Petition No.: 71 Signatures: 1422
Fourteenth Legislature (2022 - 2026 )
Details - Online
Title
PROTECT SANTA VERNA’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE!
Date
12-08-2025
Date petition closes for signatures
13-10-2025
Creator of petition
DAWN ADRIAN SALIBA
Grievance
We, the undersigned, respectfully call upon the honourable Parliament of Malta to take urgent action to safeguard the archaeological landscape surrounding the Santa Verna Temple in Xagħra, Gozo, protecting it from irreversible development, and preserving the cultural and scientific rights of current and future generations.
Recent research, including years of work by the FRAGSUS Project, has confirmed Santa Verna to be one of the most unique and best-preserved prehistoric landscapes remaining in Malta. The discoveries are extraordinary and offer evidence of the people who lived here, not just during the temple periods, but in the thousands of years before Ġgantija and Santa Verna were even built: stone tools still lying where they were left, ancient unsprouted seeds from prehistoric farms, hearths containing traces of lime (perhaps used in the red paint covering Ġgantija's walls), and rare burials of children pointing to previously unknown rituals--all proof of thriving Neolithic settlements lasting for millennia. Furthermore, given the extensive number of nearby caves, it is also likely that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, akin to those discovered in the nearby Latnija cave, frequented this plateau.
All these discoveries give us a rare, vivid glimpse into everyday prehistoric life--but this portal into our past will be slammed forever shut if this rare and precious landscape is destroyed.
At least 18 houses, swimming pools, and two roads are being planned near the temple and where a Neolithic burial pit containing the remains of seven children were found. The southern road cuts through Santa Verna's established archaeological buffer zone. There are also numerous illegal developments being constructed in this area.
For more information, please refer to the MALTA-ARCH website: https://www.malta-arch.com/santa-verna.html
Recent research, including years of work by the FRAGSUS Project, has confirmed Santa Verna to be one of the most unique and best-preserved prehistoric landscapes remaining in Malta. The discoveries are extraordinary and offer evidence of the people who lived here, not just during the temple periods, but in the thousands of years before Ġgantija and Santa Verna were even built: stone tools still lying where they were left, ancient unsprouted seeds from prehistoric farms, hearths containing traces of lime (perhaps used in the red paint covering Ġgantija's walls), and rare burials of children pointing to previously unknown rituals--all proof of thriving Neolithic settlements lasting for millennia. Furthermore, given the extensive number of nearby caves, it is also likely that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, akin to those discovered in the nearby Latnija cave, frequented this plateau.
All these discoveries give us a rare, vivid glimpse into everyday prehistoric life--but this portal into our past will be slammed forever shut if this rare and precious landscape is destroyed.
At least 18 houses, swimming pools, and two roads are being planned near the temple and where a Neolithic burial pit containing the remains of seven children were found. The southern road cuts through Santa Verna's established archaeological buffer zone. There are also numerous illegal developments being constructed in this area.
For more information, please refer to the MALTA-ARCH website: https://www.malta-arch.com/santa-verna.html
Wherefore I/we respectfully request the House of Representatives to
We call for a formal expansion of the Santa Verna buffer zone, including all remaining undeveloped natural and agricultural land— safeguarding not only the temple core, but also surrounding features of archaeological significance, including any caves, prehistoric rock-cut features, especially burial pits, and any landscape that may contain intact stratigraphy. This buffer zone should encompass the totality of Xagħra’s archaeological landscape, extending to the Xagħra Circle and Ġgantija Temple and In-Nuffara Hill to the east, Triq Knisja to the North and West, and Triq San Anard / Triq Xagħra to the South.
The planned buildings and roads pose a major threat to scientific and cultural knowledge. Immediate action is needed to prevent irreversible disturbance of stratified soils holding vital archaeological and environmental data. Immediate action must be taken to halt all illegal developments in the area.
This landscape holds one of Malta’s most continuous Neolithic settlements—an occupation of thousands of years—and is of crucial importance. Prehistoric soils possess ancient DNA, seeds, pollen, ash, and more—critical environmental and archaeological data. Once the data is destroyed, it is gone forever.
The soils and artefacts also provide insights into Ġgantija’s builders and the domestic and ritual life of Malta’s Temple Period. Again, they may also shed light on Malta’s newly discovered hunter-gatherer culture.
Therefore, we request:
1. An immediate Emergency Conservation Order
2. A full, detailed, publicly accessible study of the area and all finds
3. Formal expansion of the Santa Verna archaeological buffer zone
4. Archaeological monitoring independent of developers
5. Protection of all nearby caves in the area
6. Recovery and proper study of all displaced soil and artefacts
The planned buildings and roads pose a major threat to scientific and cultural knowledge. Immediate action is needed to prevent irreversible disturbance of stratified soils holding vital archaeological and environmental data. Immediate action must be taken to halt all illegal developments in the area.
This landscape holds one of Malta’s most continuous Neolithic settlements—an occupation of thousands of years—and is of crucial importance. Prehistoric soils possess ancient DNA, seeds, pollen, ash, and more—critical environmental and archaeological data. Once the data is destroyed, it is gone forever.
The soils and artefacts also provide insights into Ġgantija’s builders and the domestic and ritual life of Malta’s Temple Period. Again, they may also shed light on Malta’s newly discovered hunter-gatherer culture.
Therefore, we request:
1. An immediate Emergency Conservation Order
2. A full, detailed, publicly accessible study of the area and all finds
3. Formal expansion of the Santa Verna archaeological buffer zone
4. Archaeological monitoring independent of developers
5. Protection of all nearby caves in the area
6. Recovery and proper study of all displaced soil and artefacts
Closing remarks
We ask Parliament to act with vision, integrity, and responsibility— defending this globally-important archaeological landscape and upholding every citizen’s right to benefit from Malta’s shared cultural and scientific legacy.