Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462882
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 5 HERITAGE Tas-Silġ's fascinating history outlined in six guided tours in April THE fascinating history of the archaeological complex of Tas- Silġ – the site with the longest known use on the Maltese Is- lands – will be outlined dur- ing a morning of guided tours on Sunday 10th April. Tas-Silġ is not usually accessible to the public. Spanning more than 4000 years, the remains at Tas-Silġ will take participants on a jour- ney covering most of the phas- es of Maltese archaeology. The site is mostly renowned for the Phoenician-Punic sanctuary in honour of the goddess As- tarte, which was turned into the famed sanctuary of Hera-Juno in the Roman period. But what was there before and after this sanctuary was constructed? Excavations at Tas-Silġ in the 1960s by the Italian Archaeo- logical Mission and the Muse- ums Department brought to light the traces of a Late Neo- lithic megalithic temple which was preserved and re-utilised through time, becoming the very heart of the Phoeni- cian-Punic, and later Roman, sanctuary. In the last three dec- ades, Heritage Malta, the Uni- versity of Malta's Department of Classics and Archaeology, the Superintendence of Cultur- al Heritage and the Italian Ar- chaeological Mission have used modern excavation methods and techniques to unravel more of the site's intriguing history. The latest excavations in 2020 and 2021 revealed further evi- dence for the use of the site in prehistory. Tas-Silġ was also used after the Roman period, when the courtyard of the Ro- man sanctuary was roofed over and turned into a Christian ba- silica, complete with a baptis- mal font – the first evidence of a church built on the Maltese Islands. This was the last mo- ment in history when the site was used for religious purpos- es. Eventually the church was abandoned, many structures were demolished, and the land started being used for agricul- ture. The six guided tours on the 10th of April will be held every half an hour between 9.00am and noon. There will be two tours in Maltese (at 9.00am and 10.30am), two tours in Eng- lish (at 9.30am and 11.00am) and two in Italian (at 10.00am and 11.30am), through a joint effort by archaeologists from Heritage Malta, the Universi- ty of Malta and the Italian Ar- chaeological Mission. Tickets will only be availa- ble at the door on a first come first served basis and entry will be strictly by tour. Each tour is limited to a total of 20 people. Ticket prices are as follows: Adults, seniors and students – €5; Heritage Malta members and children under 12 – free of charge. All proceeds will go to- wards Heritage Malta's conser- vation project at Tas-Silġ. This event is being held with the support of the Ital- ian Cultural Institute, the Ital- ian Embassy in Malta and the Department of Classics and Archaeology of the University of Malta. Tas-Silġ is a bee-keeping site. Attendees should refrain from wearing perfume, scented oils and shower products and exces- sive sunblock. Attendees are al- so requested to keep away from the bee-keeping area and not to swat bees.