Ras il-Wardija

Ras il-Wardija

Rock-hewn chamber at Ras il-Wardija
Shown within Malta
Location San Lawrenz, Gozo, Malta
Coordinates 36°2′11.8″N 14°11′13.3″E / 36.036611°N 14.187028°E / 36.036611; 14.187028Coordinates: 36°2′11.8″N 14°11′13.3″E / 36.036611°N 14.187028°E / 36.036611; 14.187028
Type Religious complex, possibly a nymphaeum
History
Material Limestone
Founded 3rd century BC
Abandoned 4th century AD
Periods Punic and Roman
Site notes
Excavation dates 1964–1967
Archaeologists Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta
Condition Dilapidated
Ownership George Spiteri
Public access Limited

Ras il-Wardija is a promontory in the limits of San Lawrenz, on the southwest coast of Gozo, Malta. It contains the remains of a Punic-Roman sanctuary, which was excavated by Italian archaeologists in the 1960s. The area is privately owned and it is currently in a dilapidated state.

The site

Ras il-Wardija was probably first inhabited in the Bronze Age, in around 1500 BC. In around the 3rd century BC,[1] during the Punic period, a religious complex (probably a nymphaeum) was established in the area. Since the site is clearly visible from the sea, it might have also served as a beacon for ships travelling between the Maltese Islands and North Africa.[2]

The site remained in use throughout the Roman period. Carved crosses on the walls suggest that the site eventually became a Christian place of worship.[2] The site remained in use until around the 4th century AD.[1] A hermitage might have existed in the area during the medieval period.[3]

The main structural elements of the site are:

The masonry structure has some similarities to the remains of the Punic-Roman sanctuary at Tas-Silġ in Marsaxlokk.[2]

Excavations and recent history

The area around Ras il-Wardija was used for defensive purposes during World War II.[2] The site was first excavated by the Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta between 1964 and 1967.[1] The temple was well preserved until the excavations, but it has since deteriorated.[4]

On 30 March 1988, it was discovered that an ancient graffito carved on one of the walls of the sanctuary had been stolen. The graffito shows a human figure with outstretched arms, in the shape of a cross. It has been suggested that the figure represents the Punic goddess Tanit, but it might also be a medieval representation of a Christian cross. The graffito was recovered in June 2011, and it is now on display at the Gozo Museum of Archaeology in the Cittadella.[2]

The land on which the sanctuary is located is privately owned by George Spiteri, and permission may be required in order to access the site.[4] It is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Ras il-Wardija" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ras il-Wardija – the return of the lost graffito" (PDF). Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. 3 June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2016.
  3. ↑ Bugeja, Lino (10 January 2016). "Gozo – a historical and scenic cornucopia". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 Barry, Duncan (25 May 2015). "Sanctuary advertised on Visit Gozo site but owner of land where temple stands has 'reservations'". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015.

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