Archaeology : the importance of Tas-Silġ

Abstract

Just before the arrival of the Knights of St. John in Malta in 1530 a French member of the Order, by name Jean Quintin, came to the Island and started compiling notes for a short description of Malta which he later published in Lyons. During his stay in Malta Quintin noted the existence of impressive and extensive ruins in the vicinity of Birgu and others near Marsaxlokk Harbour. Following the bearings given by the second century A.D. geographer, Ptolemy, Quintin identified the temple of Juno with the former and the temple of Hercules with the latter. This opinion was upheld by practically all the writers on Maltese antiquities until the first results of the excavations at Tas-Silg showed that the famous sanctuary of Juno, celebrated by the Roman orator Cicero and mentioned by Ptolemy, should be identified with the ruins being explored there.