https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/53829 2026-04-13T06:21:48Z 2026-04-13T06:21:48Z Conti Magro, Joseph Saliba, Paul C. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/54165 2020-04-19T05:16:32Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Epilogue Authors: Conti Magro, Joseph; Saliba, Paul C. Abstract: This project set out to realize specific aims and objectives as listed in Chapter I. The aims and objectives were accomplished. The findings resulting from this project in part reinforced established interpretations, in part denounced unorthodox ideas based on sensationalism. Moreover, it confronted reputable viewpoints. This was achieved by depending essentially on pragmatic scientific and multi disciplinary data gathering, which was followed upon by an interpretation process that was open to multiple hypothesis testing and interpretation without being forced to produce a one conclusive explanation to the subject matter. Nonetheless, in some cases, the data and circumstantial evidence provided a high degree of certainty to reach conclusions.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Sanz de Galdeano, Carlos Gonzalez Martin, Carlos https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/54162 2020-04-19T05:16:48Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Cart-ruts in Spain Authors: Sanz de Galdeano, Carlos; Gonzalez Martin, Carlos Abstract: The Padul sector is situated in the south-east of the Granada Basin in the transitional area to the depressed sector of the Alpujarran Corridor, to the east, and the Guadalfeo River which connects to the coast. This sector is formed by rocks of the Betic Internal Zone and others corresponding to the sedimentary infilling of the Betic Neogene basins. The Betic Internal Zone is formed by three superimposed tectonic complexes, which:' from bottom to top are the Nevado-Filabride, the Alpujarride, and the Malaguide. In the Padul area the Malaguide Complex is not conserved, while the Nevado-Filabride Complex forms the higher relief of the Sierra Nevada; which relief is bordered by limestone-dolomitic mountains belonging to the Alpujarride Complex. Therefore, the older rocks of the Padul area correspond to the Alpujarride Complex. In very limited areas there are schist and phyllites attributable to the Paleozoic and to the Triassic, but the more abundant rocks are limestone, dolomite, and limestone-dolomitic marbles, which are more than moo m thick. They date to the middle and late Triassic, that is to say, older than 200 million years ago. They form the high relief of the Silleta and Manar sierras, situated to the north of the Padul and Durcal towns, and they are also present in great measure in the relief of lesser importance situated to the south of Padul where are the cart-ruts. Over the Alpujarride rocks, in much more recent times (9 to 6 million years ago, during the Tortonian and Messinian, both of the late Miocene) were deposited conglomerates, sands and detritic limestones (calcarenites) with shallow marine rests. Over these deposits followed silts and marls, marine, and later lacustrine. From the late Miocene to the present, younger deposits were formed in a smaller area in what is defined as the graben of Padul-Durcal. These sediments correspond to conglomerates, silts, clays, and peat. This peat is nowadays extracted in several areas. In the south border of the Silleta and Manar sierras significant alluvial fans have formed. Their earlier age may date to the Pliocene, but mostly date to the Pleistocene age, and many of them have been active also during the Holocene (the last IO, ooo years) to the present.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Magro Conti, Joseph Saliba, Paul C. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/54160 2025-02-12T11:06:02Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Case sites in the Maltese Islands Authors: Magro Conti, Joseph; Saliba, Paul C. Abstract: The site at Misrah Ghar il-Kbir contains the densest and largest network of cart-ruts in the Maltese Islands (if not in the world). This site would have been only second in its area coverage to another site comprising the areas now known as T'Alla w Ommu and Tal-Wej at Naxxar and Mosta, the cart-rut networks of which originally connected the now two separate areas before these two sites were separated by modern development, roads, and open-cast quarries.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Magro Conti, Joseph Saliba, Paul C. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/54156 2020-04-19T05:16:44Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Vehicles and purposes Authors: Magro Conti, Joseph; Saliba, Paul C. Abstract: In the preceding chapter it has been argued that the cart-ruts provided a communication network for the transport of one or several commodities along short and long distances. It has also been claimed that individual pairs of cart-ruts date from the Bronze Age to the Roman Period and later. Tracks usually form through trampling by human, beast, or vehicle, or by deliberate clearance of the terrain or construction of a road surface. The paths along which tracks are formed are usually of two types: along the line of least resistance, such as following contours or describing transition curves to negotiate steep gradients; or along straight lines between two points irrespective of any obstacles, thus reducing the distance to the least possible, often cutting through hills and forests, and bridging valleys. Roman road engineering is typical of the latter. However, archaeological information on this aspect of Maltese archaeology is very poor so that its discussion would be based on speculation and less on tangible data. However, the cart-ruts in Malta present a type of feature that has led most to suggest that such a feature may have been used in transport activity.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z