Lace making (part one)

Abstract

Over the ages, one of the most consistent industries in Malta has been the lace industry, which, dispite the impact of the machine-made product continues to be in demand especially on the part of tourists, as Malta lace has a special attraction on account of its particular intrinsic value, its unique design and the fact that the material is entirely handmade. So far, it has not been possible to determine with any degree of certainty and accuracy the exact time when lace was first manufactured in Malta, once the Island's history is such a rich one, Malta having through the ages had to bear the brunt of the domination of the strongest and most powerful nations of the day - from the earliest Phoenicians, our first known settlers, to the British whose domination lasted no less than 160 years.