From Gozo’s seabed to the European Parliament

Antique Phoenician artefacts from a shipwreck off Gozo, in Malta, are at the centre of the European Parliament, thanks to an exhibition co-organised by MEP Miriam Dalli, Heritage Malta and the University of Malta as part of the cultural programme of the Maltese Presidency of the Council.

The shipwreck, precisely datable to 700 BC, was discovered off Gozo in 2007. Described as ‘one of the greatest underwater discoveries of recent times’, it took an international team nearly 10 years to bring to light interesting facts about this ship and its cargo, using state-of-the-art technology.

The event combines conventional exhibition methods with modern technologies, facilitating the presentation of several years of research into one small exposition without leaving anything out.

“The underwater cultural heritage surrounding the Maltese archipelago is incredible. The islands of the Maltese archipelago have witnessed human activity for tens of thousands of years and underwater archaeological searches that have been conducted for decades have revealed the wealth of these traces and refined our knowledge of history. It is widely acknowledged that the Maltese Islands are full of priceless gems that bear testimony to its rich and turbulent history. However, it is very rare that the general public is exposed to the maritime heritage that lies on the seabed surrounding Malta’s shores,” Miriam Dalli said.

Maritime archaeologist Dr Timmy Gambin said this was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our scientific research in the European Parliament. “These 10 years brought together a number of top scientists from different EU member states such as Italy, France and Germany, so it was fitting that this exhibition was held in the European Parliament.

Dr Dalli thanked Dr Gambin and Heritage Malta Manager Pierre Bonello, the curators of the exhibition, Heritage Malta and the University of Malta who helped in the organisation, the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, and all the scholars, technicians and volunteers who contributed to this project over the years.

The exhibition was officially opened by Commissioner Karmenu Vella, Malta’s ambassador for Belgium Ray Azzopardi and the Permanent Representative for Malta to the EU, Marlene Bonnici.