MHA Newsletter March 2015
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MHA Newsletter No. 2/2015 www.mha.org.au March 2015 Merħba! A warm welcome to all the members and Submerged Lowlands settled by early humans June 2014 friends of the Maltese Historical Association. much earlier than the present mainland. June 2014 Our February lecture on Maltese politics since 1947, by English scientists tested samples of sediment recovered Dr Albert Farrugia was well attended. As I do not by archaeologists from an underwater Mesolithic Stone usually have a great interest in politics, I did not think it Age site, off the coast of the Isle of Wight. They would be very interesting. I was pleased to be proved discovered DNA from einkorn, an early form of wheat. totally wrong: it was absolutely fascinating! A summary Archeologists also found evidence of woodworking, is contained in this newsletter. Our next lecture, on 17 cooking and flint tool manufacturing. Associated March, will be given by Professor Maurice Cauchi on the material, mainly wood fragments, was dated to history of Malta through its monuments. On 21 April, between 6010 BC and 5960 BC. These indicate just before the ANZAC day weekend, Mario Bonnici will Neolithic influence 400 years earlier than proximate discuss Malta’s involvement in the First World War. European sites and 2000 years earlier than that found on mainland Britain! In this newsletter you will also find an article about how an ancient site discovered off the coast of England may The nearest area known to have been producing change how prehistory is looked at; a number of einkorn by 6000 BC is southern Italy, followed by France interesting links; an introduction to Professor Cauchi’s and eastern Spain, who were producing it by at least lecture; coming events of interest; Nino Xerri’s popular 5900 BC. This suggests that sophisticated social page of photos and an outline of Frank Scicluna’s networks linked the Neolithic front in southern Europe to Maltese newsletters. Enjoy! the Mesolithic peoples of northern Europe. In the last newsletter, I broached the subject of Thousands of square miles of Mesolithic land, on parts organising a role play or pageant about the Great Siege, of Europe's and Britain's current continental shelves, to present to the MHA in September. I envisage that a were inundated by the sea between 6000 and 4000 BC, core group of about five people will be needed to after the last ice age. The distinct possibility is emerging develop the project. It will not happen without you! If that cultural developments may have been occurring on you would like to join the group, contact me by email at those now-drowned coastal lowlands much earlier than [email protected] or you can phone or text on further inland, on what is still dry land. 0425 708 830. Professor Vince Gaffney of the University of Bradford, Looking forward to hearing from you, co-author of the Science paper, stated, "Scientists' ability to analyse genetic material found deep in ancient Charlie buried marine sediments will open up a totally new Charles Gatt (MHA Secretary) chapter in the study of British and European prehistory.” One can only wonder what could be discovered off the coast of Malta! http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/the- remarkable-archaeological-underwater-discovery-that- could-open-up-a-new-chapter-in-the-study-of-european- and-british-prehistory-10073458.html Sedimentary DNA from a Submerged Site Reveals Wheat in the British Isles 8000 Years Ago, Science 27 February 2015: Vol. 347 no. 6225 pp. 998-1001 MHA March Event Malta through its Monuments by Professor Maurice Cauchi 7.30 p.m. Tuesday 17 March Maltese Community Centre Ievers St Parkville 150307_MHA_Newsletter_March_2015.docx Page 1 of 8 INTERESTING LINKS If you have not received the latest MCCV newsletter Eight archaeological finds in one month! you can find it here: It contains many interesting articles, Although this page is slightly out of date, I have included including one on the possible refurbishment and repairs it for interest, as it reports on 8 archaeological finds to Australia Hall in Malta. discovered during development projects in just one http://www.mccv.org.au/wp- month, March 2010. They included 18,000 year old content/uploads/2015/02/MCCV-Newsletter-129-Jan- deer bones in Paceville; 1,700 year old catacombs in Feb-2015.pdf Safi; old vine trenches, a Second World War shelter, My Uncle Herbert in Malta sent me this link to an and a very old rock-cut drain gallery typical of ancient interactive website hosted by the Maltese Armoury. It’s cities in Rabat; the lower courses of the Knights' Bakery well worth having a look around! in Strait Street, Valletta, the corner quoin, and original http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/the-palace- street paving, were uncovered at about 30cm armoury/ below current street level, (the bakery was built in 1584 and demolished in 1938 to make way for the Vincenti A 10 minute tour of the Palace armoury Part 1: Buildings, which was set back