Ras il-Wardija

Rock-hewn chamber at Ras il-Wardija
Shown within Malta
Location	San Lawrenz , Gozo , Malta
Coordinates	36°2′11.8″N 14°11′13.3″E  /  36.036611°N 14.187028°E  / 36.036611; 14.187028
Type	Religious complex, possibly a nymphaeum
History
Material	Limestone
Founded	3rd century BC
Abandoned	4th century AD
Periods	Punic and Roman
Site notes
Excavation dates	1964?1967
Archaeologists	Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta
Condition	Dilapidated
Ownership	George Spiteri
Public access	Limited

Ras il-Wardija is a promontory in the limits of San Lawrenz , on the southwest coast of Gozo , Malta . It contains the remains of a Punic-Roman sanctuary, which was excavated by Italian archaeologists in the 1960s. The area is privately owned and it is currently in a dilapidated state. ^[1]

The site [ edit ]

Ras il-Wardija was probably first inhabited in the Bronze Age , in around 1500 BC. In around the 3rd century BC, ^[2] during the Punic period, a religious complex (probably a nymphaeum ) was established in the area. Since the site is clearly visible from the sea, it might have also served as a beacon for ships travelling between the Maltese Islands and North Africa . ^[3]

The site remained in use throughout the Roman period. Carved crosses on the walls suggest that the site eventually became a Christian place of worship. ^[3] The site remained in use until around the 4th century AD. ^[2] A hermitage might have existed in the area during the medieval period. ^[4]

The main structural elements of the site are:

• a rock-hewn rectangular chamber, with a number of niches in the walls
• a T-shaped rock-hewn corridor leading to the chamber
• a water reservoir and a bell-shaped well, both rock-hewn
• the remains of an external masonry structure including an altar

The masonry structure has some similarities to the remains of the Punic-Roman sanctuary at Tas-Sil? in Marsaxlokk . ^[3]

Excavations and recent history [ edit ]

The area around Ras il-Wardija was used for defensive purposes during World War II . ^[3] The site was first excavated by the Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta (Archaeological Mission of Malta) between 1964 and 1967. ^[2] The temple was well preserved until the excavations, but it has since deteriorated. ^[5]

On 30 March 1988, it was discovered that an ancient graffito carved on one of the walls of the sanctuary had been stolen. The graffito shows a human figure with outstretched arms, in the shape of a cross. It has been suggested that the figure represents the Punic goddess Tanit , but it might also be a medieval representation of a Christian cross . The graffito was recovered in June 2011, and it is now on display at the Gozo Museum of Archaeology in the Cittadella . ^[3]

The land on which the sanctuary is located is privately owned by George Spiteri, and permission may be required in order to access the site. ^[5] It is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands . ^[2]

References [ edit ]

Media related to Ras il-Wardija at Wikimedia Commons