The Planning Authority said Monday it has issued an Emergency Conservation Order (ECO) for a site at Triq il-Ġdida fi Pjazza Sant' Anton, Xagħra, following a request by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH).
The Order has been submitted for publication in the Government Gazette and will provide immediate protection to the site while its archaeological significance is further assessed. The ECO has been issued in accordance with Article 58 of the Development Planning Act to safeguard the site while the relevant authorities continue evaluating its archaeological importance and the need for longer-term protection measures.
The site is being considered as "heritage at risk", with the Order ensuring that no development or intervention can compromise the archaeological remains discovered there. Archaeological investigations have uncovered human remains, prehistoric pottery and intact pottery vessels dating to the Żebbuġ Phase, between approximately 4100 and 3800 BC.
The findings indicate the presence of a prehistoric cemetery comprising at least eight tombs, making the site one of the most significant discoveries associated with this early period of Maltese prehistory. The Żebbuġ Phase represents the earliest stage of Malta's Temple Period and predates the construction of the Islands' megalithic temples, the PA said.
As evidence from this period is relatively rare, the site offers an important opportunity to expand knowledge of Malta's earliest prehistoric communities and their burial practices. The discovery of intact archaeological deposits further highlights the site's considerable scientific and research potential. According to the SCH, the site offers an exceptional opportunity to deepen understanding of the earliest communities of the Maltese Islands and their burial practices.
The findings are particularly significant as they appear to represent an early cemetery landscape dating from a formative period in Malta's prehistoric development, the PA said.
The site lies within an area of high archaeological sensitivity and forms part of a protected archaeological landscape. Under the ECO, the site will be afforded protection equivalent to that of a Class A scheduled property, prohibiting any excavation, development or intervention unless specifically authorised by the Planning Authority in consultation with the SCH.
The Order will remain in force for 12 months from its publication in the Government Gazette, during which time further studies will be undertaken to determine the most appropriate long-term protection measures for the site. The Planning Authority remains committed to safeguarding Malta's cultural heritage and ensuring that sites of archaeological significance are protected for future generations, the PA said.