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The listed works bring together different strands of research that dismantle the idea of “no agriculture” in Neolithic Malta. Fiorentino, D’Oronzo and Colaianni present archaeobotanical analyses from Tas-Silġ, showing direct evidence of cereals and farming. Malone, Hedges and Richards analyze isotopes from the Xagħra Circle burials, proving that Neolithic diets were cereal- and livestock-based. Vella documents sickle blades and other harvesting tools from Ta’ Ħaġrat, while the University of Malta review of pre-temple pottery highlights storage and domestic wares linked to farming life. Environmental reconstructions from Burmarrad cores reinforce this with cereal pollen. Visual records like the Kordin excavation figure further illustrate the material record. Finally, popular syntheses by Treasure (Wessex Archaeology) and Ramsay (ANE Today) connect Malta’s evidence to wider debates about ancient agriculture, bread, and plant use.
#MaltaMystery #Megaliths #StoneMonuments #Prehistory #TempleEconomy #AncientFoodways #SickleToStone #NeolithicAgriculture #PollenRecords #AncientDNA #ArchaeologyScience #HistoryRevealed #TruthRevealed #AncientSecrets #SecretHistory #HistoryFacts #DidYouKnow #DiggingDeeper #PastAndPresent #AncientWorld #ArchaeologyFinds #HistoryBuff #MaltaHistory #UncoverThePast #HistoryUnfolded #MaltaTemples #MegalithicMalta #Ggantija #Tarxien #Mnajdra #HagarQim #TaHagrat #TasSilg #Xaghra #TempleBuilders #AncientMysteries #LostCivilizations #NeolithicLife #ancientengineering #johnnyharris #worldheritage #AncientFarming #Archaeobotany #GrainAndStone #ScienceVsMyth #FRAGSUS #HiddenHistory #MythBusted #HistoryTok #ArchaeologyTok #pastuncovered
Bibliography
Fiorentino, G., D’Oronzo, C. & Colaianni, G. (2013) Human-Environmental interaction in Malta from the Neolithic to the Roman period: archaeobotanical analyses at Tas-Silġ. Edizioni Quasar: Sapienza Università di Roma / University of Salento.
Malone, C., Hedges, R., Richards, M. (2009) Neolithic Diet at the Brochtorff Circle, Malta. In: C. Malone, S. Stoddart, G. Cook (eds.) Mortuary Customs in Prehistoric Malta: Excavations at the Brochtorff Circle at Xagħra (1987-94). Cambridge University Press.
Vella, C. (2023) The Lithic Toolkit of the Late Neolithic. University of Malta. Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/8209/1/The_lithic_toolkit_of_the_Late_Neolithic.pdf
[Gale, R.] & FRAGSUS team (2023) A Review of Malta’s Pre-temple Neolithic Pottery Wares 2023. University of Malta. Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/112556/1/A_review_of_Maltas_pre-temple_Neolithic_pottery_wares_2023.pdf
Fiorentino, G., D’Oronzo, C. & Colaianni, G. (2013) “Sedimentary profile and age-depth model interpolated curve, Burmarrad (BM2)” in Human-Environmental interaction in Malta … archaeobotanical analyses at Tas-Silġ [figure]. Edizioni Quasar.
“Joseph-Magro-Conti at Kordin” (date unknown) [figure]. ResearchGate.
Treasure, E.D. (date unknown) Grains & History: Environmental History & Bread [online article]. Wessex Archaeology. Available at: https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/news/grains-history-environmental-history-bread-dr-ed-treasure
Ramsay, J. (date unknown) Plants & Antiquity [online article]. ANE Today. Available at: https://anetoday.org/ramsay-plants-antiquity
When you line up sickle blades, qus and storage jars, you see the full farming cycle from harvest to grinding to storage. So what does the landscape tell us? To answer this question, we have to look at the pollen traces and soils. Even the environment keeps a record. In 2016, Gamin and colleagues published pollen studies from cores drilled in Burmarad Valley. Under the microscope, they found serial pollen grains dating back to the Neolithic, alongside a decline in tree pollen, evidence of woodland clearance. If you enjoyed this, don’t forget to like and subscribe.