There are hundreds[1] of catacombs in Malta, principally found in Mdina, the former capital of the island.[2] The catacombs are very small, but are in good preservation.[3]
Many of the catacombs were included on the Antiquities List of 1925.[4]
Vincent Zammit notes that catacombs developed from earlier rock-cut tombs. Wherever burial places were discovered, it is generally presumed that a small community lived in the area. The catacombs are characterised by spaciousness, a smaller extent than those found in other countries, similar in types of tombs to others found around the Mediterranean, but having their own particular type of decorations. Decorations, nevertheless, are rare, which may indicate that with the exception of a few families who had their own private tombs, the community was not wealthy.[5]
Prof. George Cassar observed that the catacombs of Malta have educational value. "They are the key to the understanding of the development of religious rites and beliefs and indicate the birth and spread of Christianity among the small community of Maltese living on the islands. This mysterious yet concrete environment helps towards the creation of a pedagogical setting which the educator can utilise to the full."[6]
^Harrison Adolphus Lewis. Ancient Malta: A Study of Its Antiquities. Colin Smythe. Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. 1977. p 133. Google Books.
^"The Catacombs of Malta" in The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction. J Limbird. Strand, London. 1838. Volume 32. Page 85. Malta Paper. June 1838.
^James Elmes. "Catacombs" in A General and Bibliographic Dictionary of the Fine Arts. Thomas Tegg. London. 1826. Page 181 at 182.
^Zammit, Vincent (2008). "Characteristics and symbolism in Late Roman and Byzantine burial places in Malta: some considerations". from the original on 11 March 2014.
^Cassar, George (2008). "The educational value of paleo-Christian sites". from the original on 11 March 2014.
^ abUwe Jens Rudolf and Warren G Berg. "Heritage Malta" in Historical Dictionary of Malta. Second Edition. Scarecrow Press. 2010. Page 125.
^ abMary-Ann Gallagher. DK Eyewitness Travel: Top 10 Malta & Gozo. Dorling Kindersley. 2007. Revised, 2009. Pages 16 and 17.
^Juliet Rix. "Roman/Byzantine Malta" in Malta and Gozo. Third edition. Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. November 2015. Page 87.
^Juliet Rix. "Ta' Bistra Catacombs" in Malta and Gozo. Third edition. Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. November 2015. Page 88
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
A A Caruana. Ancient Pagan Tombs and Christian Cemeteries in the Islands of Malta. Government Printing Office. Malta. 1898.
A. Mayr, "Die altchristlichen Begrabnisstatten auf Malta" 15 Romische Quartalschrift 216 and 352
Piotr Drag in Barrowclough and Malone (eds). "Cult of the Dead or Cult for the Dead: Studies of Jewish Catacombs in Malta in Context" in Cult in Context: Reconsidering Ritual in Archaeology. Oxbow Books. Chapter 16.
Camilleri and Gingell-Littlejohn. "The Triclinia in the Catacombs of Malta". In Scibberas (ed). Proceedings of History Week 1993. Historical Society of Malta. 1997.
Mario Buhagiar. The Christianisation of Malta: Catacombs, Cult Centres and Churches in Malta. BAR International Series 1674. Archaeopress. 2007. Google Books. Christian Catacombs, Cult Centres and Churches in Malta to 1530. University of London. 1994.
Rachel Hachlili. "The Hypogea of Malta" in Ancient Jewish Art and Archaeology in the Diaspora. Brill. 1998. Page 273.
George Percy Badger. "Catacombs" in Description of Malta and Gozo. Malta. 1838. Page 255 et seq.
"Visit to the Catacombs" in "Palestine Mission" 19 Missionary Herald 138 (No 5, May 1823)
Further readingedit
Buhagiar, Mario (1986). Late Roman and Byzantine Catacombs and Related Burial Places in the Maltese Islands. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.
