Public Service EXPO 2024

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is delighted to have participated in the 2024 Public Service EXPO, which took place in May at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali.

The EXPO is a yearly event which celebrates and showcases the diverse functions and specialisations within the public service. This year’s theme, “Skills,” provided an excellent platform to showcase our extensive range of expertise, including archaeology, osteology, conservation, and underwater archaeology. These skills were showcased by means of a permanent exhibition of artefacts that lasted throughout the duration of the EXPO, as well as the daily rotation of SCH experts who engaged in live demonstrations of pottery cleaning, research, and conservation, as well as cleaning of human remains. The items selected for the exhibition included pottery found within the same tomb in Rabat, which date to the Early Pubic period and ranged from oil lamps, to drinking vessels and urns. A selection of unprovenanced underwater artefacts were also on display to exhibit the detrimental impact of looting on underwater cultural heritage artefacts.

Officers of the Superintendence supported the permanent exhibition by transporting daily fresh artefacts that were undergoing some kind of current intervention, be it cleaning, conservation or documentation. These artefacts ranged from pottery discovered in a tomb in Safi, to Knights period smoking pipes, to human remains and underwater artefacts. Our team demonstrated the meticulous work involved in excavating and studying archaeological sites, the delicate process of conserving artefacts, and the fascinating insights gained from underwater explorations.

Furthermore, the EXPO allowed us to engage with the public and fellow professionals, highlighting the importance of these disciplines in understanding and preserving our shared history. We extend our gratitude to the organisers of the Public Service EXPO for providing this valuable opportunity.