Overview

This book synthesises archaeological and historical research in order to investigate Maltese water management technology in the Medieval, Early Modern and Modern periods, more specifically between AD 900 and AD 1900. Maltese terrestrial geological formations and stratification are a determining factor in conditioning the formation of subterranean aquifers, water-harvesting and storage, landscape development and utilisation. Central to this publication are reservoirs, cisterns, wells and perched aquifer galleries, which have for centuries provided farmers tilling arable land with a supplementary water source other than the limited and erratic seasonal rainfall. The data and conclusions presented in this book are the result of extensive personal field and archival research and include an assessment of the available documentary sources of evidence, including place names and cartographic sources. Comparative research suggests that a number of perched aquifer subterranean galleries share common characteristics with the qanat technology of the Islamic and Roman worlds and, in a Maltese context, were possibly part of a new agricultural and technological package introduced during the Muslim or post-Muslim period between the eleventh and the fourteenth centuries AD.

Full Product Details

Author:   Keith Buhagiar
Publisher:   BAR Publishing
Imprint:   BAR Publishing
Dimensions:   Width: 21.00cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 29.70cm
Weight:   1.248kg
ISBN:  

9781407316291

ISBN 10:   140731629
Pages:   313
Publication Date:   30 September 2016
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

"List of Figures Abbreviations Abstract CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Methodology 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Aims and Objectives 1.2 Malta and its Water in Context 1.3 Water and the Concept of Risk 1.4 Chronology 1.5 Landscape Theory and Research 1.6 Methodology 1.7 Methodological Limitations 1.8 Published Sources, Theses and Dissertations 1.9 Cartographic Sources 1.10 Archival Sources 1.11 Book Structure CHAPTER 2 Geomorphological, Climatic and Hydrological Considerations 2.0 Geology 2.1 Climatic Considerations: Present-day and past 2.2 Changes to Malta's Demographic Base over the Centuries 2.3 Crop Types 2.4 Maltese Geological Formations, Properties and Stratification 2.4.1 Lower Coralline Limestone 2.4.2 Globigerina Limestone 2.4.3 Blue Clay 2.4.4 Upper Coralline Limestone 2.5 Landforms and Relief 2.6 The Hydrological Retention Potential of Maltese Geological Formations 2.6.1 The perched and mean-sea-level aquifers 2.6.2 The Globigerina Limestone perched aquifers CHAPTER 3 Water Resources Management Technology: An overview of ancient water resources management practices 3.0 Introduction 3.1 Water Capture and Storage 3.1.1 Field-terracing as an aid to water conservation 3.1.2 Flood-water irrigation 3.1.3 Diversion dams (azuds) 3.1.4 Urban sewage diversion into countryside areas 3.1.5 Well-water capture technology 3.1.6 Qanat and adits 3.1.7 Cuniculi water drainage systems 3.1.8 Cisterns: development and diffusion 3.1.9 Wells and cisterns: an aid to settlement in the Phoenician-Punic, Greek and Roman periods 3.1.10 Concluding remarks 3.2 The Maltese Context: The Phoenician, Punic and Roman periods (8th century BC to 6th century AD) 3.2.1 Wells and cisterns 3.2.2 The Roman Domus at Rabat (Malta) and other neighbouring minor sites 3.2.3 The Tas-Silg Sanctuary 3.2.4 The Ta' Kaccatura site 3.2.5 The Ras il-Wardija Sanctuary at Kercem (Gozo) 3.3 Interpreting the Evidence CHAPTER 4 The Changing Maltese Hydrological Landscape: 1800 till the present 4.0 Introduction 4.1 The Drought of 1834-1841 4.2 Developments in the Maltese Hydrological Scenario: The mid-1840s till the end of the nineteenth century 4.3 The Twentieth Century 4.4 The Agrarian Context 4.5 Concluding Remarks CHAPTER 5 The Maltese Hydrological Landscape during the Knights' Period 5.0 Introduction 5.1 Hydrology-Related Cartographic Evidence for the Early Knights' Period 5.2 Hydrology-Related Aspects as Presented by Fra Gian Francesco Abela in 1647 5.2.1 The uninhabited section of Malta 5.2.1.1 Wied ir-Rum 5.2.1.2 The Mtahleb giardino 5.2.1.3 The Aayn Bierda and Aayn tal Carcara springs 5.2.1.4 Springs in the Mgarr (Malta) territory 5.2.1.5 The Mellieha territory 5.2.1.6 Other springs and water-related place-names 5.2.2 The inhabited section of Malta 5.2.3 Gozo and Comino 5.2.4 The Valletta aqueduct project 5.3 Other Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Water-Related Documentary Sources of Evidence 5.4 Concluding Remarks CHAPTER 6 Hydrology-Related Cabreo Documentation for Malta and Gozo during the Knights' Period 6.0 Introduction 6.1 Interpreting the Data Provided by the Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Cabrei Manuscripts 6.1.1 The central and southern plains 6.1.2 The north and north-west districts of Malta 6.1.3 The Ghajn Qajjed, Gnien is-Sultan, Ghajn Klieb and San Mikiel giardini of Rabat (Malta) 6.1.4 The Marget Neuia estate in the Fiddien territory of Rabat (Malta) 6.1.5 Qasam il-Kbir estate in the Fiddien territory of Rabat (Malta) 6.1.6 Wied ir-Rum and Wied Hazrun 6.1.7 The Tal-Callus giardino at Wied ir-Rum 6.1.8 The fief of Tas-Santi in the territory of Mgarr (Malta) 6.1.9 Birhauex and the fief of Ghajn Tuffieha 6.1.9.1 Water tunnel at the Roman Baths site 6.1.9.1.1 Interpreting the evidence 6.1.9.2 The perched aquifer galleries at the Ghajn Tuffieha giardino 6.1.9.3 The Ir-Razzett tal-Qasam area at Ghajn Tuffieha 6.1.10 The Buskett and Gnien il-Haggel areas in the territory of Rabat (Malta) 6.1.11 Water sources on the Island of Gozo 6.1.11.1 The Ghajn Ghabdun spring 6.1.11.2 The Ghajn Qasab territory 6.1.11.3 The Ghajn Nahrin territory 6.1.11.4 The Madia territory 6.1.11.5 The Wied tal-Lunzjata territory 6.1.11.6 Government-owned properties at Ta' Cimblu Rasu 6.1.12 Water sources on Comino 6.2 Concluding Remarks CHAPTER 7 Water Management in Late Medieval Malta 7.0 Introduction 7.1 The Knight Commissioners' Report of 1524 7.2 Jean Quintin's 1536 Description of Malta 7.3 Documents of the Cancelleria Regia at the State Archives of Palermo: The fourteenth century 7.3.1 The fiefs of Dejr Handun and Ghajn Tuffieha 7.3.2 The fiefs of Gnien is-Sultan, Tal-Qlejgha and Benwarrad 7.3.3 The Gomerino estate 7.3.4 The fief of Hemsija and other viridaria in north-west Malta 7.3.5 Hydrology-related evidence from Gozo 7.4 Documents of the Cancelleria Regia at the State Archives of Palermo: The fifteenth century 7.4.1 The Gheriexem spring 7.4.2 Ghajn Qajjed 7.4.3 The Saqqajja and Qattara areas of Rabat (Malta) 7.4.4 Gozo 7.5 The Notarial Documents: Notaries Paulo Bonello and Giacomo Zabbara 7.6 The Place-Name Evidence 7.6.1 ""Ghajn"" and ""Ghewejna"" place-names 7.6.1.1 Fourteenth-century ""ghajn"" place-names 7.6.1.2 Fifteenth-century ""ghajn"" place-names 7.6.1.3 Sixteenth-century ""ghajn"" place-names 7.6.2 ""Bir"" place-names 7.6.3 ""Gnien"" place-names 7.6.4 Other water-related place-names 7.7 Concluding Remarks CHAPTER 8 Conclusions 8.0 Introduction 8.1 Interpreting the Evidence 8.2 Revisiting the Objectives of this Study 8.3 Strengths and Weaknesses: An evaluation 8.4 Contribution to Knowledge 8.5 The Future Beckons: Site protection and prospects for future research References Appendix 1: Gazetteer of Sites Mentioned in the Text Appendix 2: Comparative Table of Place-Names Appendix 3: A Philological Appreciation of Water-Related Italian Terms Used in Chapters 5 to 7 Appendix 4: A Philological Appreciation of Water-Related Maltese Words/Terms Used in Chapters 5 to 7 Appendix 5: A Philological Appreciation of Water-Related Latin Terms Used in Chapter 7"

