Big holes in a small place : the stone quarrying dilemma in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

With the exception of major topographic features, there is little within the diminutive land area of Malta that remains unmodified by human hand and the most striking example of a reworked landscape is the quarries which have resulted from demand for the islands' limestone. There has been continuous occupation of this mid-Mediterranean archipelago since the mid-Neolithic period and the many important archeological sites attest to the fact that the Maltese have been workers of stone since earliest times. Various occupiers and colonial rulers continued this tradition and have added their mark as planners and builders, most notably the Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (1530-1798) and the British (1800-1964). The great majority of new Maltese homes are still either all stone or have extensive stone cladding. [excerpt]