Being Roman in Malta: Artefacts, People, and Rituals in the Sanctuary of Tas-Silġ

Malta, placed in the very centre of the Mediterranean, has always been open to influences from a large number of regions and cultures. The Maltese sanctuary of Tas-Silg has witnessed many physical and cultural transformations: the structures of the original late neolithic temple were re-used for a Phoenician sanctuary dedicated to Astarte, and it subsequently was turned into a Hellenistic temple of Hera, a Roman shrine for Juno, and eventually a Byzantine church consecrated to the Virgin Mary. As the name of the female deity changed over time, her main features remained unchanged, in a process of interpretatio well documented within the Roman world. The Roman imperial age is the least known period of the history of the sanctuary, given the lack of significant building activity. Yet, there is evidence suggesting that Malta – now a Roman province – still perceived the goddess worshipped here as a strong element of political and religious identity. Therefore, in order to draw a clearer picture of the sanctuary in this period, with its rituals and its daily life, it is necessary to relay on the data provided by stratigraphic evidence and artefacts. Endeavouring to assess quantification, chronology, provenance and distribution of pottery and small finds can highlight patterns in artefacts consumption; likewise, striving to reconstruct the spatial transformation of the site can enhance our comprehension of changes in rituals and ceremonies. Moreover, a better knowledge of the dynamics of the decline of the sanctuary in the context of the development of Malta during the Roman Imperial age will provide a deeper understanding of the shifting of cultural and political balance within the island.