The academic career of Professor Mario Buhagiar is marked by pioneering publications and achievements. In the 1980s, after carrying out the most extensive survey yet of the late Roman and Byzantine burial places on the Maltese Islands, he delved into the history of early Christianity on the archipelago. At around the same time, he introduced Art History at the University of Malta, an initiative that has turned out to be one of the more recent successes of this institution. With his former students re-writing local art history with unprecedented detail, he turned to the study of the medieval art and architecture of the islands transforming the subject into a speciality of its own. The 498-page publication under review clearly shows that as Buhagiar focused on the history of art, he did not neglect his earlier interest in archaeology. Indeed, the book collates 19 essays written since 1983, no small feat for what is essentially the author's 'second area of specialisation'. Nine essays appear to have been reprinted unaltered. A further eight are republished with additions, amendments and adjustments. The changes are often given away by comparing the dates of the references to that of the publication to the original article. On other occasions, such as the reference made to the rediscovery of a manuscript by De Dominicis in a museum in Prague, these are more difficult to trace. The essay on the Jesuits' Hill archaeological site (essay 8) is expanded to take into account the discovery of the Church of St George made since the publication of the original article. By reference to contracts relevant to the site and with insights gained from his study of Maltese medieval churches, Buhagiar dates the Church to the 14th century challenging the previous dating suggested by other scholars.Two papers are published here for the first time. The essay on the fortified Bronze Age settlements does justice to a manuscript previously only available at Melitensia section at the library of the University of Malta. To the best of my knowledge, it is the only work to describe and measure the rock-cut foundations of Bronze Age huts at il-Wardija ta' San Ġorġ. The article remains a valid contribution despite the rapid developments for this period of Maltese prehistory characterised by debated chronologies and detailed pottery studies. The other work which appears for the first time is the one reviewing the texts and archaeology of Roman Malta (essay three). It is undoubtedly an excellent overview of the social, political and economic aspects of the period under study, with the author, as expected, delving at some length on the artistic and architectural aspects. Certainly of note is the reference by Buhagiar to the store houses and a nearby necropolis discovered at Marsa, which he interprets as evidence for a peninsular town and its accompanying burial ground. This assertion is timely as this area of archaeological importance may risk insensitive redevelopment in the coming months linked to the proposed dismantling of the Marsa Power station.With the exception of the first essay, the published studies may be grouped under two themes. The central essays (six-16) are taken by studies of the late Roman and Byzantine hypogea on the islands. The selected sites provide a fairly representative sample of what has been found, documenting both simple and complex burial sites discovered from around ancient Melite as well as from rural Malta. These descriptions are accompanied by a study of the burials' iconography and by studies focusing on Christian or Jewish cemeteries. The second group of essays discuss more general themes for the period under study. A summary is provided on the archaeology of Ras ir-Raheb and works done by the Missione Archeologica Italiana at San Pawl Milqi, Tas-Silġ and Ras il-Wardija. Two essays are reserved for a discussion of St Paul's shipwreck and early Christianity in Malta. A separate essay discusses the relevant archaeological evidence for Gozo.The book is printed to high standards and is an appropriate companion to the volume by the same author containing essays on the knights, art and architecture in Malta published by Midsea Books Limited in 2009. It is also generously illustrated with colour plates and figures, some appearing here for the first time.The occasional typographical error, such as reference to 'Hays' rather than 'Hayes' in the legend to plates 167 and 170, is understandable in a book of this length. Less excusable is the total lack of use of Maltese fonts for place names. Nonetheless the book remains an important reference work to have in one's library as it contains a collection of essays that have shaped our understanding of the Roman and Byzantine heritage of the Maltese islands over the past three decades.
Anton Bugeja