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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260305T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260305T100000
DTSTAMP:20260515T200530
CREATED:20260220T095433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T101042Z
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SUMMARY:The Militia List (1419/1420): some considerations about its toponymic and onomastic content
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Simon Salafia\nLanguage: Maltese \nSummary: \nWettinger’s Militia List (published in 1969) provides a valuable sample of the personal names and surnames of people living in Malta in the early fifteenth century. While family names have been analysed by several local scholars\, including Wettinger himself\, the personal names of our ancestors living in Malta some 600 years ago never appear to have been examined in detail. The aim of this lecture is to present a comprehensive analysis of this corpus of personal names in order to propose more plausible interpretations of local toponyms. Moreover\, from an onomastic perspective\, these given names reveal Sicilian and Catalan influences inherent in the inventory. \nEntrance is free\, however registration is required. Please follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983613099177
URL:https://nafmalta.org/nafevent/the-militia-list-1419-1420-some-considerations-about-its-toponymic-and-onomastic-content/
LOCATION:Notarial Archives Foundation\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta\, VLT 1227\, Malta
CATEGORIES:Lecture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://nafmalta.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Simon-Salafia_banner.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260326T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260326T120000
DTSTAMP:20260515T200530
CREATED:20260311T000042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T100931Z
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SUMMARY:Putting Arms to Paper: Fighting Manuals as Pedagogical Texts in Italy and Germany\, c. 1380–1700
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Adam Peter Fretwell\nLanguage: English \nSummary: \nThis lecture examines European fighting manuals produced between approximately\n1380 and 1700\, focusing on Italian and German traditions and treating these sources as\npedagogical artefacts rather than merely repositories of technique. Beginning with late\nmedieval manuscript traditions – most notably Fiore dei Liberi’s Fior di Battaglia and the\nJohannes Liechtenauer’s Zettel – the talk traces how embodied martial knowledge was\nstructured and transmitted across both handwritten and printed media. Particular\nattention is given to the role of illustration\, verse\, and diagrammatic sequencing in\ncommunicating complex physical actions\, as well as to the interpretive limits imposed\nby their inherent abstraction. \nThe lecture then follows the transition into the early modern period\, where figures such\nas Achille Marozzo\, Joachim Meyer\, Ridolfo Capoferro\, and Francesco Antonio Marcelli\nincreasingly employed print culture and systematisation to address changing social\ncontexts of education in violence. Through comparative manuscript analysis\, including\ndirect engagement with original sources where possible\, the talk highlights both\ncontinuities and significant pedagogical shifts between medieval and early modern\nfencing literature. \nThe lecture will also offer a measured critique of modern engagements with these\nmanuals\, particularly within Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). While\nacknowledging the movement’s success in recovering and popularising neglected\nsources\, it argues that contemporary reconstructions often under-theorise issues of\npedagogy\, visual rhetoric\, alongside textual transmission\, treating manuals as\ntransparent technical guides rather than culturally situated teaching tools. By reframing\nfighting manuals as deliberate instructional compositions shaped by medium and\nintent\, this lecture advocates for a more historically grounded and critically reflective\napproach to their study and modern practice. \nAbout the Speaker:\n\nAdam Peter Fretwell is currently studying History and English at the University of Malta and is studying in Italy to become a Maestro d’Armi in the field of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). With a passion rooted in both academic inquiry and practical experience\, he has been actively involved in HEMA since 2007—beginning with archery in the UK\, and then in 2008 joining Show of Arms\, a School of Arms in Malta\, and currently is the head instructor teaching various techniques and weapon systems from 12th to 19th Century\, which he has also put to the test in various tournaments around Europe and the UK. In his free time\, he works in translating manuscripts from this historical timeframe into English. His interest lies in interpreting historical fencing manuals through the lens of modern body biomechanics\, offering fresh perspectives on how martial culture and technique have been informed by\, and adapted to\, the human body over time. His work invites readers and practitioners alike to embrace alternative views as a gateway to rethinking historical combat traditions. \nImportant Information \nEntrance is free but booking is required. Kindly book through this Eventbrite link.\nOnce you have successfully booked\, your name will be added to our guest list. There is no need to print your ticket(s). \nAttendees are kindly asked to arrive a few minutes before the scheduled start time. As the event is free and seating is limited\, any unoccupied seats may be offered to walk-ins once the lecture begins. \nPlease note that\, due to ongoing repairs to the lift\, the lecture hall is currently accessible only via three flights of stairs. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. \nPlease also note that our lectures are photographed and may be recorded for documentation\, archival\, and media purposes. \nThis lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.
