18 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Rare 6th-Century BCE Wash Basin ‘Louterion’ Discovered in Malta

Archaeological investigations, initiated by a proposal to build a 130-meter-long boulder revetment along the shore of Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk to protect the habitat from sea erosion in the south-eastern region of Malta, have yielded 64 individual artifacts, including an important fragment of a louterion.

The term ‘louterion’ (coming from a word meaning ‘wash’) is a vessel used for holding water for bathing or washing, usually mounted on a pedestal, and used in both domestic and sacred or ritual settings.

Louteria are typical of the Greek Late Archaic period, which occurred in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. However, non-Greek indigenous cultures in the Central Mediterranean also modified louteria to suit their requirements.

The louterion fragment was recovered from the seabed in a trench about 45 cm deep.  The basin fragment, originally part of an object 70cm in diameter, features elaborate decorations, and the image of horse-drawn chariots can be discerned around its rim. Usually similar examples from Sicily date to the 6th and 5th centuries BCE.

Rarely discovered, louteria with images of horses pulling chariots have been discovered in Etruscan and Greek contexts, such as Athens, Corinth, and Greek colonies in Sicily and southern Italy. These basins are used in ritual settings and are frequently decorated with intricate scenes of chariots, which represent victory or divine favor. Louteria were commonly used in purification rituals, both in domestic settings and temples.

Photo: Large fragment of Louterian found 45cm below the seabed at Il-Ballut in Marsaxlokk, Malta

Given their apparent significance in a range of religious, domestic, and ceremonial contexts, these artifacts are important resources for learning about ancient societies.

At least 64 distinct objects have been inventoried thus far, despite the fact that the archaeological report is still in its preliminary stages and the artifacts are still being examined. The majority of the finds are ceramics, although metal, stone, and bones from marine and fauna have also been found.

The concentration of a significant amount of material in a small area indicates that the site is extremely archaeologically sensitive and must be protected and investigated further, according to the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage Malta (SCH).

The depth at which the artifacts were found suggests that they were thrown into the water at the location where they were discovered.

Additionally, two trenches were dug down to average depths of 50 and 125 cm, respectively, below the seafloor. According to the excavations, one of the trenches was built with meticulously stacked limestone rubble. The building predates the artifacts discovered beneath it, but more research is needed because it is currently difficult to date the building precisely.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage will continue to investigate the area, primarily underwater, in the coming months to address various research questions arising from this initial investigation

Cover Image: Underwater investigations at Il-Ballut in Marsaxlokk Malta

Related Articles

Human Presence in Malta Earlier Than Previously Thought: Hunter-Gatherers Navigated 100 km by Sea 1,000 Years Before Farmers

14 April 2025

14 April 2025

Recent archaeological findings have dramatically reshaped our understanding of human history in the Mediterranean, revealing that hunter-gatherers were capable of...

1,800-year-old wooden mask likely used in farm festivals found in Japan

25 April 2023

25 April 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed an almost perfectly preserved wooden mask from the early third century at the Nishi-Iwata ruins in Osaka...

Private lodges were uncovered in the colosseum of the ancient city of Pergamon

24 September 2021

24 September 2021

Private lodges built for the elite-class people to watch gladiator or wild animal fights shows have been unearthed in the...

Archaeologists identify a sunken Nabataean temple dedicated to the God Dusares at Pozzuoli

12 April 2023

12 April 2023

Off the coast of Pozzuoli on the Phlegrean Peninsula in Campania, Italy, underwater archaeologists have identified a sunken Nabataeans temple...

Symbol of Eternal Loyalty Found on Rare Medieval Sword in the Netherlands

14 June 2025

14 June 2025

A remarkable medieval sword, dating back nearly 1,000 years, has been discovered in the Dutch province of Utrecht bearing a...

Mystery of the ‘Deserted Castle’ Unraveled: Austria’s First Roman Bridgehead Fort Discovered

18 April 2025

18 April 2025

Researchers have identified the first confirmed Roman bridgehead fort in Austria, located near Stopfenreuth on the Lower Austrian Danube floodplains....

Rare Piece Of Metal Armor Found At 17th-Century Fort In Maryland

1 March 2024

1 March 2024

A piece of body armor was unearthed during excavations at a 17th-century colonial fort in Maryland, a Mid-Atlantic state of...

Citizen scientists discover more than 1,000 new burial mounds in a Dutch archaeological project

29 January 2023

29 January 2023

A Dutch archaeological project in which thousands of amateur sleuths combed specialized maps and high resolution photographs resulted in the...

A stone bathtub, which is considered to be the first example of ‘water birth’, was found in Ani Ruins

7 September 2022

7 September 2022

A stone tub was found in the large bath, whose birth was mentioned in a work by the Turkish scholar...

Remarkable Discovery: Roman-British Coins Hoard Unearthed Near Utrecht, Netherlands

29 January 2025

29 January 2025

In 2023, a unique collection of 404 silver and gold coins dating back to 46 A.D. has been discovered by...

4 Aztec child burials unearthed in Mexico and dated to the Early Colonial period may be indicators of Aztec resistance

6 July 2022

6 July 2022

During an archaeological rescue effort in Mexico City’s historic central district of La Lagunilla, the remains of an Aztec house...

The Largest Ancient Floor Mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region Uncovered -600 square meters-

12 November 2023

12 November 2023

The structure with the largest floor mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region was unearthed during the excavations carried out...

3,000-year-old weavings discovered in Alaska’s Alutiiq settlement

3 September 2023

3 September 2023

Archaeologists have uncovered fragments of woven grass artifacts estimated to be 3,000 years old during excavations at an ancestral sod...

1500-year-old Elite tombs were discovered vicinity of the ancient seaport of Berenice Troglodytica in Egypt

22 May 2022

22 May 2022

Polish archaeologists have discovered a tomb complex near the ancient port of Berenice Troglodytica in Egypt. Archaeologists from the University...

2-Meter-Long Stone Block Found at 12,000-Year-Old Boncuklu Tarla Site in Southeastern Türkiye

18 December 2024

18 December 2024

A remarkable 2-meter by 20-centimeter processed stone block was discovered during the archaeological excavations at Boncuklu Tarla (Beaded Field), which...