Homer's Ogygia

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John Vella MSc (Leicester) PhD Student, Mediterranean Institute, University of Malta, Malta. 9th. Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 21-24 March 2016, Athens, Greece. Background • Epic poetry and legends are thought to be imaginary (fiction). • Homer’s Odyssey: • Maltese legend: Ulysses stay on Ogygia Gozo was the Island of and Calypso. Calypso. • Are Homer’s places, • Is there tangible characters and events evidence which proves imaginary? it was not fiction? • What do place-names (toponyms) in both epic and legend tell? • Is there tangible proof that changes the imaginary into factual history? © John Vella, Malta 2016 Multi-disciplinary approach • to identify intangible and tangible evidence from different sources • intertwining intangibles and tangibles sources: do they provide tangible proof? © John Vella, Malta 2016 Analysis (1/2) - What did the research ask and answer? Dating: • when did the Odyssey take place; • when was Homer writing the Odyssey • what was happening in the Mediterranean at that age; Context: • what was the context of the Italy location at the time of the Odyssey Sicily Tunisia Gozo Malta © John Vella, Malta 2016 Closer look at context (2/3): Calypso’s Cave, Ġgantija and other megalithic structures, Bronze Age dolmen © John Vella, Malta 2016 Analysis (2/2) - Where did the research look for evidence? Evidence was searched among: • Toponym/s • Archaeological remains from late Neolithic and Bronze Age • Astronomical - alignment of megalithic structures • Oral lore / Local legends • Language • Biblical – as recorded history • Pictographic / Works of art © John Vella, Malta 2016 Findings (1/2) Many things in the Odyssey (Book V) and in Gozo are common:- crafts, skills, natural context, historic context* maritime skills and most of all toponyms (*earlier Maltese historiography is proved wrong) © John Vella, Malta 2016 Findings (2/2): Toponyms Corresponding intangibles and tangibles The toponyms and places indicated in the Odyssey correspond exactly with the toponyms and places on Gozo- Malta Island. These are supported by evidence found in local legends, written or published sources / documents, archaeology, astronomy and art © John Vella, Malta 2016 Conclusions (1/2) • This study found enough tangible evidence which transforms Homer’s epic poetry ‘Odyssey’* from an imaginary / fictional narrative into a historical record. (* Book V) © John Vella, Malta 2016 Conclusions 2/2 • Toponymy (the study of place-names), linguistic and scientific, informs on unrecorded, excluded or long forgotten history; • A trans-disciplinary approach bears better results than a mono- disciplinary approach or the repetition of traditional subjective historiography. © John Vella, Malta 2016 .

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