o f orm a s eat b y t he s ide o f t he t able w hich h as a n u nusual h orse-shoe s hape ( p1.3a). F urther s eating a ccommodation m ay h ave b een he l eft w all o n t he o pposite p rovided b y a l ow b ench, ' 24 , a long t s ide. I t c ontains a t rough, 1 58 x 2 2 x 1 8cm d eep, w hich w as c losed b y as t oo n arrow a nd s hallow t o f lagstones t hat f itted i n a r ebate. I t w s a n o ssuary. A bove i t i s a s erve a s a t omb a nd, p ossibly, s erved a p erhaps f or a t ablet w ith a n s hallow r ectangular f rame, 5 3 x 6 3cm , i nscription. T he e xedra c ontains a c hild-loculi, ' 23 , a nd t wo a rched w indows, 2 1-22 , t hat o pen o n t omb ' 25' i n s ection ' IX'. N ext t o ' 21' t here i s a lso a v entilator, ' 20 , t o t he s ame s ection. A t t he b ack o f t he t able, a n arrow d oorway, 1 14 x 4 9cm, ( fig.26/2b) l eads d own f our s teps t o a s hort c orridor, V 111 , w ith a n a rcosolium o n e ither s ide. I t w as, a pparently c losed b y t wo s ealing-slabs t hat f itted l ength-wise i n a 1 2cm-wide r ebate. T he c orridor, w hich h as a g ently s loping c eiling, s eems t o h ave b een o n t he p oint o f b eing e xtended i n a l ongitudinal d irection

b ecause

i n t he b ack w all t here i s a n a rched o pening

l eading

t o a r oughly c ut, r ectangular a rea, 8 7 x 7 4cm. T he t wo a rcosolia h ave f lattened a rches a nd c ontain t rough-tombs. T hat i n t he r ight w all i s o f c onsiderable i mportance b ecause i ts r ight h and p ilaster i s d ecorated w ith t hree s mall g raffiti t hat c over a n a rea o f c . 2 4 x 1 7cm, a nd a re a rranged o ne b eneath t he o ther; t heir o utlines w ere f illed w ith r edo chre p aint s o t hat t hey w ould i mmediately c atch t he e ye o f w ho e ntered t he c orridor. T he t op g raffito ( which h as l ost i ts r ed p aint) s eems t o

9 5

r epresent a t all b uilding p ossibly a t ower.

B eneath i t a re t wo b irds:

a p eacock a nd, p erhaps, a d ove ( fig.8c). T he d ove i s r oughly c arved b ut t he p eacock i s w ell r endered a nd i ts p lumage i s s imulated b y d aubs o f r ed-ochre a nd c harcoal-blue p aint. A ccording t o t he M .A.R . f or 1 925-26, t hese g raffiti w ere f irst n oticed o n 5 th J uly 1 925.

b ench l eft,

R eturning t o r oom V II, i n t he s pace b etween t he t riclinium a nd ' 24 i s a s quare-headed d oorway l eading t o s ection I X. T o i ts 1 8cm b elow t he c eiling, i s a s mall h ole, n eatly d rilled d iagon-

a lly t hrough t he w all. I t w as p ossibly, a ssociated w ith a l ibation r ite. T he p resence o f a p ivot-door i s a gain i ndicated b y l arge s ocket h oles. S ection I X i s t he l argest p art o f t he c atacomb a nd c onsists o f a n u nusually s pacious, n early s quare h all, w ith f our b aldacchini, 3 1-33-38 , f our a rcosolia, ' 25-26-27-28 , a nd s everal t able-tombs

a nd

c hild-loculi. O nly b aldacchino, ' 38 , i s f ree s tanding. I t i s c ut i mmediately i n f ront o f t he d oorway a nd i s n oteworthy b ecause t he c anopy i nstead o f b eing f lat w ith t he c eiling i s c ut t o f orm a s emic ircular c urve, 7 4 x 1 9cm, a bove t he a rched o pening o n t he f ront f acade ( fig.26/2e). t his s ection.

I t

h as t wo t roughs a nd i s t he s mallest b aldacchino i n B aldacchino ' 33' h as t hree t roughs a nd ' 29-31 , f our

t roughs e ach. T hese l ast t wo b aldacchini a re c ut o pposite e ach o ther o n e ither s ide o f a b lind c orridor, ' e', i n t he i nnermost p art o f t he h all a nd t hey a re a mong t he l argest b aldacchini i n M alta. ' 31' m oreover u nique, b ecause i t h as t wo a rched o penings, i nstead o f o ne,

i s i n

i ts l ong s ide ( fig.26/2f). I n t he w all a bove i ts i nnermost t rough a n a rched o pening l eads t o a l ow n arrow t unnel ' d', w hich w as n ot e xplored O f t he f our a rcosolia t he m ost i nteresting i s p robably, ' 25 , w hich i s e xcavated i n t he r ight w all a nd i s l inked t o t he a gape-exedra o f r oom V II b y a rched o penings ' 21-22 . I t i s d ivided i nto t wo p arts b y a n arrow r idge; t he i nner s ection w hich h as t wo h ead-rests, w as a pparently c losed b y a v ertical s lab. B ecker ( p. 1 4n) i s p robably c orrect i n s uggesting t hat t his i s e ither a m utilated w indow-tomb o r a w indow-tomb r ecut a s a n a rcosolium. T he o uter s ection h as a r ectangul ar d epression, 1 08 x 1 7 x 1 7cm d eep, a nd a d rainage-channel s imilar t o t hose o n t he T al-Mintna w indow-tombs ( infra, p p.311-321). A rcosolium ' 26' i s c ut n ext t o ' 25' a nd i t i s d ivided f rom i t b y a n arrow l edge t hat c ontains a p yramidal l amp-hole. I t h as t he u sual f lattened a rch a nd c ontains t wo t roughs o ne o f w hich, m eant f or a y oung c hild, i s p artially c overed b y a s ealing-slab m easuring, 3 5 x 2 8 x 1 5cm ( fig.26/2a). A rcosolian ' 27-28' t o ' 25-26 . o nly h alf o f