URL:https://nafmalta.org/nafevent/putting-arms-to-paper-fighting-manuals-as-pedagogical-texts/
LOCATION:Notarial Archives Foundation\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta\, VLT 1227\, Malta
CATEGORIES:Lecture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260416T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260416T200000
DTSTAMP:20260515T200530
CREATED:20260326T131453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260328T132151Z
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SUMMARY:Ejja Nagħmlu Festa bil-Kantilena
DESCRIPTION:Taħdita speċjali għall-anniversarju tal-iskrizzjoni tal-Kantilena fir-Reġistru tal-Memorja tad-Dinja tal-UNESCO. Bi sħab mad-Dipartiment tal-Malti fl-UM. \nKelliem: Dr Olvin Vella \nTaqsira: \nNitolbukom taqraw il-Kantilena minn qabel\, jekk qatt ma qrajtuha. U mbagħad ħalluna nġorrukom aħna u nsemmu l-karigi politiċi fil-Medjuevu\, kemm waqa’ bini għax ma kinux jagħmlu t-testijiet tal-blat\, x’erba’ espressjonijiet kellhom\, kemm il-kliem jibdel it-tifsira tiegħu\, kemm il-ħoss tal-Malti kien ferm differenti minn tal-lum\, u kemm daħqitilna xortina meta xi ħadd\, forsi bi żball\, illega manetta kważi vojta mal-bqija tal-manetti li kellhom il-kuntratti u t-testmenti. \nId-dħul huwa bla ħlas\, iżda l-postijiet huma limitati. Reġistrazzjoni meħtieġa. \n\nLadarba tirreġistra\, m’hemmx bżonn tistampa l-biljett.\nNitolbukom taslu ftit qabel. Hekk kif tibda t-taħdita\, siġġijiet mhux okkupati se jingħataw lil min jattendi mingħajr prenotazzjoni.\nIt-taħdita se tiġi fotografata u rrekordjata għal skopijiet ta’ dokumentazzjoni\, arkivjar u midja.\nIl-lift bħalissa mhux qed jaħdem. Aċċess bit-taraġ biss (żewġ sulari).
URL:https://nafmalta.org/nafevent/ejja-naghmlu-festa-bil-kantilena/
LOCATION:Notarial Archives Foundation\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta\, VLT 1227\, Malta
CATEGORIES:Lecture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://nafmalta.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ejja-naghmlu-fest-bil-Kantilena.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260429T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260429T210000
DTSTAMP:20260515T200530
CREATED:20260415T195407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T131406Z
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SUMMARY:The Secrets of Parchment: Exploring Research and Craftsmanship through the Ġilduża Project
DESCRIPTION:Overview \nTitle: The Secrets of Parchment: Exploring Research and Craftsmanship through the Ġilduża Project\nDate & Time: Wednesday\, 29 April\, 2026 | 18:00\nLocation: Notarial Registers Archive\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta \nBringing together leading experts\, the seminar will examine parchment from multiple perspectives\, from traditional craftsmanship to scientific research. At the centre of the seminar is Ġilduża\, a project working towards the revival of parchment-making in Malta through collaboration between artisans\, conservators\, historians\, scientists\, and farmers. Ġilduża\, co-funded by the European Union under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)\, is a collaborative project between the Notarial Archives Foundation\, the Malta Public Abattoir\, and Dr Jiří Vnouček. \nProgramme and Speakers \n18:00\nWelcoming addresses and introductions \n\n18:40\nParchment making in Malta: towards a revival: The Ġilduża project bringing together artisans\, conservators\, historians\, scientists\, and farmers\nDr Jiří Vnouček\, Senior Researcher\, The Royal Library Copenhagen\n& Chanelle Mifsud Briffa\, Head of Conservation\, Notarial Archives Foundation \nAbstract \nThis project brings Malta’s traditional craft of parchment-making back to life\, exploring its history\, techniques\, and cultural significance. In the process\, a new training centre is being set up to pass on this knowledge through hands-on learning. This project brings together participants from various fields. \nThe initiative uses locally sourced animal skins that would otherwise go to waste\, promoting a sustainable approach to craft and supporting local communities. Collaboration between multiple institutions ensures the revival is socially\, culturally\, and ecologically responsible. \nLooking ahead\, the project also aims to incorporate the study of Maltese livestock genetics to help understand historical parchment production\, distinguish local from imported skins\, and fill gaps in knowledge of Malta’s material history. \nBio-notes \nJiří Vnouček studied conservation in Prague. In 1992/93 he was an intern with Christopher Clarkson at West Dean College\, England. In 2010 he obtained a Master’s degree in conservation in Copenhagen\, Denmark. In 2019 he completed his doctorate at the University of York (Centre of Medieval Studies and the Department of Archaeology) in England. From 1984 to 1991 he was a paper and book conservator at the Strahov Library in Prague and from 1993 to 2005 head of the