The symposium “Tas-Silg. Its Past, Present and Future”, held last month, provided a challenging opportunity for discussion and cultural interaction between all the stakeholders involved at various degrees in the study, preservation and interpretation of the archaeological site of Tas-Silg.
The meeting, organised by Heritage Malta, consisted of two sessions. The first one was held in the Istituto Italiano di Cultura during the morning. Following the presentation by the Director Anna Maria Di Marco and the welcoming speeches delivered in the order by Heirtage Malta chairman Mario Tabone, Italian Ambassador Paolo Andrea Trabalza and Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, several lectures presented the most relevant results of fieldworks and studying of artefacts. Lectures were delivered by Professors Maria Pia Rossignani, Maria Giulia Amadasi, Aldo Cazzella, Giulia Semeraro (Italian Archaeological Mission) and Professor Anthony Bonanno (University of Malta).
As underlined during the works, the Missione Archeologica Italiana carried out extensive archaeological excavations on the site of Tas-Silg since the 1960s and identified the structures brought to the light as the famous temple of the Phoenician divinity Astarte, later on assimilated to the Roman divinity Juno. This temple is also mentioned by Cicerone in his works as one of great “holiness and antiquity”.
After eight years of excavation documented by the Italian Mission in eight preliminary reports, on site activities were suspended and Italian scholars focused their efforts in the interpretation and studying of the great deal of artifacts gathered at the time of the excavation. Those works were also published. In 1995 in–situ research resumed in the North area of the site.
The Italian Mission, funded by Italian Foreign Office and Education Ministry, currently employs a variety of research units from the Universities of Rome, Milan (Catholic) and Lecce. The new activities carried out are part of a long-term project directed to the study and assessment of the overall archeological records which rely on new investigations. Moreover, additional economic resources granted by the Italian Foreign Office have allowed first restoration and conservation activities in the fabric over three years (2000 – 2003) under the supervision and the advice of the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro di Roma. Starting from 1995 University of Malta has undertaken new archaeological research in the South area.
After the introduction and the presentations, all participants moved to Tas-Silg where, under the guide of the archaeologists, visited the North area. This allowed them to look at the new excavated structures belonging to the huge prehistoric fabric of the late Neolithic, which remained, as far as the portion at the top of the hill is concerned, unaltered for centuries (although they embodied at different stages the various structures of the Phoenician, Punic and roman sanctuary). In the course of the IV-V century AD the sanctuary was greatly altered by the building of a Christian Church and a baptisimal basin.
The second session was held in the Conservation Division of Bighi and several speeches and lectures were delivered both by the members of the Italian Archaeological Mission and by representatives of Maltese authorities. The topics concerned GIS applications for excavation’s data management (Professor Grazia Semeraro, Lecce University) and the creation of a national Archive for data management (Dr. Nathaniel Cutajar, Superintendence of Cultural Heritage); theoretical and methodological principles of the conservation activities carried out by the Italian Mission (Dr. Chiara Bergamaschi and Dr. Annamaria Rossi); prospective of Tas-Silg’s management process (Mrs. Michelle Buhagiar, Superintendence of Cultural Heritage); the role of Heritage Malta with respect to the preservation and promotion of the archaeological site (Mrs. Elena Zammit). A valuable lectured delivered by Dr. Nicholas Vella of Malta University suggested a unique interpretation of Tas-Silg in the context of the relationship between sanctity and the sea and the related rituality.
The Symposium has been a successful event and clearly suggests the existence of a renewed interest for the monument. It is unique within the Mediterranean area, such to be considered as Unesco World Heritage site. It needs urgently, however, a medium and long term conservation project. Moreover, the site is today crossed in two areas (north and south, respectively) by Zeitun-Delimara road. Each area is surrounded by walls which have been built in 1964 in order to protect the ancient fabric, but which do not cover the whole of the sanctuary. With this respect, the Symposium has proved to be the appropriate circumstance where to raise the issue of restoring the size and extension of the area of the sanctuary in its original dimensions starting, of course, by diverging the modern road.
Malta University has recently carried out investigations in the area South of the site. Results will be available in 2008. The Italian Mission intends to continue its field excavations and has recently planned a number of future publications. New fieldworks may be possible consistent with public accessibility of the monument in accordance to the terms and conditions agreed with the relevant Maltese authorities. As pointed out by the Italian Ambassador, the site could also enrich the tourist offer of Malta, by opening it to the public while preserving its integrity.