Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1440009
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JANUARY 2022 4 CULTURE Exhibition in Valletta sheds light on the archaeology of medieval Gozo AN exhibition focusing on the archaeology of Medieval Gozo has just been launched at the Romegas Hall of the National Museum of Archaeology in Val- letta. It will run until February 2022. 'An Island in Transition – 700 to 1700AD: The Archaeology of Medieval Gozo' provides an overview of Gozo's medieval heritage as seen from an ar- chaeological perspective. It is the second event in the Medi- eval Malta exhibition series, an initiative of Heritage Malta and of the National Museum of Ar- chaeology aimed at promoting greater public appreciation of Malta's medieval heritage. The first exhibition was dedicated to the archaeology of Malta's Dark Ages (9th to 10th century AD). Speaking at the exhibition's inauguration, José Herrera, Minister for the National Her- itage, the Arts and Local Gov- ernment, said that although this exhibition focuses on Medieval times, the four case studies that are being present- ed – each dealing with a differ- ent aspect of medieval culture – are still very relevant today. These are Maritime Trade, Art, the Rural Landscape and Arti- sanal Production. In particu- lar, the exhibition focuses on a central question: Was medi- eval Gozo peripheral or was it a well-connected island? Kenneth Gambin, Heritage Malta's Chief Operations Of- ficer, spoke of how this exhi- bition is the result of a close collaboration between Herit- age Malta's National Museum of Archaeology and the Gozo Museum of Archaeology. The exhibition has also benefitted greatly from the additional collaboration of the Superin- tendence of Cultural Heritage and the Sannat Local Council. Along with the exhibition of Giorgio Preca's paintings at MUŻA, this exhibition enhanc- es the visitor experience at Val- letta's museums and sites, par- ticularly during the Christmas period. Heritage Malta plans to set up the exhibition in Gozo as well next year. Nathaniel Cutajar, Principal Curator at the National Muse- um of Archaeology, said that Gozo's medieval millennium is in many ways uncharted ter- ritory. No secure information exists on Gozo before the mid- 13th century. After that date historical information starts becoming sporadically more available, but only for limit- ed aspects of social life. Gozo irretrievably lost most of its medieval archives and artistic heritage following the dramat- ic invasion of 1551 – it was as if a millennium had been erased from the historical record. Ar- chaeology therefore plays an important role in filling out some of these historical gaps. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge. A booklet is available for sale.