( fig.26/2g)

a re c ut s ide b y s ide a t r ight a ngles

' 28' w as m utilated b y t he d igging o f c orridor, e, i ts a rch s urvives; i t c ontains o nly a s mall t rough,

a nd 1 4cm

d eep, w ith a d iminutive h ead-rest a t o ne e nd. A rcosolium ' 27' h as t wo t roughs a bove t he i nner o f w hich i s t he a rched o pening o f a n arrow t unnel, ' c' w hich a ccording t o C aruana l inks u p w ith a nother c atacomb a cross r etains

t he r oad. m ost o f

A lso o f n ote i s a s mall t able-tomb, t he o riginal s tuccoing. I t c ontains

' 34 , w hich a n 1 8cm-deep

t hrough w hich i s s till p artially c overed b y i ts 1 0cm-thick s ealings lab. B esides t his t omb, i n t he w all c ontaining t he e ntrance f rom r oom V II a re t wo c hild-loculi, ' 35-36 . A nother c hild-loculi, ' 32 , i s f ound

i n c orridor ' g' o pposite o ne o f

t he s ide f acades

o f

b aldacchino

3 3. T here a re n o o ther t ombs, b ut a c utting, ' 30 , i n c orridor p robably m arks t he s tart o f a w indow-tomb. M any l amp-holes, b oth r ounded a nd p ainted, a re n oticeable i n t he w alls a nd a ngles o f t he

9 6

t ombs 3 8,

a nd, i n t he c eiling o f t he c orridor b etween b aldacchini, ' 33 a nd t here i s, m oreover, a l arge l ight-well, ' 37 . I n t he e arly 2 0th

c entury t he r ear p art o f u nderground d rainage m ains.

t he h all w as d amaged d uring

t he

l aying

o f

I n o rder t o r each t he r est o f t he c atacomb, w hich i s p robably o lder t han w hat h as b een d escribed a bove, i t i s n ecessary t o w alk b ack t o f orecourt ' aa' a nd p ast t he l arge d oorways t o s ections V a nd V II. A t t he n orth-west e nd o f ' aa' a re t wo o ther d oorways a t r ight a ngles t o e ach o ther. T he f irst, a w indow-door, w as s ealed b y a l arge, m onol ithic s tone p lug w hich r ests a gainst t he o pposite w all ( p1.2a). T hrough i t o ne e nters d own o ne s tep a c ubicle, ' IV', w ith t hree t roughl ess a rcosolia. T he o ther d oor, i n t he w all o pposite t he e ntrance s teps, i s s egmental h eaded a nd m easures 1 50 x 9 2cm ( fig.26/2c). I t l eads t o a n a lmost s quare r oom, ' b', w ith w indow-doors t o t hree b urialc hambers, T here a re a lso s everal c hild-loculi. T he b urial-chambers w ere s ealed b y m egalithic s tone p lugs o ne o f w hich i s d ecorated t wo

r ows

w ith t he l ow r elief ( fig.10c).

c arvings

I t m easures

o f

f ourteen t ools

a rranged

i n

1 10 x 7 0 x 2 0cm t hick a nd t he s quare

p lug a t i ts b ack i s 5 6 x 5 0 x 2 7cm t hick. A t t he t op i s a s mall a perture, 2 .5cm i n d iameter, t hat e xtends t o t he b ack a bove t he p lug; i t w as p robably a ssociated w ith a l ibation r ite a s i n t he T ac-Caghqi S econdary S chool h ypogeum ( infra, p .186). T he t ools w ere t hought b y Z ammit

t o r epresent S hears, t hread, m ents

m allets, f rames f or h olding y arns o r p incers a nd l oom w eights .. a ll i nstruc onnected

w ith

t he

s pinning

a nd

w eaving

i ndustries R ecently, i dentified

h owever, t hem a s

a m edical h istorian

( Cassar 1 974,

p p.

8 9-93) h as

s urgical i nstruments d epicting t he f ollowing

t ools

i n t his o rder: U pper r ow ( 1.

t o r .):

1 .

w hetstone f or s harpening k nives o r o intment

s lab f or m ixing o intment i ngredients o r ( less p robably) a b ox o f h olding t he p ortable o utfit o f s urgical i nstruments d uring a j ourney. 2 . s urgical s hears o r s cissors. 3 . m edicament b ox. 4 . v aginal s peculum o r s peculum m agnum m atricis. 5 . s urgical t ongs o r f orceps o r p incers. 6 . a p ossible c hisel w ith h andle a nd f lat b lade f or c hopping o f b ones e tc. o r a s word-shape c autery k nife o r a n a mputating k nife. 7 . a s emilunar o bject p ossibly a b leeding b owl s hown o n i ts s ide o r a m ixing b owl f or p owders a nd o intments o r a r azor ! 8 . a b leeding c up o r c upping v essel. L ower r ow ( 1. t o r .): 9 . s ame a s 1 . o intment b ox o r u nguentarium. c ase. T he c arved

t ools

1 3.

s ame a s 5 .

s eem i n f act

t o

1 4.

1 0. s ame a s 2 . 1 1. p ortable 1 2. e tui o r p ortable p robe

s ame a s 8 .

b ear a s uperficial

r esemblance

t o

t he

p resumed s urgeon's i mplements d epicted i n t he R oman C atacomb o f P raetextatus. C assar's h ypothesis i s p robable b ut t he d ebate r emains o pen.

t here

T he s lab p lugged a re d aubs o f

t he e ntrance r ed p aint.

