Third 'Malta Oskura' webinar explores our forefathers’ beliefs about death

Man’s perception of death on the Maltese Islands, from the times of the Phoenicians and the Romans until the period of the Knights, will be explored in the third webinar organised by Heritage Malta in the ‘Malta Oskura’ series.

Following the success of the first two webinars in the series, which featured Mdina and Rabat as well as the history of judicial hanging in Malta, ‘Malta Oskura: Il-Mewt’ will descend into the darkness of various old burial sites and attempt to answer several questions. What was death to the early inhabitants of these islands? Was it merely a cessation of life where the deceased were to be respectfully laid in the final resting place? Was sacrifice necessary? Was death to be feared, or was it a source of supernatural power and knowledge for those who knew how to wield it?

The webinar will also provide insight into the reasons behind old practices that have long aroused our curiosity but always remained shrouded in mystery, such as the Roman gladiatorial games. It will recount how the so called ‘Dark Ages’ brought along a different approach to death, and how the Knights of the Order of St John introduced a new concept of death, namely holy war.

‘Malta Oskura: Il-Mewt’ will be aired on Tuesday 30th November at 20:30. It will start with a short documentary, approximately 20 minutes long, which will be in Maltese, with English subtitles. This will be followed by a question and answer session. Participants are requested to register beforehand via this link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P4e3rLOaSISHPGUnlzx5vA

The participation fee is €5.