Malta an island satellite in the lee of Sicily : investigating the troglodytic context for the late-medieval and the early-modern periods

Abstract

For centuries during the Late-Medieval period, the Maltese archipelago was intimately drawn into the Sicilian sphere of influence. The archipelago's compact size and geographical proximity to its much larger neighbour directly contributed in placing Malta within the Sicilian orbi{ The roots of Maltese Late-Medieval troglodytism probably lie in the 12th and 13th centuries, and are the result of new attitudes adopted following the Norman conquest of 1127 Ad. A strong troglodytic tradition during this period might possibly reflect coordinated attempts at increasing the agricultural output of specifically designated countryside areas of Malta. Considering the geographic vicinity of Malta to the south-eastern Sicilian region, it is probable that most influences filtered into Malta through direct contact with this part of Sicily. It is the objective of this essay to examine several cave sites used for the purpose of human habitation and religious worship during the late-medieval and the early-modern periods, the various types of cave typologies and the hydrological infrastructure which enabled such rockexcavated settlements to exist. The water supply of most troglodytic setdements in Malta is obtained through a series of subterranean galleries tapping ground water sources. This mode of water extraction is similar to that retrieved from Qanat systems and possibly filtered into Malta from neighbouring Sicily during the course of the later Medieval period.