Architectural, Archaeological, Historical & Cultural Heritage And
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MT-IT JV 18, St. John Street, Fgura FGR 1447 Malta T: +356 21803374 E: [email protected] Architectural, Archaeological, Historical & Cultural Heritage and related Material Assets Archaeological and Cultural impact studies related to the Malta-Italy Gas pipeline interconnection Technical study AIS REF. NO: ENV332801/A/18 CLIENT REF. NO: CT3109/2018 FOURTH VERSION Publication Date 31 January 2020 This tender is being part-financed by the European Union under the Connecting European Facility (CEF) programme for 2014-2020 Co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility of the European Union Archaeology & Cultural Heritage DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY Date Revision Comments Authors/Contributors 13/09/2019 1.0 First Draft Chris Dalton Prof Timmy Gambin AIS Environment 18/11/2019 2.0 Second Draft Chris Dalton Prof Timmy Gambin AIS Environment 21/01/2020 3.0 Third Draft Chris Dalton Prof Timmy Gambin AIS Environment 31/01/2020 4.0 Fourth Draft – approved for submission Chris Dalton Prof Timmy Gambin AIS Environment AMENDMENT RECORD Approval Level Name Signature Internal Check Sacha Dunlop Internal Approval Mario Schembri Page | i Archaeology & Cultural Heritage DISCLAIMER This report has been prepared by MT-IT- JV with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, and taking account of the manpower and resources devoted to it by agreement with the client. Information reported herein is based on the interpretation of data collected and has been accepted in good faith as being accurate and valid. This report is for the exclusive use of the Ministry of Energy & Water; no warranties or guarantees are expressed or should be inferred by any third parties. This report may not be relied upon by other parties without written consent from MT-IT JV. MT-IT JV disclaims any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the agreed scope of the work. Page | ii Archaeology & Cultural Heritage Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Scheme ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Scope of Document .................................................................................................... 9 2.0 Terms of Reference .............................................................................................. 10 3.0 Methodology........................................................................................................ 15 3.1 Area of Influence ...................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Offshore section ............................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Onshore section ............................................................................................... 15 3.2 Literature review ...................................................................................................... 18 3.3 Offshore section ....................................................................................................... 18 3.3.1 Side Scan Sonar ................................................................................................ 18 3.3.2 Interpretation of Side Scan Sonar Imagery ...................................................... 19 3.3.3 Surveying Methodology ................................................................................... 20 3.4 Study method: Onshore section .............................................................................. 22 3.4.1 Field-walkover survey ...................................................................................... 22 4.0 Legislation and Statutory Protection ..................................................................... 24 4.1 Development Planning Act 2016 ............................................................................. 24 4.2 Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands 1990............................................................ 24 4.3 Legislation relating to cultural heritage ................................................................... 24 4.4 International Conventions ....................................................................................... 25 4.5 Local policy ............................................................................................................... 25 5.0 Baseline Survey .................................................................................................... 27 5.1 Desktop study .......................................................................................................... 27 5.1.1 Prehistory ......................................................................................................... 27 5.1.2 Antiquity ........................................................................................................... 28 5.1.3 Middle Ages ..................................................................................................... 29 5.1.4 Early Modern.................................................................................................... 30 5.1.5 Modern ............................................................................................................ 31 5.1.6 Disturbance Factors ......................................................................................... 32 5.1.7 Discoveries ....................................................................................................... 33 5.2 Field survey: Offshore section ................................................................................. 33 5.3 Field survey: Onshore section .................................................................................. 38 5.3.1 Photographic Register ...................................................................................... 40 5.3.2 Salt Pans ........................................................................................................... 53 Page | iii Archaeology & Cultural Heritage 5.3.3 Dry-Stone Walls................................................................................................ 55 6.0 Impact Assessment ............................................................................................... 57 7.0 Monitoring and Mitigation Measures .................................................................... 59 7.1 Construction Phase .................................................................................................. 59 7.2 Operational Phase .................................................................................................... 59 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 60 Page | iv Archaeology & Cultural Heritage Table of Figures Figure 1: Project schematic ............................................................................................... 3 Figure 2: Site plan showing the 22” offshore pipeline route ............................................... 4 Figure 3: Site plan for the proposed Malta terminal and land reclamation area ................. 5 Figure 4: Land reclamation at Delimara............................................................................. 6 Figure 4: Sections for the proposed Malta terminal ........................................................... 7 Figure 5: Profile for the onshore tunnel and shore approach ............................................. 8 Figure 6: Offshore corridor for the gas to the Malta-Sicily median line ............................. 16 Figure 7: Onshore study area including entry and exit points ........................................... 17 Figure 8: Transverse view of a towed side-scan sonar fish system (Source: Lazar et al, 2013) 18 Figure 9: An example of a mound of rocks on the seabed (Source: Lazar, et al, 2013) ....... 19 Figure 10: Metals reflecting acoustic pings from a plane wreckage (Source: McGowen & Morris, 2013) ................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 11: Tall shipwreck with a large echo shadow (Source Subzone OÜ, 2012) .............. 20 Figure 12: Nearshore survey area ................................................................................... 21 Figure 13: Location of photographic survey features ....................................................... 23 Figure 14: Marsaxlokk Bay Local Plan policy map 1995 (Source; P.A Malta, Local plans) ... 26 Figure 15: Land bridge between Sicily and Malta (Source: Furlani, et al, 2013) ................. 28 Figure 16: Portolan depicts Malta and Sicily drawn on vellum (Source: Gambin, 2008) ..... 30 Figure 17: Aerial view of the Kalafrana base (Source: Malta War Diary, 2015) .................. 32 Figure 18: Targets of cultural heritage interest ................................................................ 35 Figure 19: SSS imagery of a wreck of an unknown age, T0003 .......................................... 35 Figure 20: SSS imagery of a potential dumping site, T0087 .............................................. 36 Figure 21: SSS imagery and ROV still of a World War II airplane, T0189. ........................... 36 Figure 22: SSS imagery of a World War II airplane, T0207. ............................................... 36 Page | v Archaeology & Cultural Heritage Figure 23: SSS imagery of a wreck of an unknown age, T0208. ........................................