The remains of an old chapel probably dating back to late medieval times has been found underneath the Madonna tal-Hniena church in Qrendi.

The remains were found during the first phase of an archaeological investigation by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage in conjunction with the Restoration Directorate.

The removal of the existing floor tiles and the underlying preparation layers led to the uncovering of walls defining an older structure, which had survived within the enclosed space of the new baroque church, the SCH said.

The preliminary information indicates that the new baroque church had in fact been built above an older and smaller chapel (pre-1500s/Late Medieval). This investigation also provided important data on the potential use of the area pre-dating the construction of the Late Medieval chapel, as suggested by archaeological deposits underlying its foundations.

In the coming months, the Superintendence will be embarking on the post-excavation phase of this investigation which will include the study of the evidence, which will aid in understanding the dating of the older chapel and the earlier use of the site before the chapel was built.