9 9

t o c hamber I i n t he b ack w all w here T he w indow-door, 6 4 x 5 6cm , i s

s urmounted b y a n a psed n iche, 6 5 x 3 4 x 2 3cm, a nd t o i ts l eft, a n arrow h ole i s d rilled d iagonally t hrough t he w all i nto t he b urial c hamber ( fig.26 s ec. B B). L ike t he n arrow c hannel i n t he s tone-plug i t m ay h ave b een a ssociated w ith a l ibation r ite. I t i s s imilar t o t he n arrow a perture i n t he d ividing w all b etween s ections V II a nd I X. B efore e ntering t he b urial-chamber o ne s hould f inally n otice a-7 shape m otif, I 5cm h igh, d eeply i ncised i n t he s pace b etween t he a psed n iche a nd t he d oor; i t i s, p ossibly a d efaced L atin c ross. T he

t ools

o n t he s ealing-plug p robably i ndicated

t he

t rade

o f

t hose b uried i n t he c hamber. T his i s r eached d own f our s teep s teps a nd c onsists o f a c ubicle, 1 64cm h igh, w ith t hree f lat a rched a rcosolia. T he t wo i n t he s ide w alls a re t roughless b ut t he b urial-platform i s i nstead d ivided i nto t wo s ections o f u nequal w idth a nd h eight. T he o uter s ections p roject f orward f rom b eneath t he a rches a nd a re f ramed b y a l ow r idge; t here i s o nly o ne h ead-rest. T he a rcosolium i n t he b ack w all i s d ifferent a nd c ontains t wo t roughs, c . 2 7cm d eep. C hambers

I I a nd I II h ave

a rcosolia a re a lmost h owever, o ne o f l eft i ncomplete.

s imilar p lans a nd d imensions

i dentical t o t hose o f C hamber I .

a nd

t heir

I n C hamber I II,

t he s ide a rcosolia h as t wo t roughs w hile A bove t he w indow d oor t o t his c hamber,

t he o ther w as i n t he r ight

w all o f ' b', a re t wo a rched n iches, ' 3-4', w ith r espective m easurements o f 6 8 x 4 0 x 1 4cm a nd 6 4 x 4 6 x 1 0cm ( fig.26/2d) b eneath ' 4 i s a n arrow l edge w hich m ay h ave s erved a s a s upport f or a s helf. I n t he l eft w all t here a re, f inally, t hree l oculi, t he l arger o f w hich, ' 6', 9 2 x 6 2 x 7 0cm, i s c ut a bove t he w indow-door t o C hamber I I a nd i s s urmounted b y a p resumably m odern t ethering-hole C atacomb 4

( fig.26 s ec AA).

f ig.31A

T his h ypogeum i s i n p art e xcavated a bove t he S t P aul's C atacombs. u sual f light o f s teps l eads d own t o a l ong s outh-north f orecourt,

T he ' a',

c ontaining t he o pening o f a l ight-well, ' 3', w hich c uts t hrough t he c eiling o f h all ' nn' i n S t P aul's ( supra, p .60). N ext t o i t a re t wo c hild-loculi, ' 1-2', o ne a bove t he o ther. T hrough a d oorway i n t he n orth w all o ne e nters,

d own a f ew s teps,

a n a gape-room,

' bb',

w ith a U -

s haped t able. T he b adly p reserved t riclinium h as a c hild's t omb, ' 4', a nd . t here i s a l arge a rcosolium, ' 5', w ith a s ingle t rough, a t t he b ack o f t he t able. T he s emi-circular e xedra i s m issing a nd t he w all e nclosing t he t riclinium i s o nly s lightly c urved. I t c ontains, b esides a rcosolium ' 5', t hree c hild-loculi, ' 6-7-8'. A s lightly l arger l oculi, ' 9', i s c ut i n t he e ast w all • a t r ight a ngles t o a t able-tomb, ' 10 , w ith a s mall t rough i ntended f or a n i nfant. T here i s a lso a r ectangul ar c upboard-like r ecess, ' 11 , s urmounted b y a s mall a psed n iche ( fig.31A/1). A d oor i n t he w est w all o f t he r oom g ives a ccess t o a s hort g allery, ' c', w ith t wo a rcosolia, ' 12-13 , i n t he s ides a nd a b ip artite w indow-tomb, ' 14 , i n t he b ack w all. T he l atter h as a r ectangular c hamber a nd i s r eached u p t wo s teps. T he t roughs i n t he t wo a rcosolia a re s till p artially c overed b y l arge s ealing-slabs o ne o f w hich, d ecorated w ith p lain m oulding, i s p robably a r eused s tone. R eturning

t o f orecourt

' a',

t wo w indow-doors,

i n t he n orth-east

a nd n orth-west w alls r espectively, l ead t o t wo g alleries, ' ee' a nd ' ff'. G allery ' ee', r eached d own t hree u neven s teps h as f ive a rcosolia

1 00

f our

o f w hich,

t he f ifth,

' 15-16-17-18

' 19 ,

a re a rranged i n p airs

i s d ug i n t he b ack w all.

i n t he s ide w alls;

A rcosolia ' 17-18-19' h ave

t wo t roughs; i n ' 17' t here i s a s econd a rch a bove t he i nner t rough. A rcosolia ' 15-16' a re d ug s ide b y s ide a nd s eparated f rom e ach o ther b y a n arrow l edge t hat c ontains a p yramidal l amp-hole ( fig.31A/2). ' 16' d oes n ot c ontain t roughs a nd i s p robably i ncomplete; ' 15' h as o nly o ne t rough a nd b eneath i t a re t wo c hild-loculi c ut l evel w ith t he f loor. G allery ' ff' h as a s imilar a rrangement o f

f ive a rcosolia,

' 20-21-

2 2-23-24 . T hey d o n ot h ave t roughs a nd o ne w ould p robably h ave t hought t hem u nfinished h ad i t n ot b een f or t he p resence o f a r ockp illow w ith t wo h ead-rests o n ' 20-21-22 . O n t he f loor a re t wo m egalithic p lug-doors w hich, p resumably, s ealed t he e ntrances t o g alleries, ' ee' and ' ff'. I n t he b ack w all o r a rcosolium ' 24' i s a l arge h ole w hich u ntil t he f irst d ecade o f t he 2 0th c entury l ed t o s eparate h ypogeum P aul C atacombs.

