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Tor
Story •
27 April 2003
Wardens blind to dumping of rubble at
temple site
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has confirmed with
MaltaToday that rubble has been dumped in the field adjacent to
Borg in-Nadur Temples in Birzebbugia. Its PRO Ivan Fenech said:
"MEPA has contacted the owner who is to remove the rubble
stone within the next two weeks. MEPA enforcement officers will
continue to monitor the site."
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BORG IN-NADUR TEMPLE
The megalithic site, not far from the sea at Birzebbugia,
was excavated by Dr Margaret Murray in 1922.
At one point in Malta’s history the Neolithic
population became extinct possibly because of famine
or war. Tribes from Italy invaded later and the temple
was built around 2,500 BC and was occupied by Bronze
Age people. These people were warlike and dwelt in
fortified villages. Borg in Nadur was probably chosen
because it is at the top of a hill and protected by
a valley to its back and the sea to its front.
The inhabitants used tools made of bronze and the
temple was surrounded by a fortified megalith wall
made of large boulders, which was a characteristic
of Bronze Age people.
In those days, warfare may have been the result
of invaders attempting to establish themselves on
the islands, or Malta may have been divided into a
series of village territories and battles could have
been fought between competing communities.
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of the
three apses (semi-circular rooms) of the temple. Beyond
the main entrance, there is a wide elliptical area
about 25 m long and 15 m wide. As for now there is
only left a Trilithon entrance, two upright stones
and a lintel.
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Part of the Borg in-Nadur temple landscape is now under threat
from one Silvio Buttigieg who used to keep a horse in the vicinity
and has been carting stones and dumping them in the field directly
in front of the temple. Buttigieg also started to add stones to
an old construction that lies nearby.
Contacted by MaltaToday, Nathaniel Cutajar, Curator with the
Superintendence of Culture said: "We have not received any
reference to such recent activity at Borg In-Nadur."
The stones have been taken up to the field in truckloads over
the past few months and it is unclear what exactly Buttigieg was
planning.
Only a few metres from the stones lies the hut of the watchman
responsible for the historical site. Yet no reports reached Heritage
Malta, the organisation that the wardens are responsible to.
It remains an open question as to what sort of training is given
to wardens allocated to heritage sites, if they find nothing suspicious
about the dumping of tons of stones a few metres away from their
hut and the temples they are responsible for.
MaltaToday contacted the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage
and MEPA about the activities in the area.
Officials of both organisations visited the site. Heritage Malta
was also contacted, but its representative, Raymond J. Jones promised,
but failed to reply to MaltaToday’s questions about the site.
Referring to the hut that has been the focus of Buttigieg’s
attention MEPA said: "an application was received ‘to
sanction proposed change of use of existing stores into offices.’
The application includes alterations and erection of stables for
horses - was refused by MEPA in 1999. The developer has appealed
this decision and the case is presently before the Planning Appeals
Board."
The appeal is due to be heard on 6 May, 2003.
Curator Nathaniel Cutajar said: "In the course of our inspection,
it was noted that an amount of debris and building material had
been dumped in a field just to the south of the temple. This is
incompatible with the nature of the site, and we believe it is
unauthorised by a Planning permit. MEPA have been asked to take
the appropriate enforcement action."
"Furthermore, a small room was noted to the east of the
site. Attached to this room is a small area fenced off by a wire
fence. MEPA have been asked to identify the status of this structure
and to take appropriate enforcement action, if this is irregular."
The temples of Malta are part of the historical heritage of
the world, but the one at Borg in-Nadur was looking more and more
like Buttigieg’s farm. According to the Superintendence for
Culture there are no plans to upgrade the area as yet and since
Heritage Malta were unwilling to reply to MaltaToday’s questions,
the future of the site remains uncertain.
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