https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/117805 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:40:30 GMT 2026-04-09T17:40:30Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142035 Title: The role of marine resources at Latnija (Malta) and the Mesolithic to Neolithic transition in the Central Mediterranean Abstract: Recent archaeological excavations at the Latnija cave site, led by the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (Germany) and the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta, have revealed a significant prehistoric sequence marked by the consumption of wild animals and marine resources in the earlier, Mesolithic phase and subsequently by agropastoral societies. This dissertation presents a comprehensive zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of the marine faunal remains, aiming to provide new insights into the lifeways and diets of Malta’s earliest inhabitants. The post-excavation processes of flotation and micro-sieving, uncovered minute and often overlooked marine remains. These techniques allowed for the reconstruction of a more detailed picture of this ancient subsistence economy by revealing evidence of fishing practices, species diversity, and the seasonal exploitation of marine resources. This study confirms that the marine faunal assemblage was the result of a cultural accumulation. The evidence indicates that the first Mesolithic colonisers of the Maltese islands were skilled anglers with a sound understanding of the local environment and ecology. Offshore fishing, possibly involving boats or canoes, cannot be ruled out. Evidence from other Central Mediterranean sites like Corsica, Sardinia, southern Italy, and Sicily, reveals a consistent exploitation of marine resources across the Mesolithic and Early Neolithic periods. At Latnija, marine species were exploited throughout all phases, with a similar marked intensification in fishing during the final Mesolithic, reflecting a cultural affinity towards the sea. Marine resources not only complemented the island's endemic wild fauna as part of a sustainable subsistence strategy, but also possibly served utilitarian, decorative, and functional purposes. The evidence supports the notion that the seascape of the Central Mediterranean functioned as a conduit for interaction and allows us to move beyond our understanding of the Maltese Neolithic and sheds light on the paleo-diets of the local pre-Temple Period. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/142035 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131252 Title: A sticky situation : a microscopic look into the resinous cargo of the Mellieħa Bay ‘mortar’ wreck Abstract: Understanding the lifeways of past cultures is one of the main goals of an archaeologist. Studies on organics from sites can be extremely important for acquiring information relating to human vegetation interaction, landscape usages, and movement patterns. This dissertation uses organic resinous material originally recovered in 1967 and then later in 2013/14, to investigate the Maltese ‘Mortar’ wreck and the role of Malta during the Roman world. This study employs Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and palynology to analysis archaeological resin found within a marine environment. FTIR spectroscopy provided the chemical compositional data of the resinous material, then subsequently chemically similar materials with the highest probable match were assessed against the specimens. Because the specimens that were used for analysis have physical characteristic differences, the FTIR data helped determine if they were produced from the same material. The palynological analysis offered information of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) that have been trapped inside the resin. It aided with understanding the past environmental areas that can be considered from the materials’ origin. These tests together also helped with providing potential usages of the resin and the possible purposes it was on board the vessel. It is theorized, using ground sensing radar in 2013, that a vessel at some capacity- or a section of it- is still under the mattes of Mellieħa Bay. Due to significant gaps between excavation sessions at the site, the FTIR and palynology studies revealed differences in the artifacts recovered from each session. These differences provided indications of whether the artifacts, despite being excavated nearly half a century apart, could be contextually linked or if they originated from entirely separate events. This study highlights the knowledge that can be obtained using organics recovered from archaeological sites such as these. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131252 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131240 Title: Waves of the mystique : a study on the perception of sirens and mermaids over time Abstract: This study explores the cross-cultural origins of tailed-women and their representations throughout the Age of Exploration, as well as the influences that contributed to the development and dissemination of the mermaid as a prominent maritime motif. The chronological framework of this work spans from the 15th to 18th C. Tracing the repercussions of the mermaid's depiction throughout time and space can shed light on the experiences and interpretations surrounding the thrill of increased maritime travel. This framework is then utilized to investigate the mermaid myth within maritime iconography, including paintings, statues, friezes, maps, figureheads, manuscripts, tattoos, and other artifacts linked or influenced by seafaring. Its manifestation can be used to form connections between geographical expansion and exposure to foreign phenomena. The methodology lays an analytical baseline to approach the literary and iconographic analysis from a multidisciplinary perspective. Finally, this thesis argues that iconographic analysis can be utilized to approach the evolution of mermaid superstition and its impact on the perception of women in a maritime context. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131240 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131236 Title: Microfaunal proxies for the late Pleistocene climate and environment in Għar il-Fkieren (FIMBank site, Malta) Abstract: This research investigates Għar il-Fkieren, a solution pipe fissure abundant with faunal remains dating to the Late Pleistocene (c. 63 – 53 ka). This study quantifies and analyses the microfauna (such as shrews, rodents and herpetofauna) using taxonomic, taphonomic, and morphometric techniques. This represents the novel use of microfauna as environmental proxies for the Maltese Late Pleistocene, providing a crucial contemporary comparison to the Għar Dalam records. The findings reveal a previously unrecorded colubrid species within local Quaternary features, as well as fossil Podarcis cf. filfolensis. The results also reveal significant evidence that the Maltese Islands constituted a relatively stable environment during the transition between Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 4-3, characterised by forested and shrubland habitats with freshwater sources and occasional flooding events. The unique climatic and ecological conditions of the Maltese Islands emphasise the importance of detailed, site-specific paleoenvironmental studies in island contexts, which is vital for understanding broader patterns of climate change, species survival, and ecosystem stability during periods of global climatic instability. This research advances the field of palaeoecology in Malta and the Mediterranean and has the potential to impact broader discussions on climate change, species adaptation to insular environments and conservation strategies. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131236 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z