( Caruana 1 898,

p .

1 09,

p l.

I II)

n ow f used i n t he S t

C atacomb 5 T his c atacomb i s a t p resent t emporarily i naccessible. T he f ollowilg d escription i s, t herefore, b ased o n B ecker s a ccount ( Becker 1 913, p . 1 6). T he s ite s eems t o c ontain a t l east t wo i ndependent h ypogea f used t ogether b y a b reak i n t he r ock. T hey a re r eached t hrough a m odern e ntrance w hich l eads i nto t he a gape-room o f t he l arger h ypogeum w hich B ecker c alls 5 A. T he o riginal e ntrance i s s ituated a t t he b ack o f t he e xedra. O n t he r ight, a pparently o pposite t he t riclinium, d oor l eads t o a p resumably c ubical c hamber w ith t hree a rranged

r ound a c entral

s pace.

a w indpwa rcosolia

L eaving t he a gape-room b y a d oor

i n

t he b ack w all o ne f inds a b aldacchino t omb a nd, b esides i t, t he e ntrance t o a c hamber w ith t wo w indow-graves a nd a d eep a rcosolium w hich, h owever, c ontains o nly t wo t roughs. A l arger e xtension i s r eached s traight f rom t he o riginal e ntrance. I t s eems t o c onsist o f a c orridor w ith f ive l arge b aldacchini o n t he l eft. O n t he r ight s ome s teps l ead d own t o a p assage w ith t wo w indow-tombs t hrough w hich o ne e nters a r oom w ith s ix b aldacchini t wo o f w hich a re a pparently, s aldleb acked. T he c eiling i n t his a rea i s b roken t hrough b y s everal s mall h ypogea d ug a t a h igher l evel. O nly o ne o f t hem s eems t o b e o f a ny i mportance. B ecker c alls i t 5 B. H e d escribes i t l aconically a s a l arge r oom w ith t hree p artially d etached b aldacchini a rcosolia o ne o f w hich h as s even s mall t roughs. C atacomb 6

a nd

s averal

f igs.27-28.

T his h ypogeum, l ike m ost o f t he o thers i n t his c luster, i s a t t ie t ime o f w riting, f illed w ith d ebris w hich h ampers a p roper i nvestigation. A t

t he b ottom o f

t he e ntrance

s teps

i s a n a lmost

s quare

f orecourt

w ith t wo s quare-headed d oorways i n a rched f rames. T hey a re ecavated a t r ight a ngles t o e ach o ther a nd l ead t o t wo i ndependent e xtansions, O n t he l eft i s a m odern m asonry w all, ' A', w hich s aems t o b lock a b reak i n t he r ock w here a t hird e xtension m ay h ave b een s tarted.

T he a rched

f rame e nclosing t he d oorway t o ' II' h as

s ome d aubs

o f f aded r ed p igment s uggesting a p ainted d ecoration. T o t he r ight o f t his d oorway, a n atural f issure i n t he r ock w as, a pparently, u tilised

101

t o

c ut

a n a ir v ent,

' l',

t o

t he a ntechamber o f

e xtension I I.

E xtension I , e xcavated o n t he s ame a xis a s t he s haft, i s r eached d own o ne s tep, 3 3 x 2 2 x 1 5cm, c ut i n t he c . 3 8cm h igh t hreshold o f t he r ectangular d oorway. I mmediately i nside t he e ntrance i s a l arge r oom w ith t wo t riclinia, ' C-D', s ituated o n e ither s ide o f a c orridor, ' aa', 3 10 x 1 42cm. B oth a re c ut b eneath f lattened a rches a nd t hey a re r ecessed i n w ell f inished s emi-circular e xedras. T riclininium ' C i s m utilated a nd o nly h alf o f i ts c ircular t able i s p reserved. O n i t a re t he f ragments o f t wo m egalithic s labs ' 3-4'. T he l arger, ' 3', i s 7 0 x 4 6 x 3 3cm , a nd h as a p rojection, 1 2cm h igh, i n t he m iddle; i t m ay h ave b een p art o f a p lug-door. T wo l oculi, ' 5-6', a re c ut i n t he e xedra. ' 5' i s v ery s mall a nd i ts o pening w as, a pparently, s imply t hickly c emented o ver w ith t he u sual c ompound o f c rushed g lobigerina s tone m ixed w ith g round p ottery s herds; t here i s n o e vidence f or a s ealing s lab

b ut

t he s moothly f inished c ement i s p reserved i n t he c orners.

T riclinium c ircular t able.

' D' i s b etter c ut a nd h as a p erfectly p reserved I n f ront o f i t, t o t he l eft, i s a l arge s tone, ' 7', 5 1

x 4 7 x 4 1cm , w ith a r ectangular d epression, 3 6 x 2 7 x 7 cm . T his w as, p ossibly, a s eat. I ts c hief s ignificance l ies i n t he f act t hat i t i s n ot c arved o ut o f t he s ame r ock a s t he t riclinium b ut i n a s eparate s tone b lock. A t t he b ack o f t he t able i s a r ectangular d oorway, ' 8', w hich m ay o riginally, h ave l ed t o t he u sual c hamber w ith t he t hree a rcosolium a rrangement. T his h ypothetical c hamber w as, h owever, d estroyed w hen g allery ' dd' w as e xcavated i n t he r ear p art o f t he e xtension. A s i t s tands t oday t he d oorway i s p urposeless a nd s een f rom g allery ' dd' i t l ooks a s t hough s uspended i n m id-air a bove w indow-tomb ' 29' ( infra, p .105). T he m ost i mportant f eature o f t he e xedra i s, h owever, a s mall r oughly c ut c ircular w indow, ' 2', c . 3 9cm i n d iameter, f itted w ith a G reek c ross. T his i s t he o nly e vidently C hristian s ymbol i n t his c luster o f

c atacombs.

