https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6022 Fri, 30 Oct 2026 15:00:04 GMT 2026-10-30T15:00:04Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150067 Title: Underwater cultural heritage in Kuwait : out of sight, out of mind? Abstract: In 2001, the world’s oldest known sea vessel remains, dated between 5500 and 5000 BCE, were discovered at a terrestrial archaeological site north of Kuwait Bay. Related ceramic finds included a miniature boat model and a circular disc decorated with a sailing vessel. Despite evidence of nautical technology dating back to the Arabian Neolithic, the extent of underwater cultural heritage within the State of Kuwait’s territorial waters remains unclear. The first archaeological mission dedicated to investigating underwater cultural heritage (UCH) in Kuwait took place between 2013 and 2019, during which members of the Kuwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission (KPAM) surveyed and documented various stone structures along the coastline of Failaka Island. Although the mission marked a crucial step in evaluating archaeological features embedded in the maritime landscape, a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) noted, ‘The investigation did not extend underwater; it was limited to the foreshore and intertidal zone.’ (Khalil 2021, p. 14). Kuwait ratified the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2017. However, there are no maritime or underwater archaeologists working in academia, heritage, tourism, science, or industry, hindering the effective protection and management of UCH. Meanwhile, news articles about UCH are rare, suggesting the public is poorly informed. This multimedia dissertation—drawing on action-based research and utilising audio visual elements—delves into Kuwait's nascent maritime archaeology sector to understand why it is underdeveloped. It examines the UCH research landscape with a particular focus on Failaka Island, engages with experts in archaeology and complementary fields, and surveys scuba divers and heritage practitioners. A marine archaeology forum in Kuwait co-organised by the author demonstrates that interest in the topic can be fostered among different groups and that stakeholders in Kuwait’s latent UCH value chain can be unified. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150067 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149526 Title: Sea to stone : tracing human-maritime dynamics in Neolithic Malta Abstract: The Neolithic megalithic temples of Malta represent some of the earliest monumental architecture in the world, and while their relationship to the surrounding sea has often been acknowledged, it has rarely been examined in detail. This study investigates the connection between Holocene sea-level change, coastal accessibility, and temple placement through an interdisciplinary approach integrating a Malta-specific relative sea-level reconstruction, palaeoshoreline modelling, GIS-based spatial analysis, archaeological evidence, and (palaeo) environmental data. During the later Temple Period, results indicate a shift toward increased use of coastal settings, with site placement expanding to sheltered bays, maritime visibility, and accessible approach routes from Sicily. These patterns suggest intentional maritime engagement and an understanding of local marine conditions rather than purely opportunistic movement. The transition toward coastal construction is interpreted as the result of interacting factors, including mid-Holocene sea-level stabilisation, changing environmental pressures, soil/sediment redistribution, freshwater availability, and evolving connectivity networks. The findings demonstrate that temple placement in Neolithic Malta reflects long-term environmental processes alongside increasing engagement with the surrounding seascape. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149526 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148636 Title: Maritime memorialization : death at sea and the influence on coastal cults Abstract: During the Age of Sail (15th-20th century) seafarers faced the dangerous maritime environment. As a result of deaths at sea, communities adopted unique practices through ritualized and modified memorialization. Maritime memorial monuments were erected terrestrially to commemorate seafarers, both in the presence of physical remains and in absence. Coastal communities incorporated these monuments into their cultural framework and memorialization spaces acted as focal points for the onset of folklore, ritualistic practices, and cult formations. These beliefs often arose due to the dangers and challenges that faced seafarers, therefore affecting coastal communities. The introduction of the term ‘trigger events’ within the field of maritime archaeology examined how memorable moments of disaster or occurrences influence the collective memory of coastal communities. This research delves into the complex relationship between maritime related deaths, memorialization, and the subsequent emergence of cultic practices in coastal communities. It explores how maritime deaths influence cultural and ritualistic practices through the role monuments play in commemorating sailors. Anchored in the 19th-century case study of Thomas McSweeney, with a focus on the coastal community of the Three Cities of Malta: Birgu (Vittoriosa), Isla (Senglea), and Bormla (Cospicua). This research demonstrates how the burial of sailors in foreign lands catalyzes the formation of local traditions and cult practices. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148636 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148119 Title: Experimental study of the charcoal taphonomy of Pistacia lentiscus (Mastic tree) Abstract: Wood charcoal is one of the most abundant botanicals which are uncovered during excavations globally. Their potential research value is wide, with a number of ways they can be studied. One such avenue of study is charcoal taphonomy, which seeks to understand how different phases of the chaîne opératoire of fuel and fire management alter the charcoal in ways which can be used to interpret back those steps. At the site of Latnija in Malta, the charcoal record is dominated by the Mediterranean shrub, Pistacia lentiscus, with profuse signs of taphonomic markers related to combustion and postdepositional processes. This thesis seeks to reconstruct the firing conditions which produce these markers, through the experimental burning of Pistacia lentiscus under conditions typical of Mesolithic hearths. This includes controlling for calibre, wood state, position in wood anatomy, firing temperature, firing atmosphere, cooling method, and number of firings. In total 300 controlled laboratory samples, 217 uncontrolled outdoor fired samples, and 10 archaeological samples were processed for this study. Laboratory samples were processed in groups of five, testing sixty different combinations of variables. Samples were photographed under a HIROX in their transverse section, and their alterations were classified, measured by height and area, and calculated for the number of cracks and percentage of area cracked in samples. The data generated did find meaningful ways to detect differences in firing temperature, firing atmosphere, cooling method, and relative position in wood anatomy. It showed further promise that discriminating between certain states and calibres may also be possible, but requires more testing. These differences proved true not just for laboratory samples, but also when applied to the uncontrolled and archaeological samples, showing utility for archaeological application. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148119 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z