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QUIRKS of traditional maltese homes WORDS BY Antoine Borg Micallef
T
he Maltese Islands have a lot to offer by way of history and culture, but the same cannot be said when it comes to natural resources. Despite this, the Maltese people have always been a resilient bunch who managed to thrive off the limitations that their land had to offer. One of the most important resources that Malta was gifted with is Globigerina Limestone, a sedimentary rock formed over 30 million years ago through the compression and sedimentation of Globigerina deep-sea microorganisms. This type of stone has been profusely used in construction for several millennia in Malta, stretching as far back as the large slabs of stone used in Malta’s celebrated Megalithic Temples. Globigerina Limestone’s prominence in construction stems from its long-lasting qualities that manage to withstand the constant onslaught of Malta’s elements – just a reminder here that Malta’s Temples have survived for over five millennia. In addition to its strength, this material also has the added advantage of being very pliable, allowing the user to cut it into a variety of shapes and forms to produce some impressive architectural features and stonework embellishments.
These vital qualities were easily noted by Maltese settlers in the 16th Century, who started to use Globigerina Limestone to construct Farmhouses in rural areas. In addition, the newly settled Knights of Malta also recognised the potential of limestone, and started utilising it for their military and personal masonry endeavours. The latter resulted in the construction of numerous Baroque dwellings that would eventually become some of Malta’s most picturesque village cores. The appeal of Globigerina Limestone continued through the occupation of the country by British in the 19th Century, who also used it to build numerous Townhouses across the Maltese Islands. In fact, the majority of traditional Maltese homes generally fall into one of three categories; Farmhouses, Houses of Character, and Townhouses – with some still having parts of the building that date back to their original date of construction. Notwithstanding the actual type of property, no two homes can ever be considered to be alike, as every single dwelling was constructed to meet a specific purpose and to fit within a designated area. The common thread that links all of these homes together is the presence of structural quirks that add a unique layer of