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.