OAR@UM Collection:https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/302782024-03-28T17:58:27Z2024-03-28T17:58:27ZManoel Island : an island with a fort …and a futureSchembri, John A.Attard, Mariahttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/308262018-06-09T01:25:14Z2006-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Manoel Island : an island with a fort …and a future
Authors: Schembri, John A.; Attard, Maria
Abstract: Manoel Island is located within Marsamxett Harbour on the eastern seaboard of the largest island of the Maltese archipelago. It has a land area of 30.5 ha, about 0.3 km square, or about 0.09 per cent of the total area of the Maltese Islands. Although small in size it commands a strategic place within the harbours in that it occupies more than one half of the area of Marsamxett Harbour and its tip faces the eastern opening of the Harbour. Creeks also make up substantial parts of the local harbours and Manoel Island is flanked by Sliema and Lazzaretto Creeks. Access to the island is through a man-made bridge from Gzira. The island is very low as its highest point is only 27m above sea level when compared to the 253m of the highest point in Malta. The main buildings of historical importance on the island are Fort Manoel, in which a church dedicated to St Anthony of Padova and the Royal Malta Yacht Club are housed; Lazzaretto Hospital, which was a quarantine hospital; a cattle quarantine building; a customs house; and a cemetery chapel.2006-01-01T00:00:00ZTime to give artists their due – a matter of perceptionStorlund, Vivanhttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/308252018-06-09T01:25:07Z2006-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Time to give artists their due – a matter of perception
Authors: Storlund, Vivan
Abstract: My theme is somewhat odd in this conference concerned with Mediterranean maritime heritage. We do, however, have a few meeting points, such as the question of what our recollection of history would be without the work of artists. I hardly need to convince anybody in this audience that artistic work is work, and that it has a value, independently of whether it generates money or not. Imagine how much poorer our recollection of history would be, if we did not have the work of artists – taken in the widest sense – to convey to us past times and cultures. There is one further point that unites my research perception, and that is what I want to talk about.
In this gathering of historians, I will be concerned with a very contemporary matter: how we perceive our own time, and particularly how we perceive artistic work. Throughout time, most artists have had to struggle for their material survival while doing what they had to do – create. My concern is that there has not been much improvement in this regard, notwithstanding the human rights standards introduced during the past century, particularly economic, social and cultural rights. A more recent phenomenon that should induce us to consider the conditions under which artists work are governmental policies concerning art and culture. The cultural policies of Malta, the Netherlands and Finland will here serve as illustrations of the points I will reflect on.2006-01-01T00:00:00ZL’olivier dans le patrimoine de la MediterraneeLolivier Rahola, Gloriahttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/308242018-06-09T01:25:14Z2006-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: L’olivier dans le patrimoine de la Mediterranee
Authors: Lolivier Rahola, Gloria
Abstract: L’espace méditerranéen est délimité par l’olivier affirme Fernand Braudel.
« La Méditerranée court du premier olivier atteint quand on vient du Nord au premier Palmier qui surgit avec le désert. Oliviers et palmiers y montent une garde d’honneur».
Les athéniens sacralisèrent cet arbre de lumière lui octroyant de nombreux symboles : paix, victoire, immortalité. . . Les branches d’olivier couronnèrent les vainqueurs des batailles, des joutes sportives et littéraires. Son huile, utilisée pour les rites religieux depuis l’Egypte, est garante de santé et de bien-être. Un olivier symbolisant la paix , étend ses branches dans les jardins de l’UNESCO à la mémoire d’Isaac RABIN. Quatre cents ans avant J. C. Sophocle écrivait. . . . « Il est d’un plan dont je ne sache qu’un pareil ait surgi jamais, un plan indomptable qui renaît de lui-même, l’olivier au feuillage brillant, le nourricier de nos enfants». Jamais aucun arbre n’a inspiré de si belles phrases.2006-01-01T00:00:00ZShip graffiti in Malta 1500-1900Muscat, Josephhttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/306612018-06-01T01:25:27Z2006-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Ship graffiti in Malta 1500-1900
Authors: Muscat, Joseph
Abstract: The tradition of incising graffiti into stone or rock is immemorial and spans cultures. Graffiti found on the walls of holy places are intimately connected with the religious culture of ex-voto offerings. Many of these depict ships, and indeed it is a fascinating exercise to compare ship graffiti from various countries. It is as if the same hand incised the same graffiti everywhere, as if they were a common heritage among sailors. Of course, other motifs and images can be found in Maltese graffiti, but the focus here will be on representations of ships during the period in Maltese history stretching from 1500 to 1900. It may be supposed that ship graffiti were so popular in Malta because of its geographical position in the centre of the Mediterranean. Undoubtedly, the maritime traditions of the islanders and the proportion of the population employed in this sector was a contributing factor. Additionally, the soft globigerina stone extensively employed in Malta for the building of temples, churches, prisons, fortifications, public and private buildings is a medium that lends itself to the incision of graffiti, and further explains the high incidence of such graffiti in a relatively small space. Ships, especially in ancient times, were an integral part of human existence and their depiction in graffiti may be seen as an expression of deep personal affinities and callings. This helps to justify the granting of scholarly attention to a relatively neglected tradition. There is now greater appreciation of the necessity for the graffiti’s preservation, and during these last twenty years restoration work on public buildings, especially church facades and other walls, has uncovered numerous graffiti of ships.2006-01-01T00:00:00Z