“Tas-Silg represents thousands of years of human history. It is a living museum of different eras going back to the second half of the third millennium before Christ to the Phoenicians, the Carthagenians, the Romans and Christianity.”
Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech traced the history of Tas-Silg when he delivered the opening address during a seminar entitled Tas-Silg: Its Past, Present and Future organised by Heritage Malta at the Italian Cultural Institute.
The minister said that it was very fitting that this seminar was being held at the Italian Cultural Institute. He pointed out that these excavations began following a mission in 1962 by Michelangelo Cagiano de Azevedo, Professor of Classical Archaelogical Studies at the Catholic University of Milan. From Azevedo’s report, it transpired that not only was Malta a unique place for megalithic complexes but also that it had great potential relative to the historic age.
Dr Zammit Dimech said that, as a result of this report, in 1963 the Italian archaelogical mission carried out the first excavation at Tas-Silg, San Pawl Milqi and Ras il-Wardija in Gozo. For the past 43 years, he said, Italian archaeological missions headed by distinguished scientific researchers have delved deep into our history and discovered unique archeological remains that have shed a light not only on our past but also on that of the Mediterranean basin.
Nowadays, Tas-Silg is an archeological workshop, said Dr Zammit Dimech. It is situated in the southern part of Malta overlooking the magnificent harbour of Marsaxlokk which, since time immemorial, has been one of the country’s main harbours. During the second half of the third millennium before Christ, a large megalithic temple was built on the hill overlooking the bay which contained, among other things, the carved female figure representing a priestess that was discovered in 1964.
This temple, said Dr Zammit Dimech, had survived several centuries of history, including the The Phoenician and Cathagenian eras. He said that it was surrounded by courtyards and porticos reminiscent of the architectural styles prevalent in the fourth and third centuries before Christ. Other additions had been made during the Roman period, when the megalithic temple remained the centre of attraction as well as a sacred place.
It was the conversion of the Maltese Islands to Christianity, Dr Zammit Dimech pointed out, that had led to the neglect of this temple and later to the erection of the monastery inside its ruins.
He said that a baptistry – a well-preserved baptismal trough surrounded by the remains of an intricate marble pavement – had been discovered in 1966 in the megalithic building.
This vast megalithic complex is of unique importance, said the minister, as it traces the roots of mankind in the southern part of our islands. It is testimony of life on our islands way back over 4,000 years. It is testimony to our ancestors’ beliefs, their way of life, and to Malta’s first vocation as a trans-shipment centre in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea which, in those times, was thought to be the centre of the world.
Dr Zammit Dimech said that following the various missions by Italian archaeologists, and the various studies by Maltese archaeologists, he felt that it was now time to open the doors of this megalithic site to the world, adding “but not before taking all the precautions necessary to preserve what has been excavated.”
He pointed out that Malta depended on tourism for a quarter of its livelihood, and cultural tourism was one of our major tourism segments. Malta offered unique megalithic remains that are world heritage sites, he said.
Tas-Silg groups together archaeological remains from different eras and these should help the Maltese people to become better acquainted with their history and heritage and give the tourists who visit us a better understanding of the roots of mankind through the ages.