A t t he b ack o f ' aa' i s a n i nner g allery, ' bbb', w hich w as, a pparently, o riginally e ntered t hrough a n a rched d oorway w hich h as s uffered e xtensive m utilation. I t i s n ow d ifficult t o r econstruct i ts o riginal a shlar

a ppearance e specially s ince i t h as l eaving

o nly a r ectangular o pening.

b een b adly p atched u p w ith I mmediately

i nside

t he

g allery a re t wo a rcosolia, ' 9-11 . ' 9' m ay h ave b een a n i mportant t omb b ecause i t i s l inked t o t riclinium ' D' b y t he c ross-filled w indow, ' 2'. U nfortunately, i t i s b adly m utilated a nd a c oncrete p ilaster, ' 10 , h as b een b uilt o n i t t o b uttress t he c eiling w hich t hreatened c ollapse. I t d oes n ot s eem t o c ontain t roughs. A rcosolium ' 11 , w hich h as a s ingle t rough, i s a lso i n a p oor s tate o f p reservation. I t i s c ut i n v ery f riable r ock a nd t he l eft p ilaster h as c ompletely d isappeared a nd b een r eplaced b y a m odern m asonry s upport. A r ather u nusual f eature i s a l amp-hole c ut

b etween t he f lattened a rch a nd

T he i nner p art b y a b aldacchino, t rough, s ide o f

o f

t he g allery,

' 12 ,

t he

c eiling.

r eached d own o ne s tep,

d etached o n t hree s ides.

I t

i s d ominated

c ontains a d ouble

1 61 x 7 8 x 6 6cm, w ith a w indow-opening, 5 7 x 5 3cm, i n t he m ain t he p latform. T his i s a v ery u nusual f eature f or t his t ype o f

b aldacchino a nd i t i s a lso q uite p urposeless s ince t he c orpses c ould m ore e asily b e l owered i nto t he t rough f rom a bove. O pposite t he b aldacchino, i n t he l eft w all, a re t wo w indow-tombs, ' 14-15', a nd a c hild-loculi, f raming t he

' 13' ( fig.28c). ' 15' i s i ncomplete b ut t he a rched n iche w indow-door i s f inely f inished. ' 14 , w hich h as a b i-

102

I . •

-. .4 ,

Gb ., AC 0 A dfS ,

1

t D

SEP f .R LT c -

et\

repr em 7Y

; • : 1 4 : " 74 1v

\ NA

\— \

C =D

E

r

CA IAC Ö MI&S .

I n

PA UL

/A CA .Tg A

14

a

0


Catee

P lace o f P reservation :

1 7.

s

P rovenance:

S S P aul/Agatha C atacombs.

S S P aul/Agatha C atacombs.

H ypogeum 1 4

C atacomb 1 8

R emarks: F ragmentary i nscription e ngraved o n t he m ortar o f t he s ealing s lab o f a b aldacchina-tomb. N o l onger e xtant. K nown f rom a t ranscription b y Z ammit. S ee p .134 I nscription : S ee f ig.119c R eading: D r J oyce R eynolds r egards t he i nscription a s t oo f ragmentary b ut s uggests t hat " it i s n ot i mpossible t hat t he f irst l ine i s p art o f ( A ( 19AU 3E

a nd t he s econd o f l i CEJ TAI

1 8.

P rovenance: S S P aul/Agatha C atacombs. C atacomb 1 9 R emarks: T wo l etters M a nd N e ngraved o ne b eneath t he o ther b elow a w indow-tomb. T he s pace a round i s f ull o f m odern g raffiti a nd t he t wo l etters m ay h ave n o s ignificance. S ee p .137

1 9.

P rovenance: S t V enera C atacombs R emarks: F ragment. E ngraved o n a m arble s lab. f ig.120e I nscription :

3A

/ 8 PACE 1 3 ))0 7

• N ote:

S ee p .148 a nd

Ac vs-ri gs

A ccording t o V assallo

( 1871,

p .

5 2)

a nd C aruana ( 1882,

p .

1 52) i t " preserves a p ortion o f t he L abarum e ngraved a t t he b eginning o f t he s econd l ine" b ut t his h ad d isappeared b y 1 920 w hen t he i nscription w as e xamined b y B ellanti ( Bellanti D ate:

m s. f . 1 00) A ccording t o P adre G rossi G ondi q uoted b y B ellanti ( 1924, p . 1 23) t he " pseudo-Damasian l ettering" s uggests a l ate 4 th

o r 5 th c entury d ate P lace o f P reservation : N ational M useum o f A rchaeology, ( reserve c ollection) B ibliography: V assallo 1 871, p . 1 882, p . 1 52; C orp. i nscr. 1 31-132;

B ellanti m s.

f .

C abrol a nd L eclercq 1 931,

3 95

5 2; F erris 1 877, p . 7 3; C aruana l at. X , 7 500; B ecker 1 913, p p.

1 00; p .

V alletta

1 340

B ellanti 1 924,

p p.

1 22-123;

2 0.

