Ras ir-Raħeb
Ras ir-Raħeb (in Maltese) | |
Location | Baħrija, Rabat, Malta |
---|---|
Coordinates | 35°54′24″N 14°19′41″E / 35.90667°N 14.32806°E |
Type | Settlement |
History | |
Periods | Late Bronze–Early Byzantine |
Cultures | Borġ in-Nadur phase, Phoenician, Roman |
Site notes | |
Ownership | Mixed private and public |
Public access | Open |
Partly unexcavated, on headland by sheer cliffs |
Ras ir-Raħeb, known also as Ras il-Knejjes is a scenic
The headland incorporates the ruins of a
Toponymy and geography
The two Maltese toponyms, Hermit's Headland (Maltese: Ras ir-Raħeb) and Churches' Headland (Maltese: Ras il-Knejjes) may indicate that the site had an established religious significance in the late Middle Ages.[14] The coast between Rdum Majjiesa and Ras ir-Raħeb was earmarked and proposed for protection, in a number of local environmental heritage management documents, including The Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands[15] and the UNEP/MAP Coastal Area Management Programme (CAMP) Report for Malta.[16]
Due to their relative inaccessibility and the shelter they provide, the cliffs and the coastline at Ras ir-Raħeb provides refuge for several
The area also hosts representatives of the main
Ras ir-Raħeb's status as a marine protected area and its geological structure, with caves and posidonia meadows, have made it a unique and popular diving site.[16][20] An underwater trail for divers, marked with signs, is also present.[21]
Archaeological excavations
The archaeological importance of Ras ir-Raħeb was known since the late sixteenth century, with attempts to identify these remains with the Fanum Iunonis temple mentioned by Cicero.[22][23][24] Other Renaissance historians did not agree with this view, describing only the existence of "ruins and ancient factories."[25][n 1]
In 1922, the remains were brought to the notice of the
The site was partly excavated by a team of Royal Navy officers under Capt. D. Scott and Sgn. Comdr. P. Pugh.[27] However, the exposed masonry as well as contemporary deposits had been almost completely eroded, making the interpretation of the archaeological remains very difficult. Work began in November 1961 and finished in May 1962, when a party of naval divers explored the seabed off the headland, reaching a depth of over 60 metres. A few scattered stone blocks lying in the sand were noted. The report of this excavation is brief, with the published plan of the site being inaccurate.[14] The team was of the opinion that the place "was used as a sacred site from Neolithic times to about the 4th century AD."[27]
The site itself suggests a building complex of importance, commanding extensive sea views. It was surrounded, on at least three sides, by an
In the north-eastern corner, there is a long and narrow rectangular
A main point of interest of the remains at Ras ir-Raħeb is the integration of two rough stone
During the 1962 excavation, a coin of Constantius II was found, hinting at a long life of the building and its possible use in early Christian times. A "great quantity of pottery" found in the cistern included the whole range of the Roman occupation.[27] Four other coins found at the site were in an advanced stage of corrosion, with two of them being classified as Siculo-Punic.[27]
Of greater interest is an
Legal status and state of conservation
The beauty and relative inaccessibility of Ras ir-Raħeb have made it a popular stop for
The department stated that "the land in question is in course of expropriation [...] which was expropriated by Government Notice 498 dated July 29, 1975. As such, legally land in question is still privately-owned since deed of transfer is not finalised."[37][39] However, a ministerial declaration in 2006, by Tonio Borġ, who was then Minister of Justice and Home Affairs,[40] concluded that "areas that have been taken over by Government through a President's proclamation prior to 1994, even though not paid for by the Government, such as Ras ir-Raħeb, can be legally accessed by the public and not even the owner can prohibit access."[41] The Punic-Roman remains were officially scheduled in 1998.[42]
A large
In 2016, five tumoli of land forming part of the Ras ir-Raħeb headland was placed for sale - including the ancient remains found on the site.[46] Heritage experts declared that while ownership of the land in questions appeared to be unclear, the recent introduction of a public domain law in Malta ought to exclude the purchase or sale of sites like Ras ir-Raħeb.[46] In July 2016, Friends of the Earth, a local environmental committee, filed an application requesting that Ras ir-Raħeb along with six other sites be designated officially as public domain.[47][48]
See also
Notes and references
Notes
References
- ^ Buġeja, Lino (20 January 2013). "Showcase of Malta's scenic and archaeological sites". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Wilson, R., R. Talbert, S. Gillies, T. Elliott (4 January 2019). "Places: 462463 (Ras-ir Raheb Roman Farm)". Pleiades. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Buħaġiar, Keith (2007). "Baħrija: Its archaeological significance". Melita Historica. XIV (4): 357–374.
- ^ a b "Ras Ir-Raħeb fire". The Malta Independent on Sunday. 5 August 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Sea traffic restrictions during Commonwealth meeting". Times of Malta. 28 October 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Scerri, Louis (17 February 2013). "Cremation, cart ruts, tombs, and archaeological reassessments". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Sagona, C. (2006). "Volume II". Punic Antiquities of Malta and Other Ancient Artefacts Held in Ecclesiastic and Private Collections. Belgium: Peeters Publishers. p. 14.
- ^ Vella, E. "Ras ir-Raheb. Boat dive" (PDF). Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "St. Peter's Cave". Luna Diving. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Ras ir-Raħeb". Sunflower Hotel Malta. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ Schembri, P. "RDUM MAJJIESA TO RAS IR-RAHEB MPA". University of Malta. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Which are the current Marine Protected Areas of Malta?". MEPA. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Habitats of the Maltese islands (20) Marine habitats (6) – Protection of ecosystems". Times of Malta. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Buħaġiar, Mario (1988). "Two archaeological sites – Ras ir-Raħeb, Malta, and Ras il-Wardija, Gozo". Melita Historica. 10 (1): 69–87.
