Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540950
7 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 31 OCTOBER 2025 CULTURE IN an illustrated public talk tak- ing place at Il-Ħaġar Museum on Saturday 8th November at 11:00, renowned Gozitan pho- tographer Daniel Cilia reflects on the life and work of Dr David H. Trump (1931-2016), a Brit- ish archaeologist who devoted more than six decades to the study of Maltese and Gozitan prehistory. From his first visit in 1954 at Ġgantija, through his cura- torship at the National Muse- um of Malta (1958-63), and his excavations at Skorba and the Xagħra Circle, Trump shaped the understanding of Malta and Gozo's ancient past. Regular- ly returning to the islands to lecture, publish, and guide stu- dents, his legacy endures, hon- oured nationally with the Order of Merit in 2004. Drawing on his own collab- oration and friendship with Trump, Gozitan photographer Daniel Cilia will offer a personal perspective on the archaeolo- gist's enduring bond with Gozo. From shared fieldwork doc- umenting cart-ruts and tem- ple sites to lively debates over publications, Cilia will recall a mentor whose enthusiasm for pottery, temples and prehistory was matched only by his gener- osity and openness to new ide- as. For Trump, Gozo's past was never a closed chapter but a liv- ing puzzle, one he pursued with rigour, humour and dedication until his final years. This talk is both a tribute and a celebration of a scholar who made Gozo's heritage profoundly his own. Born in Victoria, Gozo, Daniel Cilia LRPS began photography at 13 and held his first major ex- hibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, in 1986, the year he became a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society. Af- ter leaving nursing, he moved to Florence in 1988, later lecturing in Oslo and heading the Photo- graphic Department at Lorenzo de Medici (1990–1995). He has since produced over 160 books, winning multiple National Book Council awards, and par- ticipated in 50+ exhibitions. His honours include Ġieħ Għawdex (2010) and Officer of the Order pro Merito Melitensi (2024). Admission is free, but seat reservations are advised by sending an email to. 61 years of archaeology in Gozo public talk Gozitan photographer Daniel Cilia will give an illustrated talk at Il-Ħaġar Museum on Saturday, 8 November, reflecting on the life and legacy of David H Trump, the British archaeologist who dedicated six decades to uncovering Gozo's prehistoric past