P rovenance: H ypogeum a t t he b ack o f t he O ratory o f S t P ublius R emarks: P ainted i n r ed o chre o n a t omb-slab. I n 1 647 i t w as i n t he p rivate m useum o f G .F. A bela. P resent w hereabouts u nknown. S ee p .159 I nscription: + I N ( hoc) L (oco) I ACET B ONE M EMORIE B O(. —) Q (ui) B ICSIT I N ( h)0C S EC(u)L0 A N N IS L V E (t) Q (ui)EBIT I N P ACE S (ub) D (ie) G K AL S EP T E WBRE(s) I NDICTIO N E ( duod)ECIMA +

R eading:

A ccording t o D r J oyce R eynolds,

" In t his p lace l ies o ne

o f g ood m emory, B 0(...) w ho l ived i n t his w orld 5 5 y ears a nd w ent t o r est i n p eace o n t he 6 th d ay b efore t he K alends o f N ote:

S eptember ( 27th A ugust) i n t he 1 2th ( ?) i ndiction". I n 1 . 8 ( duod) w as p robably r estored b y A bela o n t he b asis o f t he s pace a vailable b ut a ll t hat o ne c an b e s ure o f i s ( d)ecima. T his i nscription i s s imilar t o n o. 3 a bove

D ating: A ccording t o D r J oyce R eynolds t he f ormulae s eem t o f it a t ime r ange f rom t he 4 th t o t he 6 th c enturies A .D. I f 1 . 8 r eally n amed t he 1 2th i ndiction t he d ate w ould i n f act b e 4 77-491. S ince t he 1 0th i ndiction i s c ertain t he t erminus p ost q uem i s 4 47 a nd t he t erminus a d q uem t he 6 th c entury B ibliography: A bela 1 647, p . 5 3; T orremuzza, S ic. X VII, 1 4-16; C orp. i nscr. B ecker 1 913,

2 1.

l at. X , 7 499; D iehl 1 923, n ote t o n o. p . 1 34; C abrol a nd L eclercq 1 931, p . 1 340

2 734;

P rovenance: S t J oseph's O ratory. P rovenance w rongly g iven a s G aulus b y t he C orp. i nscr. g raec. R emarks: D iscovered c . m id-18th c entury d uring w orks a t S t J oseph O ratory

a djoining

c hurch o f

F ranciscan F riars

M inor.

S ee

p p.166 167 I nscription:

' Ey64 11§ A : j

W ire A0/ 4 -6 E i lit i

ep9›

Xp i e-r igtvc ;) x ()

/r P01 5

J r9 0 2' Avef i nd c raro r p l e 0 ( 33 , 7 Aa Ar nv 16( a 7 ;v ) e ße ( i £ io d ,9 1 1 1 R eading:

A ccording

t o D r J oyce R eynolds,

" Here

l ies

D omesticus

t he k indly C hristian a nd D octor. H e l ived 7 3 y ears a nd d ied o n 1 5th ( ? 2 5th) J anuary . ?. i n t he c onsulship o f ..". I n 1 . 2 t he I nscr. g raec. o ffersiZ eL aA n7s i nstead o f 64 -ii 49,, b ut b oth a re n ot i mmediately p aralleled. I n 1 . 5 , t he f ormula f or e xpression o f t he d ay o f d eath i s w hat i s p roposed i n t he C orp.

i nscr.

g raec.

o n t he b asis o f m any p arallels,

b ut

i t i s

u ncertain w hether t he f igure a t t he e nd o f t he l ine w as/q' ( 18) o r 9/ ( 8). A s r egards t he s igla i n 1 . 7 , D r R eynolds w rites " The s igla a re n ot e asy t o u nderstand a nd n either t he C orp.

i nscr.

g raec.

n or t he I nscr.

3 96

g raec.

e xplain o r c omment

o n t hem. T hey l ook t o m e l ike p i l igature t o h ypsilon i n e ach c ase a nd f or t his t here i s a n a pparent p arallel i n C orp. i nscr.

g raec.

9 47B

w here t he m eaning

i s c lear, un(a ril .)

i n

t he c onsulship; b ut i f t hat i s w hat i s m eant h ere i t o ught t o a ppear o nce o nly a nd t o b e f ollowed b y t he n ames o f t he c onsuls i n o ffice" D ating: O n t he e vidence o f t he f ormulae D r R eynolds s uggests, t entatively, t he 6 th c entury A .D. T he y ear 8 10 A .D. p roposed i n C iantar 1 772 i s e ntirely f ictitious P lace o f P reservation: N ational M useum o f A rchaeology c ollection).

( reserve

S ee p .

B ibliography: C iantar 1 772, p p. 5 30-531; T orremuzza, s ic., X VII, 2 4-28; M uratori, N ovus T hesaurus, p . 1 854, n . 3 ; C orp. i nscr. g raec., I V. 9 451; K aibel, I nscr. g raec., n . 6 04; B ecker 1 913, p p.

2 2.

1 34-137;

C abrol a nd L eclercq 1 931,

1 340-1341.

P rovenance: G reek's G ate A rea R emarks: O n l ead t ablet, c . 1 8.5 x 2 0cm, w hich c ontains a lso a n i ncised d esign o f a d ove w ith a n o live b ranch. S ee p p.1671 68 I nscription:

D .M . F VFICA G ALENE C VRTIVS D 1ADV 1 D(ibus)

O MENO(s) C OIVGI ( f)ERCERVNT V ALER (iae) B ENEMERENTI

R eading: T he t ext i s f ull o f o ddities b ut D r R eynolds s uggests, p rovisionally, t hat t wo p ersons F ufica G alene a nd C urtius ( ?) D iadoumenos ( mispelt) m ade t he t omb f or t he w ell d eserving V aleria a nd t hat p erhaps s he w as b uried o n t he i des o f a m onth w hose n ame i s l ost N ote: T he c ombination o f t he d ove w hich l ooks C hristian w ith t he D (is) M (anibus)

o f 1 .

