Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1147486
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 JULY 2019 TV CINEMA CULTURE HERITAGE Malta, in con- junction with the Superin- tendence of Cultural Herit- age, Malta and Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, are pleased to announce the commencement of an inter- national interdisciplinary pro- ject to study the surviving hu- man skulls from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. This project will be funded by the Union Académique In- ternationale. In 1926, Temi Zammit's brief description of the few skulls found at Ħal Saflieni as being "of the long variety (dolichocephalic)" led to a net of conspiracy theories which are still resonant today. Some have interpreted his words to be referring to a cul- ture which deliberately mod- ificated and elongated skulls, similar to the bound Peruvian skulls. Others have gone so far as to claim that these skulls are be- ing hidden by the authorities in order to conceal Malta's ancestral origins. Some ex- tremists even insist that these skulls pertain to aliens. The Ħal Saflieni Hypoge- um is indisputably a place of global significance for under- standing the evolution of in- tellect, creativity, technology and culture at the key stage when human groups across the region were making the critical transition to agricul- tural subsistence strategies. Despite the lauding of Ħal Saflieni's innovations in tech- nology, art and architecture, an enormous component of the site's story remains shrouded in silence, mystery and mythology. The project entitled 'The Sentinels of Ħal Saflieni, Mal- ta: Science Facts versus Sci- ence Fiction' will be finally giving the deserved attention to these skulls and will set the record straight on their condi- tion and origins. The project will see the com- bination of traditional archae- ological, historical and archi- val research with cutting-edge scientific analyses to investi- gate all the aspects of the lived experiences of the people of Ħal Saflieni, including their health, disease, lifestyle, diet and ancestry profiles. The funding of €6,000 by the Union Académique Interna- tionale is part of the celebra- tion of the Union's Centenary this year, and was awarded to Associate Professor Ronika Power of Maquarie Univer- sity, Sydney who qualified as an Early Career Researcher in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Power will be working in close collaboration with cura- tors of the National Museum of Archaeology and the Pre- historic Sites Department of Heritage Malta, the osteolo- gist of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Malta, and colleagues from various inter- national institutions. The project will carry out the first-ever interdisciplinary analyses of the remains of the only surviving individuals (less than 20 out of a prospec- tive 7,000 people) excavated from the Ħal Saflieni Hypo- geum which is a multi-level subterranean Neolithic (c. 4,000–2,500 BC) burial ritual complex located in Paola. Hal Saflieni skulls to be studied under international research grant At last, the world will be introduced to the people of the prehistoric island of Malta, and through them, the culture that created this globally unique monument A 57-strong contingent from The Scout Association of Malta are at the 24th World Scout Jamboree in North America to "Unlock a New World". The Maltese Scouts will join over 45,000 young people from around the world for the adventure of a lifetime and a chance to experience one of the world's largest outdoor events for young people - the 24th World Scout Jamboree. This epic quadrennial event will welcome Scouts and Leaders from more than 150 countries to an action packed event that is predicted to be the largest World Scout Jamboree since the event was started by Lord Baden Powell in 1920. The Malta Contingent is made up of 41 Participants (14 to 17 year olds), 5 Unit Leaders, 8 International Service Team members and 4 Contingent Manage- ment Team members. The members of contingent hail from a number of dif- ferent local Scout groups around Malta and Gozo. The contingent is headed by Timmy Cutugno. The Jamboree runs until 2 August at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, USA and will engage young people aged 14 to 17 in a wide range of educational activities that promote peace, cross-cultural understanding, and leadership skills for life. The 24th World Scout Jamboree, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, is set to be one of the biggest and most exciting Jam- borees yet, supported by 9,000 volunteers from across the Scout Movement. The theme of "Unlock a New World" will inspire Scouts to become active citi- zens and create a more sustainable world by learning about global issues such as climate change and gender inequality. Through activities that range from zip- lining and hiking to public speaking and leadership workshops, young people will develop skills to help them thrive in a rapidly changing world. The Jamboree is nothing short of a fully operational city. The campsite stretches over 4,000 hectares of land and is consid- ered to be one of the most advanced and sustainable adventure bases for young people in the world. Maltese Scouts at largest World Scout Jamboree ever