National Museum of Archaeology, Malta

16/10/2026

𓂀 X’kienet tfisser l-eternità għall-Eġizzjani tal-qedem? 🪲

Għal ċivilizzazzjoni li ffjorixxiet eluf ta’ snin ilu, il-mewt ma kinetx it-tmiem. It-twemmin tagħhom dwar il-ħajja, il-mewt u dak li jiġi warajha ħalla l-marka tiegħu fuq kollox, mir-ritwali ta’ kuljum sat-tradizzjonijiet elaborati tad-dfin.

🏺 Skopri d-dinja affaxxinanti tal-Eġittu tal-qedem permezz ta’ artefatti oriġinali fil-wirja li jmiss ta’ Heritage Malta, Għall-Ħajja Eterna: L-Eġizzjani tal-Qedem, organizzata b’kollaborazzjoni mar-Rijksmuseum van Oudheden f’Leiden.

⏳ Dalwaqt fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija fil-Belt Valletta! 👀

𓂀 What did eternity mean to the ancient Egyptians? 🪲

For a civilisation that flourished thousands of years ago, death was not the end. Their beliefs about life, death and what lay beyond shaped everything from daily rituals to extraordinary burial traditions.

🏺 Discover the fascinating world of ancient Egypt through original artefacts in Heritage Malta’s upcoming exhibition, Living for Eternity – The Ancient Egyptians, organised in collaboration with the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden.

⏳ Coming soon to the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta! 👀

05/10/2026

L-Anfora ta’ Bes

Żur il-Curator’s Corner fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija fil-Belt Valletta u skopri l-istorja rikka ta’ Malta permezz ta’ oġġetti uniċi mill-Kollezzjoni ta’ Riserva.

Fost dawn hemm din l-anfora unika, li m’għandha l-ebda parallel magħruf f’Malta. L-aktar karatteristika impressjonanti tagħha huma l-mankijiet, kull wieħed iffurmat bħala Bes, id-divinità protettiva Eġizzjana, magħrufa għall-protezzjoni tad-djar, l-ommijiet u t-tfal.

Għalkemm il-provenjenza tagħha mhix magħrufa, l-anfora tidher fix-xogħol ta’ Jean Houel, Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari (1782–1787), flimkien maċ-Ċippi ta’ Malta. Dan jindika li sa tmiem is-seklu tmintax kienet diġà meqjusa bħala parti mill-wirt antikwarju ta’ Malta.
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The Bes Amphora

Visit our Curator’s Corner at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and discover Malta’s rich past through unique objects from the Reserve Collection.

Among them is this unique amphora, with no known parallel in Malta. Its most striking feature is its handles, each modelled in the form of Bes, the Egyptian protective deity associated with the protection of households, mothers and children.

Although its exact provenance remains unknown, the amphora appears in Jean Houel’s Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari (1782–1787), alongside Malta’s famous Cippi. This suggests that, by the late eighteenth century, it was already recognised as part of Malta’s antiquarian heritage.

30/09/2026

🏺 F’DAN IL-JUM | 30 TA’ SETTEMBRU

162 sena ilu llum, Sir Themistocles Zammit (Temi Zammit) twieled il-Belt Valletta.

Pijunier tal-arkeoloġija Maltija, Zammit iddedika ħajtu biex jfittex u jistudja l-passat antik ta’ Malta u, fuq kollox, biex jagħraf, jipproteġi u jħares il-wirt arkeoloġiku tal-gżejjer tagħna.

Illum infakkru l-kontribut tiegħu u niċċelebraw il-wirt li ħalla warajh biex jgħin lil Malta tifhem, tapprezza u tipproteġi l-wirt arkeoloġiku li jdawwarna.

📸 Ir-ritratti jmorru lura għal madwar l-1930 u juru lil Sir Temi Zammit ma’ ibnu Charles, li eventwalment mexa fuq il-passi ta’ missieru.
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🏺 ON THIS DAY | 30 SEPTEMBER

162 years ago today, Sir Themistocles Zammit (Temi Zammit) was born in Valletta.

A pioneer of Maltese archaeology, Zammit dedicated his life to searching and studying Malta’s ancient past and, above all, to recognising, protecting and safeguarding the archaeological heritage of our islands.

Today, we remember his contribution and celebrate the legacy he left in helping Malta understand, appreciate and protect the archaeological heritage that surrounds us.

📸 The photographs date to circa 1930 and show Sir Temi Zammit with his young son, Charles, who would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps.