catacombs, malta, there, hundreds, catacombs, malta, principally, found, mdina, former, capital, island, catacombs, very, small, good, preservation, paul, catacombsentrances, salina, catacombsmany, catacombs, were, included, antiquities, list, 1925, vincent, z. There are hundreds 1 of catacombs in Malta principally found in Mdina the former capital of the island 2 The catacombs are very small but are in good preservation 3 St Paul s CatacombsEntrances to the Salina CatacombsMany of the catacombs were included on the Antiquities List of 1925 4 Vincent Zammit notes that catacombs developed from earlier rock cut tombs Wherever burial places were discovered it is generally presumed that a small community lived in the area The catacombs are characterised by spaciousness a smaller extent than those found in other countries similar in types of tombs to others found around the Mediterranean but having their own particular type of decorations Decorations nevertheless are rare which may indicate that with the exception of a few families who had their own private tombs the community was not wealthy 5 Prof George Cassar observed that the catacombs of Malta have educational value They are the key to the understanding of the development of religious rites and beliefs and indicate the birth and spread of Christianity among the small community of Maltese living on the islands This mysterious yet concrete environment helps towards the creation of a pedagogical setting which the educator can utilise to the full 6 Catacombs of Malta editThe catacombs include Tal Mintna Catacombs Mqabba Malta 7 St Paul s Catacombs Rabat Malta 8 St Agatha s Catacombs Rabat Malta 8 Salina Catacombs Naxxar Malta 7 St Augustine s Catacombs Rabat Malta 9 Ta Bistra Catacombs near Mosta Malta 10 St Cataldus Catacombs Rabat Malta There are many other catacombs in Malta 11 References edit Harrison Adolphus Lewis Ancient Malta A Study of Its Antiquities Colin Smythe Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire 1977 p 133 Google Books The Catacombs of Malta in The Mirror of Literature Amusement and Instruction J Limbird Strand London 1838 Volume 32 Page 85 Malta Paper June 1838 James Elmes Catacombs in A General and Bibliographic Dictionary of the Fine Arts Thomas Tegg London 1826 Page 181 at 182 Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932 as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939 Malta Environment and Planning Authority Archived from the original on 19 April 2016 Zammit Vincent 2008 Characteristics and symbolism in Late Roman and Byzantine burial places in Malta some considerations Archived from the original on 11 March 2014 Cassar George 2008 The educational value of paleo Christian sites Archived from the original on 11 March 2014 a b Uwe Jens Rudolf and Warren G Berg Heritage Malta in Historical Dictionary of Malta Second Edition Scarecrow Press 2010 Page 125 a b Mary Ann Gallagher DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Malta amp Gozo Dorling Kindersley 2007 Revised 2009 Pages 16 and 17 Juliet Rix Roman Byzantine Malta in Malta and Gozo Third edition Bradt Travel Guides Ltd November 2015 Page 87 Juliet Rix Ta Bistra Catacombs in Malta and Gozo Third edition Bradt Travel Guides Ltd November 2015 Page 88 here PDF Archived from the original PDF on 16 April 2016 Retrieved 8 July 2017 A A Caruana Ancient Pagan Tombs and Christian Cemeteries in the Islands of Malta Government Printing Office Malta 1898 A Mayr Die altchristlichen Begrabnisstatten auf Malta 15 Romische Quartalschrift 216 and 352 Piotr Drag in Barrowclough and Malone eds Cult of the Dead or Cult for the Dead Studies of Jewish Catacombs in Malta in Context in Cult in Context Reconsidering Ritual in Archaeology Oxbow Books Chapter 16 Camilleri and Gingell Littlejohn The Triclinia in the Catacombs of Malta In Scibberas ed Proceedings of History Week 1993 Historical Society of Malta 1997 Mario Buhagiar The Christianisation of Malta Catacombs Cult Centres and Churches in Malta BAR International Series 1674 Archaeopress 2007 Google Books Christian Catacombs Cult Centres and Churches in Malta to 1530 University of London 1994 Rachel Hachlili The Hypogea of Malta in Ancient Jewish Art and Archaeology in the Diaspora Brill 1998 Page 273 George Percy Badger Catacombs in Description of Malta and Gozo Malta 1838 Page 255 et seq Visit to the Catacombs in Palestine Mission 19 Missionary Herald 138 No 5 May 1823 Further reading editBuhagiar Mario 1986 Late Roman and Byzantine Catacombs and Related Burial Places in the Maltese Islands Oxford British Archaeological Reports Portals nbsp History nbsp Malta Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Catacombs of Malta amp oldid 1169375975, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
