Tal-Barrani
Tal-Barrani is a primarily agricultural area in
In the 1960s, a depot for Malta's milk collection system was built at Tal-Barrani.[4][5] In October 1965, while constructing the depot, a number of archaeological remains were found in the middle of the building site.[6] The site was later demolished, and a private hospital was built, leading to the finding of further tombs in 2008 and 2009. A Late Roman and Byzantine catacomb and a tomb were discovered and excavated in 1993, closer to Żejtun.[7]
Tal-Barrani is an important transportation link in the south-eastern part of the island, with a major road cutting the area in half. The existing road consists of a dual carriageway of two northbound and two southbound lanes separated by a central reserve.[8] A €20 million road project is being proposed to divert traffic between Tal-Barrani Road and Vjal Santa Luċija via tunnels.[9]
Tal-Barrani was the site of political violence on 30 November 1986,[10] when a group of people, some wearing balaclavas, began hurling stones and bottles on an approaching group of political activists. The clashes erupted with the appearance of members of the police’s Special Mobile Unit, who fired teargas canisters and rubber bullets onto the crowd, and mayhem ensued.[11]
Geography and geology
The promontory of Żejtun is defined to the north by Wied iz-Ziju, which separates Żejtun from Ħal Tarxien and other outlying high ground. This valley includes the area known as Tal-Barrani. The land also gives its name to a type of uniform clay brown soil. In a number of areas in Malta and Gozo, a type of calcareous colluvium lies above a layer of terra fusca.[B] If the colluvium is thin, the mixing of the two layers due to tilling over a long period of time will produce a uniform brown soil, very rich in clay. This type was classified as Tal-Barrani.[12]
Archaeological remains
Tal-Barrani contains a significant number of archaeological remains. These include an ancient tomb cluster and field systems at the Tal-Ħotba site at Tal-Barrani, and a number of late Roman and Byzantine catacombs.[3] A Christian catacomb and four rock-cut tombs were discovered in 1915, 1963 and 1993, under the present road footprint of Tal-Barrani. At least another seventeen tombs were discovered in 1965, 1966 and 2008 were found in fields in an area known as Tal-Ħotba, very close to Tal-Barrani road. The 1960s discoveries at Tal-Ħotba consisted of three tombs within the footprint of the old milk collection depot.[3]
Ancient cluster of tombs and field systems
Three ancient
Late Roman and Byzantine catacombs
In May 1993, an important Late Roman to Byzantine burial site was uncovered during trenching works along Tal-Barrani road, on the approach to the higher ground before the 25 November Avenue crossroads leading to Żejtun. Two subterranean burial monuments were discovered within 10.0 metres from each other.[3] These were a multi-chambered burial catacomb, and a Late Roman rock-cut chamber tomb. The catacomb was found on the Żejtun side of the hillock, at a higher point to the chamber tomb, which was found closer towards Ħal Tarxien.
The discovery was important in that it contained the burial strata in their intact state.[14] These survived and were sealed within the catacomb. Additionally, the Tal-Barrani catacomb was the first one to be examined scientifically. The presence of a Christian catacomb so close to a rock-cut chamber tomb is a rare occurrence, which is usually found only in the Rabat area. Tal-Barrani provides evidence of continuity in usage of a much larger communal cemetery; this was initially made up of chamber tombs and a multi-chambered catacomb.[3]
Discoveries in the same location are noted in Temi Żammit's archaeological notebooks,[15][16] and in the Archaeological Museum's 1963 report.[17] The burial ground was large, and it contained a mixture of tombs and other burial facilities.
One of the skeletons discovered in 1993 showed evidence of an ankylosing spondylitis, and Forestier's disease, which is a chronic form of arthritis involving the spinal area.[18]
The Tal-Barrani road very likely formed part of older road networks, some of which date back to antiquity.[3] The placing of burial tombs and catacombs by the side of main roads was not uncommon in the Maltese islands. The road was widened and realigned in modern times. As a result, some of the Tal-Barrani tombs were discovered, while others remained hidden under the old road surface. This may have preserved the catacomb. The rock-cut chamber tomb was cut into a natural terrace, which was later hidden by the modern Tal-Barrani road. Part of the tomb's shaft was hidden by the rubble wall of the previous and narrower Tal-Barrani road. This rubble wall is still preserved underneath the present central reserve.[3]
When the tomb was discovered, the sealing slab was still lodged securely. The tomb's structure was largely intact, except for the back section which was cut through by the modern trenching works. Apart from debris from the trenching works, the tomb chamber and contents were intact and undisturbed. The chamber contained two main areas, a rectangular burial site with a water trench cutting its middle, and an arcosolium at the back.[19] The front area measured about 2.5 metres in length, slightly longer than the arcosolium which measured 2.1 metres. The water trench in the front provided standing room, and separated the two burial platforms. The water trench was reached by three steps leading down from the entrance, while the arcosolium was a focus point. It betrayed an unusual tomb design, which suggested a Late Roman date for the burials. The burial platform of the arcosolium included two carved head-rests.[3]
Political violence
Tal-Barrani was the site of political violence on 30 November 1986,
Notes
- [A].^ Bital misilmin, pecia terrae in contrata bitalbarrani: 15.xii.1527, Not. Gr. Vassallo, NAV, R 464/3, f.70.
- [B].^ Colluvium is defined as ‘a superficial deposit transported predominantly by gravity containing <50.0% of material of >60 mm in size.’
References
- ^ "GXQ S Lucija tal-Barrani". Kappelli Maltin. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- ^ a b Wettinger, Godfrey. "Some grammatical characteristics of the place-names of Malta and Gozo in early modern times". Journal of Maltese Studies. 15: 31–68.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j The Żejtun Villa and its ancient landscape – Three new archaeological discoveries (PDF). 2012. pp. 60–73.
- ^ "Malta". The Parliamentarian: Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth. 48. General Council of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association: 177. 1967 – via Google Books.
- ^ The Malta Year Book. St. Julian's Malta. 1968. p. 171.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ISBN 9789042909175.
- ^ "Bad and good examples of protecting our priceless heritage". The Malta Independent Online. 7 October 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ Debono, James (7 September 2018). "Addolorata and tal-Barrani road works will see loss of 14,589 sqm of agricultural land". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "Tunnels planned for Santa Luċija roundabout". Times of Malta. 2 April 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Spiteri, Sharon (6 November 2002). "Flashback to Tal-Barrani riots in 1986". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ a b Vassalo, Raphael (1 December 2006). "The Malta Independent Online". Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ Lang, D.M. (1960). Soils of Malta and Gozo. Malta: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 55.
- ^ a b c Debono, James (8 January 2015). "Josie Muscat's new ODZ hospital set for approval". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ISBN 978-9993272458.
- ^ Żammit, Temi (1912). Archaeological Field Notes Book III (1909-1912).
- ^ Żammit, Temi (1917). Archaeological Field Notes Book IV (1912-1917).
- ^ Museum Annual Reports. Malta: Museums Department. 1963.
- ISBN 1326614177.
- ISBN 978-9993272458.
- ^ a b c d Scicluna, Christopher (30 November 2016). "30th anniversary of Tal-Barrani clashes today". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.