Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1484591
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 NOVEMBER 2022 6 HERITAGE MIA Foundation supports Heritage Malta in declaring the world's first deep water archaeological park THE Malta Airport Founda- tion is pleased to announce that it is supporting Heritage Malta's pioneering work to de- clare an underwater site the world 's first deep-water ar- chaeological park. First discovered in 1993 just off Xlendi Bay in Gozo, the site lies at 105 metres below sea level and is composed of an expanse of Punic archaeo- logical material spread across 67,000 m2. The Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit within Heritage Malta is researching what could have led to the for- mation of this unique site, as it gradually documents the area and the artefacts found here through innovative methods which have not been used else- where. While deep-water wrecks are not uncommon attractions, the site's unparalleled value stems from the combination of thousands of ancient arte- facts, such as amphorae and urns, dating back around 2,300 years and natural heritage in the form of rocky outcrops formed by extinct coral reefs. "It is an honour for the Mal- ta Airport Foundation to con- tribute to such an important undertaking, which will doubt- lessly raise the visibility of the Maltese Islands among tech- nical divers and international researchers. The Foundation also hopes to support Heritage Malta in bringing this project closer to people who are nei- ther divers nor researchers but are keen to learn more about the Maltese Islands' history through our underwater cul- tural heritage," said the Malta Airport Foundation Chairman Josef Formosa Gauci. Heritage Malta's Chief Ex- ecutive Officer, Noel Zammit, remarked that the exciting initiative of a deep-water ar- chaeological park attests yet again the sound position of the national agency for cultural heritage at the forefront of its sector. He reiterated Heritage Malta's commitment towards the continued support of this venture and similar ones that may ensue in future, as through such endeavours our national heritage is enriched and made accessible – both physically and virtually – for study and enjoyment. The underwater site is cur- rently being mapped and doc- umented by Heritage Malta's Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit, with the support of the University of Malta and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. The artefacts found at this site are being preserved under water, in line with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cul- tural Heritage to which Malta is a signatory. While there are no plans to raise these objects from the seabed, the location of the artefacts, their type and condition are being entered in a geodatabase, which will have different levels of access. The Xlendi deep-water ma- rine park will also be made ac- cessible to the public through 360-degree videos, images and 3D models uploaded on the Underwater Malta website, which is a virtual museum of the islands' underwater ar- chaeological sites. Moreover, the Xlendi coastal watch tow- er, close to which the Xlendi marine park is located, will house a permanent exhibition, which is set to open its doors to the public in 2023.