from the street); a 1,700 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed year old rock-cut tomb, an ancient quarry and vine ded&v=Xh6PO5_VTfM trenches were discovered near Zabbar. All these Heritage Malta will inaugurate a number of projects in findings in one month illustrate the incredible richness 2015, including the St Paul’s Catacombs Complex in and diversity of Maltese history Rabat, Malta. The ERDF project will provide a visitors http://www.mepa.org.mt/outlook2-article3 centre, with state of the art facilities and displays. Currently restricted to two catacombs, visitors will soon This section of the Malta Environment & Planning be able to access twenty. For more information, see: Authority (MEPA) website is the Heritage Planning Unit, http://heritagemalta.org/st-pauls-catacombs-project- which is responsible for all matters related to natural and update/ cultural immovable heritage, and gives information and advice: The Conservation Division of Heritage Malta has http://www.mepa.org.mt/heritage-home analysed and conserved various artefacts within the newly founded Military History Museum, at Fort St Elmo. Breaking News: Fire destroys Red rattlers Qualified and experienced conservator-restorers and An early morning fire on 5 March at Newport, near diagnostic scientists have worked in specialist teams to Melbourne, Australia, has destroyed a four-carriage preserve uniforms from the Victorian era to the Second train, dating back to 1886, the oldest and last remaining World War and prepare them for display; to carry out the restorable suburban carriages in Victoria, fondly known remedial and preventive conservation of books and as the “Red Rattlers”. Originally operated by steam, other paper based materials, and to restore a number of they were converted to run on the electric network and paintings and their frames. For more details of the ran on the St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines until the processes, read on: 1970s. A 35 year long restoration by volunteers was http://heritagemalta.org/heritage-maltas-conservation- just months away from completion. The carriages were division-battling-at-the-frontline-to-conserve-artefacts- scheduled to join other heritage trains on the for-the-new-military-history-museum/ metropolitan rail network. The fire started when a short circuit in electrical wiring under one of the carriages Maltese language classes commenced in Sydenham, ignited nearby combustible material. The fire also Werribee and Mill Park at the start of March. It may severely damaged historic workshops built in 1889, not be too late to register with the Maltese Language damaged other carriages and destroyed valuable tools Teachers Association of Victoria (MLTAV). and equipment. The neighbouring Australian Railway https://www.facebook.com/mltav Historical Society museum and workshops were not The MLTAV also runs a Maltese Mothers’ Group damaged in the fire. where you can learn Maltese rhymes and read short http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/west/rail- stories to your children in Maltese. enthusiasts-devastated-after-fire-destroys-historic- https://www.facebook.com/mltav/photos/a.60578221949 trains-at-newport-railyards/story-fngnvmj7- 4931.1073741829.602072756532544/81295771211071 1227249321837 3/?type=1&theater http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/west/historic- Malta Today, Coast Road Development Reveals New carriages-damaged-during-coal-fire-at-newport-rail- Archaeological Discoveries yards/story-fngnvmj7-1227247315229 A Roman tomb; vine trenches; the remains of a late I have only just stumbled across this website for the Roman structure; a fougasse; an ancient temple Archaeological Society of Malta. A cursory glance overlooking an ancient harbor, now silted up, are among shows that their journal is peer reviewed and the articles many archaeological finds revealed by the Coast road seems very thorough and interesting. Would one of our development. Very interesting reading! members like to explore it and write a review for the http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/50019/coa newsletter? st_road_development_reveals_new_archaeological_dis http://www.archsoc.org.mt/journal/journal.asp coveries#.VPQt4XyUeSo 150307_MHA_Newsletter_March_2015.docx Page 2 of 8 MHA Lecture February 2015 Elections in Malta 1947 - 2008 The triumph of democracy and constitutional progress Albert Farrugia PhD Prior to World War 2, the British had other issues, challenged for the awarded a number of constitutions to leadership of the MLP and won, but Malta. The self-governing constitution Boffa formed the Malta Workers Party of 1921 restricted the vote to literate (MWP). males who owned rental yielding In the 1950 election, the two Labour property. The main contenders were parties each gained 11 seats and the either pro-Italian or pro-British. The PN gained 12 seats out of 40. former won most elections and would However the PN formed a coalition go on to become the Nationalist Party with the MWP so they could govern.