The University of Malta’s Department of Classics and Archaeology has been involved in the study of the Phoenician tombs at Għajn Klieb, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Malta.
One of the tombs included a large stone sarcophagus where two adults were buried together with jewelery and other personal possessions. “It was the practice for pottery vessels to be used in the death ritual”, said Professor Nicholas Vella from the Department of Classics and Archaeology. “The Għajn Klieb area in Rabat has long been known to be the site of a long-lived burial complex dating back to Phoenician times. Many of the tombs were explored a century ago, often without a clear record being kept of what was found. The University of Malta is delighted to have been invited to collaborate in the exploration, study and presentation of these tombs with their unique finds.”
This is not the first time that archaeological projects involving the Department of Classics and Archaeology feature on Malta’s postage stamps. In 1996, a set of 5000-year-old figurines and pottery found at the prehistoric cemetery known as the Xagħra Stone Circle (Gozo) appeared on a stamp issue dedicated to “Treasures of Malta”. In 2022, the early 7th-century BCE Phoenician shipwreck discovered off Xlendi in Gozo, appeared on a Euromed stamp dedicated to maritime archaeology issued by MaltaPost. “It is exciting to see how awareness of archaeological discoveries is carried out through media such as postage stamps, reaching audiences all over the world”, said Dr Carmel Serracino, Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology.
