4 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

World’s first deepwater archaeological park inaugurated off Xlendi, Malta

The world’s first deepwater archaeological park has been inaugurated for divers off the coast of Xlendi in Gozo.

This unique park encompasses a rectangular area of significant archaeological value, covering a total of 67,000m². Archaeological Zone at Sea was designated in 2020 and offers researchers and technical divers from around the world the opportunity to explore Malta’s rich history beneath the sea.

The park’s depth ranges between 105m and 115m and the seabed consists of fine silt and sand punctuated by a series of rocky outcrops formed by extinct coral reefs.

Around these outcrops are concentrations of archaeological objects, mostly amphorae. It is highly likely that more archaeological remains are buried in the sediment, based on the continuous deposition of sediment from Xlendi Valley and the presence of partially buried objects.

Speaking during the park’s inauguration ceremony on the Xlendi waterfront, National Heritage Minister Owen Bonnici remarked that through the park, researchers and technical divers from all over the world can explore the history of Malta.

Photo: Malta Heritage Ministry

The minister said the park can also be accessed virtually. “By means of this virtual museum, more people can appreciate the unique sites of our seas,” Bonnici said.

This archaeological park at the bottom of the sea has also been mapped out on the website www.underwatermalta.org following extensive work by Heritage Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit, headed by Professor Timmy Gambin.

Gambin said the launch of this unique park elevates the submerged deposits off Xlendi and enhances Gozo’s cultural heritage as well as its tourism product.

The establishment of the deepwater archaeological park was the result of collaborative efforts involving various entities, including Heritage Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the University of Malta, and the Munxar Local Council. Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri underscored that the park adds to Gozo’s allure as a unique and distinctive travel destination, offering travelers an unparalleled experience.

Although the depths at which this park is found make it accessible only to a niche of technical divers, the virtual museum brings the discoveries closer to specialised audiences and the general public.

The park’s creation was made possible through the sponsorship of the Malta Airport Foundation and serves as a testament to preserving and sharing Malta’s rich underwater cultural heritage.

Cover Photo: Malta Heritage Ministry

Related Articles

As a result of an operation in western Turkey, 4 skulls belonging to the Jivaro tribe of South American origin were seized

14 December 2021

14 December 2021

In the operation held in the Aliağa district of İzmir, 400 historical artifacts belonging to various periods were seized, including...

A 2,100-Year-Old Marble Statue of Mother Goddess Cybele Discovered in Ordu’s Ancient Kurul Castle

7 March 2025

7 March 2025

A breathtaking statue of the Mother Goddess Cybele, dating back 2100 years, was found at the historic Kurul Castle in...

Bronze Age Wedge Tomb Discovered on the Dingle Peninsula maybe Even Older

22 April 2021

22 April 2021

A wedge tomb recently discovered on the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland was described by archaeologists as “quite unusual”. Wedge tombs...

1,400-year-old coins found in a piggy bank in ancient city of Hadrianopolis

3 January 2024

3 January 2024

Archaeologists unearthed a collection of 10 coins believed to date back nearly 1,400 years, retrieved from what appears to be...

1900 years old a rare mosaic was discovered in Durrës, Albania

6 November 2023

6 November 2023 1

In the port city of Durrës, on the Adriatic Sea in western Albania, a unique mosaic dating back 1900 years...

Multiple Burials found at Çatalhöyük

17 September 2021

17 September 2021

Multiple burials were unearthed during the ongoing excavations in the house on the eastern mound of the Neolithic settlement Çatalhöyük....

6,000-Year-Old “Kołobrzeg Venus”: A Remarkable Neolithic Discovery on the Baltic Coast

20 June 2025

20 June 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery has emerged from the sandy shores of Poland’s Baltic coast near Kołobrzeg—a 6,000-year-old female figurine now...

Environmentalists react to the rehabilitation works in the Assos ancient port

2 October 2021

2 October 2021

Among the continuing landscaping and restoration works at the historic city of Assos in the northern province of Canakkale, a...

A 2900-year-old collection of fossilized shark teeth found in the City of David, one of Jerusalem’s oldest Parts

5 July 2021

5 July 2021

Scientists discovered an inexplicable collection of fossilized shark teeth at a 2900-year-old archaeological site in Jerusalem’s City of David, one...

Archaeologists unearthed a pot of copper coins in first major discovery at Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan, in 93 years

18 November 2023

18 November 2023

A pot full of copper coins was discovered from a stupa (a dome-shaped building erected as a Buddhist shrine) at...

A Rare Ancient Saber Discovered in Kyrgyzstan

5 August 2023

5 August 2023

An ancient saber (heavy military sword with a long cutting edge and, often, a curved blade) was found by three...

A gilded silver Anglo-Saxon object “made by someone with a real eye for loveliness” has the experts baffled

2 January 2024

2 January 2024

An enigmatic Anglo-Saxon object has been unearthed in a captivating discovery near Langham, Norfolk, East of England. This gilded silver...

Assos Excavations Reveal 2,200-Year-Old Mosaic and Monumental Tomb

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Assos, situated in Behramkale village in Türkiye’s Çanakkale province in the northwestern part...

Oman discovers fort dating back to the 5th century in North Al Batinah

12 March 2022

12 March 2022

A fort dating back to the 5th century has been discovered at Oman’s Al Fulaij archaeological site in North Al...

Sculpted Ancient Warrior Wearing A Serpent Helmet Found At Chichén Itzá

14 November 2023

14 November 2023

In the Casa Colorada archaeological complex within the premises of Chichén Itzá in Mexico, a sculpture of an anthropomorphic face...