1i s s trange b ut t here a re p arallels,

f or e xample H . Z illiacus, S ylloge I nscrip. C hrist. V eterium M usei V aticani, I , 1 36 P lace o f P reservation: M useum o f R oman A ntiquities, R abat. B ibliography:

2 3.

P rovenance:

C aruana 1 882,

p .

1 53

H ypogea n ear S an C atald C hurch,

R emarks: F ragmentary i nscription o n r eutilised a s a s tep i n t he h ypogeum. p p.165-166 I nscription: N ote:

A ccording b eautifully

a

H ypogeum 2 m arble s lab U ndecipherable.

I MOT F . P RO t o Z ammit " The l etters a re d eeply e ngraved s haped s howing t hat t he i nscription w as o f

g ood R oman p eriod" P lace o f P reservation: u nknown. B ibliography: M .A .R . 1 910-11, p p.

3 97

9 -10

f ound S ee

a nd t he

2 4.

P rovenance: H ypogeum a t t he j unction o f B oschetto R emarks:

S trada C ollegio a nd

S ee p p.172-173

I nscription:

E YTYCHIANOY

N ote:

A ccording t o C aruana i nscribed o n t he h ypogeum w hich i s n o l onger e xtant B ibliography: C aruana 1 892, p . 9 1 2 5.

V ia

e ntrance

t o

t he

P rovenance: H ypogeum i n a f ield a djoining t he C anonica o f C ollegiate o f S t P aul's G rotto R emarks: S ee p .173

t he

I nscription: A SCANIVS N ote: C aruana r ecords o nly t hat t he h ypogeum b ore " the L atin t itle o f A scanius" a nd i t i s n ot c lear w hether t his w as i nscribed o n m ore p robable

2 6.

t he e ntrance o r o n a p articular t omb a s

B ibliography:

C aruana 1 898,

P rovenance: H ypogeum

T ac-Caghqi

p .

s eems

9 1

S econdary

S chool

H ypogea,

S outh-east

R emarks: R emains o f N eo-Punic i nscription i n f ive s eparate l ines ( fig.120c) p ainted a bove t he w indow d oors t o d ifferent b urial-cubicles; f ifth l ine d estroyed. I nscription: B enedetto R occo r eads:

} • D i

09 v r

4

R eading:

S ee p .189

T i mm

3

1

1

A ccording t o R occo:

1 . 2 .

I n f orza d el d ono a t e o fferto 0 t u c he s ei f orte

3 . 4 .

S ta t ranquillo, D esisti

S pirito,

5. C omments: D ate:

S ee p .189

R occo s uggests a s a t erminus a q uo t he 2 nd c entury B .C.

a nd

a s a t erminus a d q uam t he i st c entury A .D. S tylistic c ons iderations, h owever, p ropose a l ater d ate f or t he h ypogeum P lace o f P reservation: T ac-Caghqi S econdary S chool H ypogeum B ibliography: B org a nd R occo 1 976

2 7.

P rovenance:

T ac-Caghqi

S econdary

S chool

H ypogea

- S outh-east

H ypogeum R emarks: S ee p .190 I nscription: •R eading:

R occo r eads Ö P :

Q ( qof)

a nd M ( mem) w hich h e t hinks

f orm t he v erb QM ( Hebrew q um " Rise", N ote:

" Wake u p")

T he t wo l etters a re p ainted t o t he r ight o f a l inear d ecoration w hich i ncludes a s chematised p alm-tree ( fig.60B)

B ibliography:

B org a nd R occo 1 976,

3 98

p .

7 2

2 8.

P rovenance: R emarks:

A bbatija t ad-Dejr.

H ypogeum I II

F ragmentary i nscription a pparently p ainted.

1 895 b y F .

V assallo.

E xact

N o l onger e xtant. S ee p .212 I nscription: ( a) a ccording t o V assallo: ( b) B ibliography:

2 9.

P rovenance: R emarks:

R ecorded c .

l ocation i n h ypogeum n ot k nown. /f r ///A T 'D

a ccording t o C aruana: IM A TD

V assallo m s.;

C aruana 1 898,

A bbatija t ad-Dejr.

9 3

P .

H ypogeum I V

P ainted o n a w indow-tomb.

S ee p .214

I nscription: N OT I TO B IXIT I N P AC

R eading:

D r

P ACE M ANI ( T)

A CV

A TICNI I N H OC O CO

P I TAE R ECOR

J oyce R eynolds h as p ointed o ut

c onsiderable s everal

p roblems

d eceased;

b ut

o ne

i s

p robably a nother i n 1 . s tudied p roposed b ottom

4 .

t hat t he t ext

t here

s eems

1 .

who

3

M gr.

t o

b e

p oses

r ecords

b ixit i n p ac(e)

F ortunato P anzavecchia w ho

t he i nscription s hortly a fter i ts d iscovery i n i ngeniously

t hat

l ine u pwards.

H e

o f a nd

t he t ext

s hould b e r ead

t herefore s uggested t he

1 838

f rom

t he

f ollowing

r eading: I N H OC L OCO R ECORD A TIONIS D EPOSITATUS MANET MARCUS B IXIT I N P ACE N

I TO

N OT D ate:

D r

R eynolds

s uggests a s a p rovisional

d ate

t he 5 th c entury

A. D. B ibliography:

M .G.G.

F erris 1 877, L eclercq

3 0.

P rovenance: R emarks:

2 3/5/1838,

p p. 8 0-81;

1 931,

p p.

C orp.

B adger 1 838,

l at., X 7 498;

p .

2 57;

C abrol a nd

1 340

A bbatija t ad-Dejr.

p ainted

2 07-208;

i nscr.

H ypogeum I V

o n a w indow-tomb.

