Malta in c. 1480: Art, Architecture, and the Cultural World of the Kantilena
2025-02-13 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Speaker: Professor Charlene Vella
Language: English
About the Lecture:
Malta in the fifteenth century stood at a cultural crossroads, reflecting a rich interplay of artistic, architectural, and linguistic influences that shaped its identity. This lecture delves into the island’s vibrant art and architectural landscape, with a special focus on the period in which the Kantilena was penned, the earliest known literary text in the Maltese language, by Pietru Caxaro, a nobleman residing in Mdina.
The lecture will explore the palaces of the sophisticated noble families who resided in Mdina, or the Civitas, where Latin was predominantly used in administration and culture, juxtaposed with the vernacular architecture of structures like the Church of the Annunciation in Ħal Millieri, Żurrieq, consecrated in 1480, where the native Maltese language was spoken. Despite the prevalence of Latin among the nobility, Caxaro’s choice to compose the Kantilena in Maltese underscores the complex linguistic dynamics of the period. It highlights the emerging significance of the vernacular language. This is similarly reflected in art and architecture.
The lecture will also examine the Mediterranean artistic interactions that influenced Malta’s visual arts, including the impact of two Sicilian artistic workshops that introduced Renaissance ideals to the island at the same time. This talk aims to comprehensively understand Malta’s cultural milieu in the mid to late fifteenth century, highlighting the island’s role as a melting pot of Mediterranean and European influences.
About the Speaker:
Charlene Vella is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance art, with a particular focus on Mediterranean artistic interactions during these periods. She earned her B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in History of Art from the University of Malta, achieving a Distinction for her master’s degree with her tutor being Professor Mario Buhagiar. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Warwick, supported by a full scholarship, under the supervision of Professor Donal Cooper.
Professor Vella has authored several publications, including The Mediterranean Artistic Context of Late Medieval Malta 1091-1530 (Midsea Books, 2013) and In the Footsteps of Antonello da Messina: The Antonelliani in Sicily and Venice in the Late Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Centuries (Midsea Books, 2022).
Her research interests encompass the works of Antonello da Messina and his followers, Eastern Sicilian and Venetian Renaissance art, gender issues in art, and the dynamics of Mediterranean artistic interactions during the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. She also leads research projects involving diagnostic testing, conservation, and restoration of Late Medieval and Renaissance artworks.
In recognition of her contributions to art history, Professor Vella was awarded the Premio “Antonello da Messina” for the section Studi Antonelliani on 14 April 2023 by the Associazione Culturale Antonello da Messina.
Kindly RSVP by emailing ou******@na******.org. Following the lecture, we warmly invite you to the courtyard to enjoy some light refreshments.
This lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

Lost Fashion Shops of Valletta: the Untold Stories
2025-03-27 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Speaker: Caroline Tonna, Dress Historian
Language: English
About the Lecture:
Fashion shops reflect the spirit of their time, embodying societal aspirations and shaping our social and cultural identity. Lost Fashion Shops of Valletta: The Untold Stories delves into the commercial activities of 19th- and early 20th-century fashion retailers in Valletta, drawing from notarial archive documents. This research presents a compelling narrative of Valletta’s fashion history, highlighting its influence on evolving consumption trends, the decline of local craftsmanship, the rise of imported ready-made goods, and the dramatic transformation of the city’s streetscape.
About the Speaker:
Caroline Tonna is an art and dress historian and former curator at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Mdina (2018–2023). She holds degrees in Anthropology and Art History, as well as a Master of Arts in Art History. Specialising in 19th-century dress history and photography, she is the author of Fashion Society in Malta: The Portrait Photography of Leandro Preziosi 1830–1869 (Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, 2022), which won the National Book Council Prize 2023 for best publication production. Caroline has extensive experience in publishing, as well as in cultural productions for radio and television.
Kindly RSVP by emailing ou******@na******.org. Following the lecture, we warmly invite you to the courtyard to enjoy some light refreshments.
This lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