Reviews

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri'>'Buhagiar has compiled a learned account of water-related archaeology, knights' history, and centuries of digging for the island's most precious resource: fresh water. Providing a detailed look at some of Malta's largely unseen strata, this publication will be of interest to researchers & enthusiasts alike, incl. MU followers, spelunkers, geographers & water specialists.' <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri'>Malta Underground, 5th February 2017<span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:8.5pt; font-family: Verdana ,sans-serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-language: EN-GB'>

'Buhagiar has compiled a learned account of water-related archaeology, knights' history, and centuries of digging for the island's most precious resource: fresh water. Providing a detailed look at some of Malta's largely unseen strata, this publication will be of interest to researchers & enthusiasts alike, incl. MU followers, spelunkers, geographers & water specialists.' Malta Underground, 5th February 2017

Author Information

Keith Buhagiar is a PhD graduate in archaeology from the University of Malta specialising in rural landscape development, related water management systems as well as Maltese and Sicilian medieval and Early Modern cave-settlements. Dr Buhagiar lectures in palaeochristian and medieval archaeology at the Department of Classics and Archaeology and the Faculty of Theology, both at the University of Malta. Research interests include central Mediterranean, North African and Near Eastern water management systems, Late Roman and medieval subterranean burial spaces, cave dwellings and rock-excavated oratories, as well as Mediterranean settlement location and distribution.

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