The inlaid marble ledger stones of Mdina Cathedral

Abstract

The aim of this long essay is to study the inlaid marble ledger stones at Mdina Cathedral from an art historical point of view. This is the first attempt at studying these ledger stones as a whole corpus. References are made in different publications and long essays to important tombstones from this corpus but no publication features a study of all the tombstones in their different aspects. The study of inlaid marble ledger stones encompasses a wide range of aspects which one could tackle. Before the actual writing of this long essay a large number of topics were explored and subsequently condensed to the most important aspects. Apart from the content of the research itself attention was given to work out a logical and clear structure which could form the basis for further research. In order to study inlaid marble ledger stones one need to first familiarise with their craft aspect. This was achieved by assisting to a local craftsman working on an actual tombstone in his workshop and also while repairing damaged tombstones. Another craftsman who actually worked in the bottega of his father in the traditional manner without the modern machinery was also interviewed. Each ledger stone was then inspected and catalogued. This was followed by the actual research process. This long essay discusses how the cathedral fabric evolved from the old structure into the Baroque church that we see today. Reference is made to how the types of burial changed in parallel to the cathedral fabric. The ledger stones are set in context referring to the way in which the Conventual Church in Valletta have set a prototype which will be of a great influence, as it was followed at the Mdina Cathedral and other churches across the island. The characteristics of the various styles of the ledger stones are discussed and a number of tombstones will be analysed more in detail referring to artists and artisans involved. Another section will focus on the technical side of the ledger stones including the method of production and present state of conservation. The inscriptions of the ledger stones are not transcribed in this long essay. This is because a whole transcript, study and translation of these inscriptions can be found in an M.A. Classics dissertation by Johanna Zammit Falzon; The epitaphs found at the Cathedral Church, Mdina, Malta a transcription, translation, study.