Conservation Department at the National Library of the Czech Republic. He has been employed at the Royal Danish Library as a conservator since 2005 and as a senior researcher since 2024. His research combines methods of visual assessment of parchment in medieval manuscripts with experience from his own experimental parchment making and manuscript conservation. He regularly organizes workshops\, lectures and publishes articles on these topics. From 2019 to 2024 he participated in the ERC research project Beast to Craft and from January 2025 he is a member of the research team of the ERC project Insular Manuscripts in the Age of Charlemagne. \nChanelle Mifsud Briffa is Head of Conservation at the Notarial Archives Foundation. In 2020\, she was awarded a warrant as a book and paper conservator by the Bord tal-Warrant tar-Restawraturi. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Malta\, where her research focuses on the discolouration of 18th-century documents through non-invasive analytical techniques. \n\n19:10\nParchment: Layers of Meaning – The Biomolecular Adventure Hidden in Every Document\nProf. Matthew Collins\, Professor of Palaeoproteomics at the University of Cambridge and Professor of Bioarchaeology at the GLOBE Institute\, University of Copenhagen \nAbstract \nBefore any word was written\, a document had a biography. The parchment on which a notary’s hand moved was once a living animal whose skin was soaked in lime\, stretched on a frame\, and scraped to translucency. For centuries\, scholars have read what is written on these pages. We can now read what is written in them. \nEvery sheet of parchment is simultaneously a legal record\, a biological archive\, a chemical time capsule\, and an environmental diary. Using techniques drawn from ancient DNA analysis\, protein fingerprinting\, and stable isotope chemistry\, we can now recover the species and geographic origin of the animal\, the season in which it was slaughtered\, the diseases it carried\, the climate it lived through\, and the hands that handled the finished document across generations of use. \nBio-note \nMatthew Collins is Professor of Palaeoproteomics at the University of Cambridge and Professor of Bioarchaeology at the GLOBE Institute\, University of Copenhagen. Together with Sarah Fiddyment\, he developed the non-destructive electrostatic extraction technique that allows protein and DNA recovery from medieval manuscripts without damaging the object\, enabling investigation of parchment production\, species identification\, and the use of exotic materials in bindings. He co-developed ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry)\, now widely used in heritage science. He is a co-investigator on the CODICUM ERC Synergy Grant\, an interdisciplinary project applying biomolecular methods to Nordic manuscript fragments. He is a Fellow of the British Academy\, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters\, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences\, and a recipient of the Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology. \n\n19:35\nPox in the parchment: What can we learn about ancient animal diseases from parchment\nDr Kevin Daly\, Assistant Professor at UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science\, University College Dublin \nAbstract \nIn addition to their use in manuscripts\, parchments represent the preserved tissue of animals that may have lived over a thousand years ago. DNA preserved in these materials can recover information about the animal itself\, as well as the pathogens that may have affected them. \nThis presentation will describe the recovery of the sheeppox virus from medieval European parchments made from a range of species. From 21 ancient virus genomes\, spanning from the Bronze Age to Early Modern Europe and recovered from both parchment and skeletal remains\, we learn how this highly lethal animal disease evolved alongside human civilisation. \nThese findings demonstrate how animal diseases have shaped human history\, and how parchment represents a rich biological archive of our past. \nBio-note \nKevin Daly is an Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science\, University College Dublin. A trained geneticist\, Dr Daly’s research has focused on the domestication of small ruminants (sheep and goats). From March 2026\, he will lead the European Research Council-funded project “HERDPATH”\, exploring how livestock and pathogens have coevolved since the beginning of livestock keeping. \n\n20:00\nMetagenomics and the Study of Parchment Purple Spot Damage\nDr Ana Catarina Pinheiro\, Senior Technician\, Biology\, Analytical Laboratory\, José de Figueiredo Laboratory \nAbstract \nParchment biodeterioration\, particularly the formation of purple spots associated with collagen fibre degradation\, remains an important challenge in manuscript conservation. This study reviews recent advances in the field and presents metagenomic data obtained from medieval codices