- ^ Planning Services Division, Works Department (1990). Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands. Malta: Ministry for Development of Infrastructure.
- ^ a b c d "MAP CAMP Project "Malta": final integrated project document and selected thematic documents: Volume I" (PDF). UNEP. Mediterranean Action Plan. Priority Actions Programme Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC), Malta 2003, UNEP/MAP/PAP. p. 34. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ a b c "Il-Majjiesa/Ras ir-Raħeb area". Times of Malta. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Sansone, Kurt (30 July 2010). "Mepa designates four new marine protected areas". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Żammit, Anne (8 April 2007). "Natura 2000 – ensuring long-term survival for Europe's species". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Cooke, Patrick (15 August 2010). "Divers call for better enforcement, protection measures at dive sites". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Sansone, Kurt (8 November 2010). "Seabed signs off Għajn Tuffieħa". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Cic. Verr. iv. 46, 47
- ^ Bosio, Giacomo (1621–29). Historia della Sacra Religione et Illustrissima Militia di San Giovanni Gierosolimitano, di nuovo ristampata e dal medesimo autore ampliata et illustrata. Rome. p. Part III 924.
- ^ Axiaq, M.A. (1610). Relazione della nuova e grandissima devotione introdotta nella S. Grotta di S. Paolo nell'Isola di Malta. Malta: Notitie di Malta. p. N L M Lib. 515, ff.21v-22.
- ^ a b Abela, G.F. (1647). Della Descrittione di Malta. Malta. p. 67.
- ^ a b c Museums Department Annual Report, 1922/3, p. v
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Museums Department Annual Report, 1962, p. 6
- ^ Lewis, H. (1977). Ancient Malta – A Study of its Antiquities. Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire: Colin Smythe. p. 92.
- Claudius Ptolemy (1843). "Book IV, Chapter 3 §37". In Nobbe, Carolus Fridericus Augustus (ed.). Claudii Ptolemaei Geographia (in Greek and Latin). Vol. I. Carolus Tauchnitius. p. 246. At Google Books.
- ^ Ventura, F. (1988). "Ptolemy's Maltese Co-ordinates". Hyphen. V (6): 253–269.
- ISBN 90-04-05966-0.
- ^ Buġeja, Lino (18 March 2012). "Malta's fantastic coasts beckon". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Buġeja, Lino (6 January 2012). "Ramblers seek pastures new". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Micallef, Mark (28 July 2008). "Ramblers in protest walk over access to Fomm ir-Riħ bay". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Buġeja, Lino (22 September 2012). "Everyone's right to ramble". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Buġeja, Lino (27 October 2011). "Craving for a room for our view". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ a b c Cini, George (19 January 2005). "Ramblers turned away from site of historic value". Times of Malta. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Killing Malta's heritage softly". Malta Today. 8 May 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Debono, James (15 January 2006). "Fighting for access to Fomm ir-Rih beach". Malta Today. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Grech, Herman (21 October 2012). "Tonio Borg nominated for vacant EU post". Times of Malta. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Resume' of contents of Meeting which RAM had with Dr Tonio Borg, Minister of Justice and Home Affairs and that was held at the Auberge d'Aragon on Tuesday 9th May 2006". Ramblers Association Malta. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "No. 278, Scheduling of property". Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta' Malta. 3 April 1998. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "ILLEGAL STRUCTURE DEMOLISHED IN WIED GERŻUMA". MEPA. 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Mepa demolishes illegal structure in protected countryside". Times of Malta. 5 February 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ "Fdalijiet storiċi 'mtaqqbin' bi drillers u b'ħadid għat-tixbit". iNewsMalta. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Fdalijiet Rumani f'Ras ir-Raheb għall-bejgħ!". iNewsMalta. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Friends of the Earth Malta proposes seven sites for 'Public Domain Act' protection". Friends of the Earth, Malta. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "eNGO proposes seven sites for Public Domain Act". MaltaToday. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
Bibliography
- Abela, G.F. (1647). Della Descrittione di Malta. Malta.
- Axiaq, M.A. (1610). Relazione della nuova e grandissima devotione introdotta nella S. Grotta di S. Paolo nell'Isola di Malta. Malta.
- Culican, W. (1980). Leeds University Oriental Society – Near Eastern Researches II – Oriental Studies. Leiden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill. ISBN 90-04-05966-0.
- Bosio, G. (1621–29). Historia della Sacra Religione et Illustrissima Militia di San Giovanni Gierosolimitano, di nuovo ristampata e dal medesimo autore ampliata et illustrata. Rome.
- Lewis, H. (1977). Ancient Malta – A Study of its Antiquities. Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire: Colin Smythe.
- Sagona, C. (2006). Punic Antiquities of Malta and Other Ancient Artefacts Held in Ecclesiastic and Private Collections. Belgium: Peeters Publishers.
External links
- Ras ir-Raħeb – NATURA 2000 – STANDARD DATA FORM
- Natura 2000 data download – the European network of protected sites (European Environment Agency)
- Natura 2000 – the Natura Network Initiative – Natura 2000 at work
- Rdum Majjiesa to Ras ir-Raheb
- maltain360.com
- Ras-ir Raheb Roman Farm
- Megalithic Temple and Punico Roman Remains at Ras Ir-Raheb