Three Days of Digs, Tours and Events Across Malta: European Archaeology Days Returns This June

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is pleased to announce that European Archaeology Days are once again being organised for the 13, 14 and 15 June this year, with events for all ages and interests happening across Malta. Entities and associations across Malta will be lifting the curtain and highlighting the fascinating study of archaeology, and the interdisciplinary work that goes into the care and preservation of such material culture.

Interested in prehistory? Join Prof. Eleanour Scerrie from the Max Planck Institute, Prof Nicholas Vella, Dr Mario Mata-Gonzalez from the Department of Classics and Archaeology and Dr Ritienne Gauci from the Department of Geography at the University of Malta, and Chief Officer Kevin Borda from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, members from the research team behind the recent ground-breaking discovery at the Latnija site for a unique ‘on-site’ tour and discussion. Learn about the site’s significance, the latest excavation methods being employed, and how these findings are reshaping our understanding of Malta’s earliest inhabitants.

The event will take place on Saturday 14 June with limited spaces available. Each tour will be limited to 15 people, with tours at 16:00, 16:45 and 17:00. For booking, please visit https://forms.office.com/e/SZUJaJ3MhB for more details on how to secure your spot.

For underwater cultural heritage lovers, the Global Maritime in Archaeology Program within the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta and the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit at Heritage Malta are hosting an ‘open day’ at the coastal site of Salina, opposite the Salina Resort Hotel.

If you’re interested in this unique experience, please remember to bring your own snorkel gear. Additionally, visitors can take a virtual dive into the site through the “Dive into History” 360 experience and interact with artefacts being recovered. Join the team from 08:00 to 14:00 on Friday 13June to delve deeper into this fascinating history of our Islands and get to know better the challenges of maritime archaeology. The event is free of charge and no pre-booking is required.

European Archaeology Days are once again being organised for the 13, 14 and 15 June this year, with events for all ages and interests happening across Malta.

The Malta Classics Association, in collaboration with the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta, is hosting a public lecture by Becky Xerri on Friday 13 June from 19:00 to 20:30. This lecture will detail the speaker’s ongoing doctoral research in deepwater cultural heritage at the University of Malta. The concept of access to underwater archaeological sites that were previously ‘out of sight, out of mind’ will be discussed in light of the speaker’s research goal – that of establishing a framework of the creation, management and communication of deepwater cultural heritage.

This study focuses specifically on deepwater archaeological parks, as opposed to sites or preserves with a special feature on the recently inaugurated Xlendi Underwater Archaeological Park. The event is free of charge and will take place at Room 207 Archaeology Centre, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida Campus. For more information, please visit https://classicsmalta.org/

Heritage Malta is also participating in this year’s EAD, with a number of sites and events open to the public.  Two free guided tours will be offered (pre-booking required), with standard admission fees applying on Saturday 14 June at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. Each tour will be limited to 30 participants, with a tour in Maltese at 10:00 and a tour in English at 14:00.

Guided tours at Kordin II will be available at a fee of €5, which includes free same-day access to the Tarxien Prehistoric Sites on Sunday 15 June. Each tour will be limited to 25 participants, with tours at 09:00, 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00. Pre-booking will be required for Kordin tours only. Tarxien will remain open to the public throughout the day. For more information and bookings, please visit https://heritagemalta.mt/

Now in its fourth year running in Malta, the event is part of a continent-wide initiative spearheaded by the French Ministry of Culture and the Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) and is under the auspices of the Council of Europe. European Archaeology Days seeks to create innovative and interactive activities to introduce the public to the treasures of their national heritage and the secrets of the professions.