30/09/2026

📜 Vassalli, Frere u l-valur tat-tieni edizzjoni tal-Grammatika (1827)

F’din il-lecture, Dr Olvin Vella se jesplora r-rabta bejn Mikiel Anton Vassalli u John Hookham Frere, u r-rispett li Frere kellu lejn il-ħidma lingwistika ta’ Vassalli. Se jiffoka wkoll fuq it-tieni edizzjoni tal-Grammatika tal-Malti (1827) u l-proposta li din tiġi stampata mill-Cambridge University Press.

Link: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2089/
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In this lecture, Dr Olvin Vella will explore the relationship between Mikiel Anton Vassalli and John Hookham Frere, and Frere’s appreciation of Vassalli’s linguistic work. The lecture will also examine the second edition of the Grammar of the Maltese Language (1827) and the proposal for its publication by Cambridge University Press.

Link: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2089/

23/07/2026

Skopri l-istorja wara l-mużew!🏛️
Ingħaqad magħna fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija fl-24 ta’ Lulju għal taħdita affaxxinanti dwar il-ħolqien tal-ewwel Mużew Nazzjonali f’Malta wara l-gwerra, fl-1958, u dwar il-kollezzjonijiet arkeoloġiċi li għenu fit-tiswir tal-ġrajja tan-nazzjon. Skopri kif il-mużewijiet jgħinuna nifhmu l-istorja, l-identità u l-patrimonju, u kif dawn jibqgħu jevolvu maż-żmien.⏳

🔗Aktar tagħrif hawn: https://heritagemalta.mt/.../the-formation-of-the-1958.../
Discover the story behind the museum!🏛️

Join us at the National Museum of Archaeology on 24th July for a fascinating lecture exploring the creation of Malta’s first post-war National Museum in 1958 and the archaeological collections that helped define the nation’s story. Discover how museum displays influence our understanding of history, identity, and heritage, and how these narratives continue to evolve over time.⏳

🔗More information here: https://heritagemalta.mt/.../the-formation-of-the-1958.../

10/07/2026

Following the success of the 2021 Giorgio Preca exhibition at MUŻA, the … Continued

12/06/2026

ĠDID fil-Curator's Corner għall-Jiem Ewropej tal-Arkeoloġija!

Dan il- bust ġie skavat fil-qiegħ ta’ ċisterna forma ta’ “L” qrib is-swar tal-Imdina waqt skavi dokumentati minn Sir Temi Zammit fl-1920 tad- Domvs Romana ġewwa Rabat, Malta. Bl-għajnejn forma ta’ lewż u x-xagħar stilizzat tiegħu, dan il-bust juri xebh notevoli mat-tradizzjonijiet artistiċi Feniċi–Puniċi tal-Mediterran ċentrali u tal-Punent.

Madankollu, għad hemm ħafna mistoqsijiet mingħajr tweġiba. Kif spiċċa oġġett b’affinitajiet Puniċi f’kuntest ta’ żmien ir-Rumani? Reġa’ ntuża, jew ġie depożitat sekli wara li nħoloq?

Żur il-Curator's Corner fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija fil-Belt Valletta matul il-Jiem Ewropej tal-Arkeoloġija u skopri aktar dwar il-passat għani u kumpless ta’ Malta.


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NEW in the Curator's Corner for European Archaeology Days!

This bust was excavated from the bottom of an L-shaped cistern near the Mdina bastions during excavations documented by Sir Temi Zammit in 1920 at the Domvs Romana in Rabat, Malta. With its almond-shaped eyes and stylised hair, the sculpture bears striking similarities to Phoenician–Punic artistic traditions found across the central and western Mediterranean.

Yet many questions remain. How did an object with apparent Punic affinities end up in a Roman-period context? Was it reused, or deposited centuries after it was created?

Visit our Curator's Corner at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, during the European Archaeology Days and explore Malta's rich and complex past.

03/06/2026

18/05/2026

On International Museum Day, we remember an important chapter in Maltese museology.

In January 1958, the first National Museum opened in Valletta, bringing together Malta’s archaeological heritage and fine arts collections under one roof.

Shown here is the old Phoenician-Punic Room, which once displayed some of the most important artefacts from this period. A reminder of how the National Museum of Archaeology continues to preserve and celebrate our shared Maltese heritage for generations.

23/04/2026

Maltese archaeology is featured at the LRCW8 Conference (Late Roman Coarse Wares 8 ), currently taking place in the medieval town of Ravenna, Italy.

The keynote address by NMA Curator for Medieval Archaeology, Nathaniel Cutajar, on Mediterranean islands was very well received. Equally successful was the paper on the Salina Bay excavation, which is currently ongoing under the direction of Prof. Timmy Gambin (UCHU).

The LRCW experience has once again demonstrated how important Maltese ceramic studies are for better understanding Roman and Medieval archaeology in the Mediterranean.