28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An intact Punic Tomb was Discovered in Malta

İntact a tomb dating to the Punic period was found in Tarxien. The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has announced the discovery of a complete skeleton and pottery remnants during the excavation of a Punic tomb in Gaxaq.

The rock-cut tomb was discovered during archaeological monitoring on a block of land slated for construction, near to other tombs unearthed in the 1990s along the Tal-Barrani Road, near the boundary of Għaxaq  and Żejtun. It consisted of a rock-cut shaft and chamber tomb and was found sealed with a sealing slab.

The undisturbed tomb showed a room with a full set of burial accouterments, including numerous pristine and entirely undamaged urns.

The urns on the sides of the chamber still had ashes from cremation procedures and were accompanied by an amphora and numerous tiny jars that were thought to have housed burial items.

The dating of the tomb to the Punic period means that the find is likely to date back to some 2,000 years ago.

urn's tomb

The SCH’s Heritage Data Management and Research Unit discovered a skeleton and ceramic containers within the tomb, which will be researched by osteologists to learn more about the deceased, such as whether they were male or female, how old they were when they died. Archaeologists will also examine the ceramics to determine the burial’s exact date.

The SCH said that the tomb has been documented and will be given protection in line with the 2019 Cultural Heritage Act. It will also be listed in the national inventory, adding further data in the understanding of the area’s archaeological landscape. 

“The Consultations Unit within the Superintendence will continue to be vigilant with development applications in this area, as will the Monitoring Unit when directing monitoring surveillance work in the surrounding region through freelance archaeologists who monitor development works,” the SCH said. 

In 1965, three Punic rock-cut tombs were uncovered in the Tal-Ħotba area on agricultural land while in 2009 a further 14 rock-cut tombs were discovered during initial construction works on a private hospital. 

In 1993, a late Roman burial site was also discovered along Tal-Barrani in Żejtun, with two multi-chamber catacombs discovered intact only 10 metres apart.

Photo: Superintendence of Cultural Heritage

Source

Related Articles

Extraordinary Discovery of a Unique Painted Tomb in Tarquinia’s Etruscan Necropolis

1 February 2025

1 February 2025

Exceptional discovery in the necropolis of Tarquinia, located near the western coast in central Italy, north of Rome (a UNESCO...

Traces of 9300-year-old settlement unearthed near Volcanic Cappadocia in central Turkey

28 August 2022

28 August 2022

During the most recent excavations at Sırçalıtepe Mound (Sırçalıtepe Höyük) in Türkiye’s central Niğde province, archaeologists discovered traces of a...

Mysterious Mongolian Arc in Eastern Mongolia Studied for the First Time

30 December 2023

30 December 2023

Researchers have studied the 405-km wall system in eastern Mongolia known as the Mongolian Arc to learn more about its...

A rare Saint George seal was found during excavations near Suzdal

27 June 2023

27 June 2023

The archaeological survey of the Suzdal Opole, initiated by the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences more...

Drone photos reveal Venice of the Fertile Crescent

16 October 2022

16 October 2022

A drone survey of Lagash, a site located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, revealed that the 4,900-year-old settlement was...

A 4000-year-old Fabric Found in a Cave of Skulls in the Judean Desert is the Oldest Dyed with Insect Dye

15 July 2024

15 July 2024

Researchers discovered an ancient textile dyed with kermes (Kermes vermilio) in Israel’s Cave of Skulls that dates back to the...

Mass graves of Crusaders killed in the 13th century have been discovered in Lebanon

17 September 2021

17 September 2021

From 1096 to 1291, waves of Europeans took up arms and marched into the Middle East. They hope to “take...

The 4,500-year-old Wisconsin canoe was built around the same time that Stonehenge was being constructed

31 May 2024

31 May 2024

Historians from Wisconsin have reported the amazing finding of at least eleven prehistoric canoes in Lake Mendota, which is close...

Ancient Roman Chalice Contained Pig Fat Discovered in a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon Tomb in England

11 December 2024

11 December 2024

During excavations in Scremby, Lincolnshire in 2018, archaeologists uncovered an enameled copper alloy chalice in a 6th-century AD female grave....

Two mysterious stone balls were found buried in a tomb dating to 3500 BC in Orkney

2 September 2021

2 September 2021

In Orkney, archaeologists discovered two carved stone balls in a tomb dating from 3500 BC. Archaeologists are on-site at Tresness,...

Construction Workers Discovered Ancient Sarcophagus in Turkey

2 March 2021

2 March 2021

On Monday, reports said that during excavations in the Seyitgazi region of Eskisehir Province in northwestern Turkey, municipal staff unexpectedly...

Drought accelerated Hittite Empire’s collapse

9 February 2023

9 February 2023

Researchers have offered new insight into the abrupt collapse of the  Hittite Empire in the Late Bronze Age, with an...

Rock Ship of Masuda, Japan’s mysterious monolith

17 April 2023

17 April 2023

Located in the Takaichi District of Nara Prefecture, Japan, the village of Asuka is famous for its mysterious stones. The...

World’s Only Ancient Wooden Twin-Hulled Boats Unearthed in Vietnam

20 May 2025

20 May 2025

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in Bac Ninh province, northern Vietnam, has brought to light two remarkably well-preserved ancient wooden boats,...

New Study Disproves Roman Massacre at Maiden Castle, Revealing Complex Iron Age Conflicts

30 May 2025

30 May 2025

Bournemouth University Archaeologists Challenge 90-Year-Old Roman Conquest Narrative at Maiden Castle with Fresh Forensic and Radiocarbon Analysis A landmark study...