https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/107376 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:33:58 GMT 2026-04-28T18:33:58Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/126864 Title: An assessment of the dgħajsa tal-Latini as a traditional working seacraft in the Maltese islands : its construction, role and identity in an evolving maritime landscape Abstract: The Dgħajsa tal-Latini is a traditional working seacraft, prominent in the Maltese maritime cultural landscape. The Dgħajsa tal-Latini was recorded within its different historical, geographical and cultural contexts. The remaining material evidence of the seacraft typology was documented in two boat reports and interpreted. Archival photographs, archival documents, written sources and the material evidence were studied in order to identify the heritage values pertaining to the Dgħajsa tal-Latini. The Dgħajsa tal-Latini’s status as a heritage asset was ascertained by consulting the Maltese legislative framework concerning Underwater Cultural Heritage. An assessment of the Dgħajsa tal-Latini’s heritage values were assessed together with the factors present that impact the seacraft’s heritage management. Using case studies and by consulting parallel projects carried out abroad, heritage management options concerning the Dgħajsa tal-Latini were proposed, taking into consideration the respective heritage values. The Dgħajsa tal-Latini has a number of qualities that are pertinent to Malta’s cultural heritage; historical, physical, representative, geographical and archaeological. The Dgħajsa tal-Latini has a long history of operation. Its construction and operation are a reflection of its contextual foreign and local cultural influence. The role it played during a major historical event (the Second World War) increases its historical value. The Maltese traditional methods of hull construction evidenced in the Dgħajsa tal-Latini’s material remains exhibit important information pertaining to local craftsmanship. The rigging of a Dgħajsa tal-Latini bears evidence pertaining to local seamanship and sailing prowess, having been constructed and crewed by the Maltese and Gozitans. Both the construction and rigging of the Dgħajsa tal-Latini are a reflection of the historical, geographical and climatological contexts it belongs to. One of the ways to protect, preserve and make available the Dgħajsa tal-Latini is by embarking on heritage management plans. Any heritage management plans put forward need to authentically reflect the identity of the seacraft. A proposal of viable heritage management options tailored to the Dgħajsa tal-Latini is provided in this dissertation, based on the seacraft’s heritage values. Description: M.A. (Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/126864 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113313 Title: Of home and hearth : an analysis of the depiction and worship of Hestia Abstract: This dissertation thoroughly examines the multifaceted aspects of Hestia, the revered Greek virgin Goddess of the hearth, family, domesticity, and on a smaller scale, the city-state, and political affairs. It challenges the negative opinions surrounding Hestia that have unjustly diminished her importance in ancient Greece and brings attention to this elusive Goddess. By analysing Hestia's character in narratives and mythology, her divine attributes as documented by ancient historians, and the rituals, hymns, and inscriptions dedicated to her, a detailed understanding of her persona is presented. The argument is strongly supported by references from various sources, including the works of Hesiod, Aristophanes, Plato, and the Orphic and Homeric Hymns, among others. Ultimately, this analysis emphasises the significant role that Hestia played in Greek society and culture, solidifying her rightful place among the pantheon of revered Greek deities. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113313 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113312 Title: Exploring and examining the works of Joseph Demarco Abstract: Joseph Demarco was an 18th-century Maltese physician and intellectual. The National Library of Malta holds 21 volumes of mostly Latin manuscripts of which he was the author. While the available literature explores this facet of his work, the contents of the manuscripts may still be observed in further depth. This project gathers information about Demarco himself and about medicine in 18th-century Malta, and comparatively reviews the literature focused on him. Following this, an in-depth catalogue of all the manuscripts, including both a description of their contents and of their physical condition, is built. The data from the catalogue is interpreted - partly graphically - to reveal important points in Demarco’s career, and themes pertaining to his work, such as their links with his publications, are discussed. Finally, three notable findings are discussed in detail, namely that his publication, Tractatus Mechanicus de Non-Naturalibus (1748) (i), is a translation from English, that he translated another work: Tractatus de Multiplicis Ven[a]e Sectionis (ii), from French, and that a member of the Order of St. John, Don Josepho de Duenas, is revealed as his patron through Epistola Dedicatoria (iii). Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113312 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113311 Title: Excavations at the Madonna tal-Ħniena Church, Qrendi (Malta) : a preliminary assessment of the cultural evidence Abstract: The scope of this study is to provide a preliminary analysis of the cultural data retrieved by the archaeological excavation undertaken within the precincts of the Madonna tal-Ħniena Church in Qrendi during AD 2021. The study aims to analyse the data collected during the excavation and provide an interpretation of the site’s stratigraphy and the structural remains uncovered. The site itself presents five different phases of activity. Three of these are associated with the remains of an apsidal structure theorised to be a late medieval church, which theory this study aims to verify. These structural remains were analysed to verify if they display any of the indicators of religious activity in the archaeological context developed by Colin Renfrew. The results proved negative, but this is likely due to the limited and fragmentary nature of the structural remains. A comparison of the structural remains with the typology of Maltese late medieval built churches, based on Mario Buhagiar’s research on the subject, was also carried out and confirms that the structure perfectly fits this typology. The available data indicates a pre-AD 1575 date for this late medieval church. The demolition of this church is highly likely to have been intentional and carried out to make way for the construction of the Madonna tal-Ħniena Church, with the data indicating that the demolition occurred between AD 1646 and AD 1650. The latter two phases of the site are associated with the Madonna tal-Ħniena Church. As indicated by the archaeology, this study suggests that the current Madonna tal-Ħniena Church was originally built as a smaller structure, with the chancel area and its dome being a later addition. The exact date of this modification is unclear, but it is being suggested to have occurred between AD 1709 and AD 1774. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113311 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z