with different preservation conditions. \nDNA extracted from samples collected from a heavily affected manuscript and from a comparatively well-preserved codex was analysed through Illumina sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA V3–V4 region for bacteria and ITS markers for fungi. The results support the currently proposed microbial succession model\, in which halophilic microorganisms introduced during brining are followed by environmental bacteria and fungi. \nThe predominance of Actinomycetota\, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in the analysed samples is consistent with later stages of this process and reinforces the relevance of manufacture and use-related contamination in the biodeterioration of parchment. \nThese findings confirm the value of metagenomics for investigating parchment degradation while also underlining the need for broader comparative studies and refined methodologies. \nBio-note \nCatarina Pinheiro is a pharmacist and conservator-restorer with a PhD in Conservation Science. Her research has focused on microbiology applied to cultural heritage\, with work carried out at the University of Coimbra\, NOVA University Lisbon\, and the University of Évora. She currently works at the José de Figueiredo Laboratory (Museus e Monumentos de Portugal)\, Lisbon\, where she is responsible for biological analysis and co-coordinates integrated pest management across a network of 37 museum institutions in Portugal. \n\n20:30\nConcluding Remarks \n\n20:40\nDrinks & Nibbles \n\nRegistration \nFree entrance. Seating is limited.  Registration now open . \nOther useful information: \nThere is no need to print tickets once order is confirmed. \nSeating is limited. Once the event starts\, all unoccupied seating will be given to walk-ins. We encourage you to be on time as seat availability is on a first-come\, first-served basis. \nThe seminar will be photographed and filmed for documentation\, and use in media and reporting. \nThe lift is currently unavailable. Access through staircase only (2 floors).
URL:https://nafmalta.org/nafevent/the-secrets-of-parchment-gilduza/
LOCATION:Notarial Archives Foundation\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta\, VLT 1227\, Malta
CATEGORIES:Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260521T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome:20260521T120000
DTSTAMP:20260515T200530
CREATED:20260511T083701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T083701Z
UID:5389-1779357600-1779364800@nafmalta.org
SUMMARY:Contested Images: Women’s (Mis)representations in Malta\, c. 1960s–1980s
DESCRIPTION:Contested Images: Women’s (Mis)representations in Malta\, c. 1960s–1980s \nSpeaker: Dr Simone Azzopardi \nAbstract: \nAs post-independence Malta grappled with cultural friction between Catholic conservatism and features of secularisation\, debates about decency\, morality\, and the image of women surfaced in censorship battles\, public scandal\, and the pages of the commercial press. Advertising\, film\, radio and print media constructed competing and often contradictory ideals\, often framing women either as the dutiful housewife or the sexualised temptress\, while holding them to moral standards. Drawing on the archives of the National Council of Women\, the Muviment għall-Emanċipazzjoni tal-Mara\, and Min-Naħa tan-Nisa\, this lecture traces how these organisations responded to the ways women were portrayed – each from their own distinct standpoint\, from moral guardianship to feminist critique – in a landscape that simultaneously idealised\, objectified\, and policed the Maltese woman. \nEntrance is Free but registration is required. \nAbout the Speaker:\n \nSimone Azzopardi is a lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Malta\, where she teaches late modern and contemporary Maltese\, European\, and global history. She has long been active in the Malta Historical Society\, where she currently serves as Vice-President\, a position she also holds in the Malta University Historical Society. Beyond academia\, she is also the chairperson of the environmental NGO Għawdix. \nOther Information: \n\nOnce registration is confirmed\, there is no need to print your ticket(s).\nWe kindly advise arriving a little early. Seating is on a first-come\, first-served basis. Once the lecture begins\, any unoccupied seating will be allocated to walk-ins.\nThe lift is currently unavailable. Access is by staircase only (2 floors).\nPlease note that the lecture will be photographed and recorded for documentation and media purposes.
URL:https://nafmalta.org/nafevent/contested-images-womens-misrepresentations-in-malta-1960s-1980s/
LOCATION:Notarial Archives Foundation\, 217\, St Paul Street\, Valletta\, VLT 1227\, Malta
CATEGORIES:Lecture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nafmalta.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SimoneAzzopardi_FB-Banner.jpg
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