Ras il-Wardija is a promontory in the limits of
San Lawrenz, on the southwest coast of
Gozo
Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...
,
Malta. It contains the remains of a
Punic-Roman sanctuary, which was excavated by Italian archaeologists in the 1960s. The area is privately owned and it is currently in a dilapidated state.
The site
Ras il-Wardija was probably first inhabited in the
Bronze Age, in around 1500 BC. In around the 3rd century BC,
during the
Punic period, a religious complex (probably a
nymphaeum
A ''nymphaeum'' or ''nymphaion'' ( grc, νυμφαῖον), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs.
These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...
) was established in the area. Since the site is clearly visible from the sea, it might have also served as a
beacon for ships travelling between the
Maltese Islands and
North Africa.
The site remained in use throughout the
Roman period. Carved crosses on the walls suggest that the site eventually became a
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
place of worship.
The site remained in use until around the 4th century AD.
A hermitage might have existed in the area during the medieval period.
The main structural elements of the site are:
*a rock-hewn rectangular chamber, with a number of niches in the walls
*a T-shaped rock-hewn corridor leading to the chamber
*a water reservoir and a bell-shaped well, both rock-hewn
*the remains of an external masonry structure including an altar
The masonry structure has some similarities to the remains of the Punic-Roman sanctuary at
Tas-Silġ in
Marsaxlokk.
Excavations and recent history
The area around Ras il-Wardija was used for defensive purposes during
World War II.
The site was first excavated by the Missione Archaeologica Italiana a Malta (Archaeological Mission of Malta) between 1964 and 1967.
The temple was well preserved until the excavations, but it has since deteriorated.
On 30 March 1988, it was discovered that an ancient graffito carved on one of the walls of the sanctuary had been stolen. The graffito shows a human figure with outstretched arms, in the shape of a cross. It has been suggested that the figure represents the Punic goddess
Tanit, but it might also be a medieval representation of a Christian cross. The graffito was recovered in June 2011, and it is now on display at the
Gozo Museum of Archaeology in the
Cittadella.
The land on which the sanctuary is located is privately owned by George Spiteri, and permission may be required in order to access the site.
It is listed on the
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.
References
{{Authority control
San Lawrenz
Phoenician temples
Temples in Malta
Archaeological sites in Malta
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
Phoenician colonies in Malta