The Mgarr area : studies of early modern landscape

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is to illustrate how the data obtained from historical sources (survey sheets, old maps, tenement plans, toponyms and historical documents) can contribute to a better understanding and also help recreate past landscapes by using the retrogressive approach. Retrogressive Analysis starts with the examination of the most recent records which in this case are survey sheets, maps, tenements plans and historical records and moves backwards through a series of earlier documents taking into account the topographical references, the use of toponyms and land use thus providing a temporal analysis of the landscape being studied. The area under investigation is the Mġarr area in Malta in the Early Modern Period (16th to the 19th century). The study will assess the continuous interaction of both the physical and cultural landscape, proposing how these were influenced by the historical events taking place in this area while affecting the people’s perception of this region. The second part of the dissertation deals with the location and analysis of a number of tenements in the Mġarr area belonging to the various Foundations and Institutions that fell under the Order of St. John - the sovereign ruler of the Maltese Islands in the Early Modern Period. These tenements which were found from a number of cabrei have been transcribed on GIS (Geographic Information System) and analysed in relation to the roads, springs and settlements. The approaches applied here will help the reader understand the varying changes and continuity that have characterised the Mġarr area from the Early Modern Period to modern times.