Changing places : archaeology and heritage in Strait Street (Valletta, Malta)

Abstract

Archaeologists traditionally study material evidence to make sense of the past. Increasingly however their attention is turning to contemporary material culture, to challenge the 'taken-for-granteds' of modern life, and to provide a critique of the world we ourselves are creating. Here the authors consider the contemporary archaeology of Strait Street, Malta's 'street of shame' as it was once described. A significant aspect of this project has been its alignment with the Mediterranean Voices programme, and specifically the studies conducted in Valletta. The authors recognise the clear influence this programme has had on their own research, notably through our common interest in the related issues of nostalgia, memory and migration all set within the wider context of exploring aspects of intangible heritage, The last of these issues-migration-is clearly reflected here in the abandonment of Strait Street and its suitability for archaeological investigation. Here the authors briefly outline the background to their study, their methodology and some preliminary results.