Highlighting a National Treasure – Marie Louise Kold
2025-04-10 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Join us for Highlighting a National Treasure – an event celebrating the national treasure, the Kantilena, and the bespoke artwork created by Marie Louise Kold.
Speaker: Marie Louise Kold, Metal Artist
Language: English
About the Lecture:
Marie Louise Kold will share the creative journey behind her bespoke artwork, designed as a pedestal for the Kantilena volume – Malta’s oldest known text in Maltese and a true national treasure. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti commissioned the piece for the Notarial Registers Archive.
During the event, Marie Louise will speak about the inspiration that guided her, the challenges she faced, and the breakthroughs that shaped the final artwork. She collaborated closely with the staff of the Notarial Registers Archive. Moreover, she carefully documented the process with photos taken in her studio and lab in Sweden.
As Malta’s oldest known text in Maltese, the Kantilena holds deep cultural significance. This unique collaboration brings together art, history, and language in one powerful installation. Through her vision, Marie Louise Kold celebrates this national treasure in a new and enduring way.
About the Speaker:
Since 1997, Marie Louise Kold has worked with patinated and etched copper, brass, and bronze. She is internationally recognised for transforming bare metals into emotionally powerful works of art. Her pieces are found in private and corporate collections worldwide, including the Swedish Royal Court and the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
🔗 Visit her website: mlkold.com
RSVP: Please email ou******@na******.org to register for the event.
Following the lecture, you are warmly invited to enjoy light refreshments in the courtyard.
Learn more about the Kantilena: nafmalta.org/treasures
Visit Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti’s website: patrimonju.org

L-Ilsien Malti tan-Nutara u tal-Komunità Medjevali – Dr Olvin Vella
2025-05-22 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Ingħaqad magħna għat-taħdita ‘L-Ilsien Malti tan-Nutara u tal-Komunità Medjevali.’
Kelliem: Dr Olvin Vella
Lingwa: Malti
Dwar it-Taħdita:
Minħabba li n-nutara ma kinux jitgħallmu l-Malti fl-edukazzjoni formali tagħhom, ilsienna kienu jiktbuh fonetikament u bis-saħħa ta’ hekk l-ilsien Malti tan-Nutara miktub jwasslilna tagħrif imprezzabbli. Ngħidu aħna, nafu fiċ-ċert li kellhom regoli tal-pronunzja differenti minn tal-lum, u xi konsonanti li aħna niktbu (allavolja tlifniehom, bħall-għajn u l-akka), huma kienu għadhom ilissnuhom. Dan u aktar f’din it-taħdita.
Dwar il-Kelliem:
Dr Olvin Vella jgħallem l-istorja tal-lingwa fl-Università ta’ Malta. Jirriċerka d-dokumenti qodma u x-xogħlijiet tal-awturi ewlenin tas-seklu 18, jiġifieri De Soldanis u Vassalli. Bħalissa qed jikkoordina l-ġabra tal-eqdem kliem bil-Malti, li se tkun online fix-xhur li ġejjin, u li hija proġett ieħor tad-Dipartiment tal-Malti.
Dan l-avveniment qed jiġi organizzat b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Alfred Mizzi.
English Version:
Join us for ‘The Maltese Language of Notaries and the Medieval Community.’
Speaker: Dr Olvin Vella
Language: Maltese
About the Lecture:
Since notaries did not learn Maltese in their formal education, they wrote our language phonetically. As a result, they have passed down invaluable knowledge. For instance, we know with certainty that they had pronunciation rules different from those of today. Furthermore, some consonants we write (even though we have lost them, like the ‘għ’ and ‘h’) were still pronounced.
About the Speaker:
Dr Olvin Vella teaches the history of the Maltese language at the University of Malta. He researches old documents and the works of the main Maltese authors of the 18th century, namely, De Soldanis and Vassalli. Currently, he is coordinating a compendium of the oldest words in Maltese, which will be available online in the coming months. This initiative is part of another project led by the Maltese Department at the University of Malta.
This event is being organised in collaboration with The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