S ee p .214

I nscription: R C V R I d IONI2M I N R eading: t wo

' IOC

E PO2ITA C ORPoRcZ

D r R eynolds s uggests c olumns

a nd

t hat

s he p roposes

t his may b e a t ext s et

a s a v ery

t entative

t ion ( Coemeterium)

( ??re)

( ...)ri D ionisii i n h oc

( ( d)eposita

l oco ( Burial p lace

c u(iescunt)

c orpora o f

..)rius

3 99

( e.g.

( F urius)

D ionisius

o ut i n

r econstruc-

I n D ate:

A s

a

t his ( of

p lace ?

v ery

t entative d ate D r R eynolds

P rovenance:

P ossibly

r est a t p eace)

1 . 2 .

b odies

f rom J ewish n ecropolis k nown a s K ibur

i i-

P .

s uggests

9 3

5 r )I mp r n n i z r i 5i n n[ r ul t z i nr u m • 7 1 22 2r 1 r i r i

A ccording

b uried

5 th

L hud a t M tarfa, l imits o f R abat R emarks: O n t ombstone. S ee p p.217-218 I nscription:

R eading:

t he

t he

c entury A .D. B ibliography:Caruana 1 898,

3 1.

( ? )

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .

t o H oneyman:

T his i s t he ( tomb o f) t he l ady R ach(el), s pouse

( of) Y eshu'a t he .. M ay h er s oul b e b ound u p i n t he b undle o f l ife! D ate: A ccording t o H oneyman: " The p aleography a ffords d ecisive e vidence o f d ate" P lace o f P reservation: M useum o f R oman A ntiquities, R abat B ibliography: H oneyman 1 962 3 . 4 .

B . 3 2.

n o

I NSCRIPTIONS F ROM O THER S ITES P arish: B irzebbuga P rovenance: H al F ar T omb 3 R emarks: S ee p .243 . I nscription: R eading: ( a) a ccording t o J . F erron, c aveau q u a d onne S ittus"

2 11 ' l iNtz

( b)

a ccording t o M .

z mb y tnw s ty " ceci e st l e

G uzzo A madasi,

" Forse

l 'epigrafe

c onteneva l 'indicazione d ell' a ppartenenza d ella t omba: ' Di p y tn . L 'elemento y tn ap receduto d a 3 o 4 s egni ( p sytn ? ..). S embra c he d opo y tn s i p ossono d istinguere d ue o t re l ettere, l a c ui l ettura e i nterpretazione n on s ono s tate p ossibili. S uggested d ate: A ccording t o F erron " ä u ne e poque v oisine d u d 6but d e n otre a re".

S tylistically t he t omb s eems t o b elong

t o t he i st - 2 nd c enturies A .D. P lace o f P reservation: N ational M useum o f A rchaeology, V alletta B ibliography: F riedrich 1 964, P . 2 27; F erron 1 967, p p. 1 7-19; G uzzo A madasi

3 3.

1 967,

p p.

4 3-44

P arish: M arsa P rovenance: J esuits' H ill H ypogeum I R emarks:

S ee p .261

I nscription:

Kotp ,t9 rep eio v

lye.? eta 1.4..evo -

an° Z u sc r 14 - 19 — Ka i -

r i ve)

AV L . -

K2 rre

R eading:

A ccording

t o D r J oyce R eynolds:

" Burial

p lace p urchased

f rom Z osimetis a nd A nicetos" S uggested d ate: D r R eynolds s uggests t he 5 th c entury A .D. P lace o f P reservation: u nknown B ibliography: A bela 1 647, p . 5 2; B oldetti 1 720, p . T orremuzza, S ic., V II, K aibel, I nscr. g raec. n .

3 4.

P arish:

1 0; 6 03;

C orp. i nscr. g raec I V n . B ecker 1 913, p p. 1 33-134

6 33; 9 450;

M arsa

P rovenance: O utside J esuits H ill H ypogeum I II R emarks: S ee p p.265-266 I nscription: D .M . ( F)LAVIVS T ITVS V IXIT A NNOS L V C IVES B E N EMERENTI S uggested d ate:

F ECERVNT L ate 3 rd c entury A .D.

( ?)

P lace o f P reservation: N ational M useum o f A rchaeology, V alletta ( reserve c ollection) B ibliography: V assallo 1 876, p p. 5 9-60; C aruana 1 882, p . 1 53; C orp.

i nscr.

l at.,

B ellanti 1 924,

3 5.

P arish:

p p.

X .

8 319;

B ecker

1 913,

p p.

1 32-133;

1 19-121

M arsa

R emarks: D efaced L atin i nscription n oticed b y C .A. W right i n S eptember 1 874 i n a " sepulchral e xcavation" n ear J esuits' H ill H ypogeum I II. S ee p .265. D estroyed B ibliography : W right 1 874

3 6.

P arish:

M arsascala

P rovenance:

G zira t a'

S an T umas H ypogeum

R emarks: S ee p p.268-270 I nscription: I NNO M INE _ D NI I H2XI Z URGEZ E T A MB L AZ ZEa 2A L BU M E F AC P lace o f P reservation: N ote:

G zira t a'

S an T umas H ypogeum

A ccording t o C abrol a nd L eclercq

1 931:

" Le s econd

v erset

r enferme u ne f ormule d e p riere q ui s e r etrouve e n N umidie, d ans u ne i nscription c hretienne d e T obna s ous c ette f orme: ( d)omine s alvo(s n os f ac)

4 01

B ibliography: 1 40-142; p . 1 339;

3 7.

M .A.R.

1 907-8,

B ecker 1 913, B org 1 976, p .

p .

p p. 6 6

9 ;

H eron d e V illefosse 1 908,

1 40-142;

p p.

C abrol a nd L eclercq 1 931,

P arish: M qabba P rovenance: M intna H ypogeum I II R emarks: s ee p .320 I nscription: A PESIO X L K