Roman buildings in Malta and their decoration

Abstract

Every research study has to start off with a number of goals which the scholar must set and try to achieve. This study, which will be dealing with the architectural decoration of Roman buildings in the Maltese Islands, is no exception and it will have the following as its main aims: • To compile a catalogue of the fragments and elements of decorative architecture present in the National, Church and private collections in both Malta and Gozo. These will include any fragments of architraves, columns, capitals, bases and cornices but will not include pieces of coloured plasters and sculpture. This catalogue will be compiled using a digital database which will be incorporated in the Country's National database. This catalogue will also be transferred to a printed gazetteer which will be presented as a hard copy appendix with this study. • To try to identify whether any fragments mentioned in old texts (for example, Abela and Caruana) still survive in the collections and try to give a provenance to as many pieces as possible. This will help to identify the major styles and building phases used in the various periods of the Roman occupation.