Serata ta' Qari b'Solidarjeta ma' Gaza
2025-09-10 19:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Rome) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Serata ta’ Qari b’Solidarjetà ma’ Gaza
L-Erbgħa, 10 ta’ Settembru 2025, 7:00 PM
L-Arkivju tar-Reġistri Nutarili, 217 Triq San Pawl, il-Belt Valletta
Fid-dawl tal-vjolenza u l-għaks li għadhom sejrin f’Gaza, qed norganizzaw serata ta’ qari b’solidarjetà ma’ Gaza u ħutna Palestinjani. Se jinqraw siltiet minn kitbiet ta’ awturi Palestinjani tradotti għall-Malti, kif ukoll riflessjonijiet minn awturi Maltin dwar l-atroċitajiet li qed iseħħu. L-għan tagħna huwa li noħolqu spazju għall-ilħna Palestinjani, biex flimkien inkunu xhieda favur l-umanità kollettiva quddiem dak li hu inaċċettabbli.
Il-qari għal din is-serata qed jiġi organizzat bi sħab mad-Dipartiment tal-Malti fl-UM.
Id-dħul huwa bla ħlas. Se nkunu qed niġbru donazzjonijiet b’risq familji Palestinjani li jgħixu f’Malta u li qegħdin fil-bżonn. Minbarra flus kontanti qed niġbru ukoll vouchers biex ikunu jistgħu jixtru ikel u prodotti essenzjali. Kull donazzjoni mis-serata se tkun qed tmur għalihom. Min jixtieq jattendi jista’ jibgħatilna fuq ou******@na******.org. Min ma jistax jattendi u jixtieq jgħin xorta, jista’ jikkuntattjana fuq l-istess indirizz elettroniku. Kull ftit jgħin – ejjew ningħaqdu flimkien b’solidarjetà.
________________________________________
Solidarity Reading in Solidarity with Gaza
Wednesday, 10 September 2025, 7:00 PM
Notarial Registers Archive, 217 St Paul Street, Valletta
In light of the violence and suffering still unfolding in Gaza, we are organising a solidarity reading with Gaza and our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Excerpts from works by Palestinian authors translated into Maltese will be read, together with reflections by Maltese writers on the atrocities taking place. Our aim is to create a space for Palestinian voices, so that together we may bear witness to our collective humanity in the face of what is unacceptable.
This reading is being organised in collaboration with the Department of Maltese at UM.
Entrance is free. We will be collecting donations in aid of Palestinian families living in Malta who are in need. Alongside cash contributions, we are also collecting vouchers so that they may purchase food and essential products. All donations from the evening will go directly to them. Those who wish to attend may contact us at ou******@na******.org. Those who cannot attend but would still like to help may also reach us on the same email address. Every contribution helps – let’s come together in solidarity.

Inter Insulas: Archives as Bridges Between Malta and Sicily
2025-10-15 | Aula Magna, UM Valletta Campus, University of Malta, Valletta Campus, St. Paul's Street, Valletta, Malta
Overview
The Notarial Archives Foundation is proud to announce the upcoming Malta-Sicily archival symposium.Title: Inter Insulas: Archives as Bridges Between Malta and Sicily
Date: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Location: Aula Magna, University of Malta, Valletta Campus | Online (Zoom)
This one-day Malta-Sicily symposium marks the first formal collaboration between the Notarial Registers Archive in Valletta and the Archivio di Stato di Palermo. This is an important step towards fostering cross-border partnerships between Malta and Sicily, especially because both institutions share a commitment to preserving, studying, and promoting the cultural and documentary heritage of the islands.
Programme and Speakers
Thanks to the generous support of the HSBC Malta Foundation and The Alfred Mizzi Foundation, we are gladly welcoming a multi-disciplinary panel of experts from Malta, Sicily, and beyond who have contributed to the study of Malta–Sicily connections across archival science, conservation, community engagement, and cultural history.
Joining the panel are also Maltese and international professionals and scholars who have contributed to the study of Malta-Sicily connections across archival science, conservation, community engagement, and cultural history.
Full programme available here.

09:30–10:00Palermo State Archives’ Heritage in the Service of the Scientific, Civic and Economic CommunitiesDr Francesca Di Pasquale
AbstractThe first part of the lecture will present the formation and history of the State Archives of Palermo, one of the last major state archives to be established in the Mediterranean. In particular, the process of creating such an institute of concentration will be analysed.
In the second part, the Institute’s heritage mediation activities will be illustrated. After providing an overview of the Italian organisation of the State Archives network, the lecture will examine the ways in which the Palermo Archives guarantee access to heritage, considering their dual role as both guardians of rights and a resource for researchers and citizens alike.
Finally, drawing on recent reflections on the economic value of archives, Dr Di Pasquale will discuss how accessibility to archival heritage can act as a driver for economic and social development in the communities it serves.
Bio-noteFrancesca Di Pasquale is an archivist and historian (PhD in African History, University of Pisa, 2007). She currently works at the Archival Superintendence for Sicily – State Archives of Palermo. Her research interests lie in archives, citizens’ rights, colonial history, and the history of punishment. From 2008 to 2011 she led the scientific project for the recovery and enhancement of the Libyan Historical Archives (Centre of National Archives and Historical Studies, Tripoli – Libya). From 2014 to 2017 she was postdoctoral researcher at the NIOD (Amsterdam) within the project Four Centuries of Labour Camps.

