The Arab-Muslim legacy in Maltese history : a historical evaluation of early attestations of Maltese toponymy, onomastics, nomenclature and vocabulary

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to properly analyse the historical legacy of the medieval Arab-Muslim period in the Maltese islands’ rich history. This particular epoch piqued at my interest during my reading for a bachelor’s degree at the University of Malta, as one quickly came to realise the deficiency in knowledge surrounding such a pivotal hallmark of local antecedence. The repercussions of the events that took place in this period have greatly influenced the construction of Maltese identity from a linguistic aspect, which intrigued me to delve deeper. As shall be discussed greater at length, this long-standing legacy was corrupted into a menial footnote that tends to be overlooked by ensuing epochs and invalidated by varying historical writing. This dissertation is divided into four chapters. Firstly, Chapter One introduces the notion of an underlying Arab-Muslim legacy in the local context by providing an analysis of past limitations to historiography which distorted the historical narrative, and its repercussions. Secondly, Chapter Two begins to tackle one of the chosen areas in which there is an evident Arab-Muslim legacy; that is Maltese Toponymy. Thirdly, Chapter Three follows suit with the other chosen area; that of Maltese Onomastics. Lastly, Chapter Four concludes this dissertation with a summary and discussion of the main discoveries that validate and properly merit the Arab-Muslim period.