Ras il-Wardija
Rock-hewn chamber at Ras il-Wardija
Ras il-Wardija is located in Malta
Ras il-Wardija
Shown within Malta
LocationSan Lawrenz, Gozo, Malta
Coordinates36°2′11.8″N 14°11′13.3″E / 36.036611°N 14.187028°E / 36.036611; 14.187028
TypeReligious complex, possibly a nymphaeum
History
MaterialLimestone
Founded3rd century BC
Abandoned4th century AD
PeriodsPunic and Roman
Site notes
Excavation dates1964–1967
ArchaeologistsMissione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta
ConditionDilapidated
OwnershipGeorge Spiteri
Public accessLimited

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.[1]

The site

Ras il-Wardija was probably first inhabited in the Bronze Age, in around 1500 BC. In around the 3rd century BC,[2] 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.[3]

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.[3] The site remained in use until around the 4th century AD.[2] A hermitage might have existed in the area during the medieval period.[4]

The main structural elements of the site are:

  • a rock-hewn rectangular chamber, with a number of niches in the walls
  • a T-shaped rock-hewn corridor leading to the chamber
  • a water reservoir and a bell-shaped well, both rock-hewn
  • the remains of an external masonry structure including an altar

The masonry structure has some similarities to the remains of the Punic-Roman sanctuary at Tas-Silġ in Marsaxlokk.[3]

Excavations and recent history

The area around Ras il-Wardija was used for defensive purposes during World War II.[3] The site was first excavated by the Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta (Archaeological Mission of Malta) between 1964 and 1967.[2] The temple was well preserved until the excavations, but it has since deteriorated.[5]

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.[3]

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.[5] It is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Zammit, V. (1997, February 9). Is-Santwarju ta' Ras il-Wardija Għawdex. Mument: Pizzikanna, p. 3.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. ↑ Bugeja, Lino (10 January 2016). "Gozo – a historical and scenic cornucopia". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
  5. 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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