Malta's catacombs undergo restoration

Two archaeological sites - Ta’ Bistra in Mosta and St Augustine in Rabat - are being rehabilitated as part of a €600,000 project.

The Ta' Bistra catacomb, near Mt St Joseph in Mosta [Credit: Times of Malta]

The Ta’ Bistra catacombs date back to the fourth century and consist of an extensive system of early Christian tombs that add up to 16 groups of hypogea.

Discovered in 1891, the site features sculpted spiral borders, scallop shells, arched pottery shelves and agape tables.

St Augustine’s catacombs [Credit: Archaeotur]

St Augustine catacombs are 100 metres away from St Paul’s and St Agatha’s catacombs. In fact, they once formed part of the same complex of burial grounds. The catacombs were only rediscovered in the 1920s when new houses were being built in the area.

The project, led by the Mosta local council with the collaboration of the Rabat local council, Heritage Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority, has an ERDF budgetary allocation from the Italy-Malta Programme of €635,460.

The Italy-Malta 2007-2013 Cross Border Programme is coordinated by the Territorial Cooperation Unit within the Funds and Programmes Division at the Office of the Prime Minister. 

Source: Times of Malta [October 01, 2012]