Heritage Malta is continuing its series of public lectures with a look at Fr Emmanuel Magri’s contribution to the archaeological field in Malta. The lecture, entitled ‘Unearthing Malta's past: Fr Emmanuel Magri's pioneering work in archaeology’ will be delivered by Josef Mario Briffa sj on Tuesday at Heritage Malta’s Head Office in Merchants Street Valletta at 6.30pm. The lecture will be conducted in English.

Better known for his collection and publication of Maltese folk tales and lore, Fr Emmanuel Magri was a pioneering archaeologist in the late 19th and early 20th century, member of the first Committee of Management of the Museum of Malta, and entrusted with the Committee's first major project: the excavation of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. The lecture will give an overview of Magri's work as an archaeologist, with a particular focus on aspects of Magri's method. On the basis of archival material, Magri's work on the Hypogeum will be considered, trying to understand and contextualize Magri's method and interpretation of the site.

Josef Mario Briffa SJ is a Jesuit student, currently reading Theology at Heythrop College, University of London. Before joining the Society of Jesus, he read for a B.A.(Hons.) in Archaeology at the University of Malta, graduating in 2000. He has read philosophy at the Jesuit Istituto Filosofico Aloisianum in Padova (Italy), and worked for two years at St Aloysius' College, Birkirkara. His main areas of interest in archaeology are the Biblical world, and the Maltese islands. He has been researching Fr Magri's work on archaeology for the past four years. Part of this research has been published in "New Light on Fr Magri's exploration of the Hypogeum: Notes from correspondence with the British Museum", Malta Archaeological Review, Issue 6, 41-46. Malta, 2005.

The lecture forms part of a number of activities, organised by the Maltese Jesuit Province in collaboration with Heritage Malta, to commemorate the centenary from the death of Fr Emmanuel Magri SJ (1851 – 1907). The events include an exhibition about Fr Magri to open at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa at the end of March. More information on these activities can be found on http://magri.jesuit.org.mt.

Admission to the lecture is free and the general public is invited to attend.