10:00–10:30Apologia Pro Vita Mea: A Labour of Love Called Archival ResearchProf. Stanley Fiorini
Abstract
This presentation offers a personal account of Prof. Fiorini’s life-long engagement with archives, both in Malta and abroad. He will reflect on the motivations that inspired his pursuit of archival research, the challenges encountered along the way, and the outcomes of his work — not only in terms of publications, but also as enduring lessons for life.
Bio-note
Stanley Fiorini is Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow of the University of Malta, and former Head of its Mathematics Department. His interest in Maltese history has led to a number of publications of sole or joint authorship, including Mdina. The Cathedral City of Malta (1996), Tristia ex Melitogaudo: Lament in Greek Verse of a XIIth-Century Exile on Gozo (2010), and The Parchments of the Mdina Cathedral Archives, Malta: 1420–1959 (2019). He also initiated the series Documentary Sources of Maltese History, contributing to its first eighteen volumes, and has edited numerous publications of the Malta Historical Society, of which he was Honorary President.
His involvement in archival management includes serving as Archivist of the Maltese Jesuits’ Provincial Archives (2000–2024), membership of the Cathedral Archives Managerial Board (2004–), and as a founding member of the Notarial Archives Foundation in 2004.

☕ Coffee Break

11:00–11:30Exploring Sicily through the Hospitaller Lens: Maltese Archival Encounters and Research Pathways Beyond Mediterranean ShoresDr Valeria Vanesio
Abstract
This presentation investigates Sicily’s historical ties with Malta through the lens of the Order of St John through the extensive Hospitaller archival collections preserved in Malta. Drawing on a variety of sources, it offers a fresh perspective on the Hospitallers’political, cultural, and social engagements with Sicily across the early modern period. By placing the mapping of these primary sources at the centre of the discussion and looking at archival connections beyond the two islands, the talk highlights the value of archival research and history for reconstructing trans-Mediterranean networks and sheds light on previously overlooked aspects of the Order’s role in shaping Sicilian affairs.
Bio-note
Valeria Vanesio is a lecturer in the Department of Library, Information, and Archive
Sciences at the University of Malta and an international associate of the Malta Study Center at Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (MN, US), where she leads research and cataloguing projects. She holds a PhD from Sapienza University of Rome and two specialisation degrees in archival science from the State Archives of Rome and the Vatican Apostolic Archive. She was previously a postdoctoral researcher and archivist at the Malta Study Center and directed the first three-year project to reorganize the historical Magistral Archives of the Order of St John in Rome.
She is the coordinator of the Hospitaller Archival Studies School, held annually in different international venues, and the founder of the Hospitaller Research Forum. In 2025, she was awarded the prestigious Waldo Gifford Leland Award by the Society of American Archivists and elected to the Executive Committee of the International Council on Archives’ European Regional Branch (EURBICA) for the 2025–2029 term.
She has published extensively in the field and co-edited The Land and the Cross: Properties of the Order of St John between Centre and Periphery (16th–18th centuries) (2025).

11:30–12:00Engaging Communities, Building Networks: The Palermo State Archives and the Challenges of ParticipationDr Floriana Giallombardo
Abstract
The lecture will introduce the Palermo State Archives focusing on its relationship with the urban context and its various target audiences. Following a brief presentation of the two locations situated in the historic centre of Palermo, the ongoing promotional activities—both in-person and digital—will be illustrated, aimed at addressing the cultural and educational needs of the different communities in the area. In the second part, in particular, the focus will be on examining the ways in which diverse audiences are engaged through the implementation of participatory processes.
Bio-note
Floriana Giallombardo is an art historian and received her PhD in European Cultural Studies in 2016 from the University of Palermo, with a thesis on “Agostino Scilla (1629-1700) e la cultura visuale della Historia, fra antiquaria e storia naturale” (supervisor Prof. Michele Cometa). After her doctorate, she conducted research as a fellow at several cultural institutes, being interested in topics of visual culture and history of science (Warburg Institute, London; Scaliger Institute and Naturalis Biodiversity center, Leiden; German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Halle -Saale). Serving at the Italian Ministero della Cultura since 2018 as a Promotion and communication officer, since 2021 she has been working at the Soprintendenza archivistica per la Sicilia-Archivio di Stato di Palermo (SAAS-SIPA). She graduated as Archivist Paleographer at the Scuola di Archivistica, Paleografia e Diplomatica of the same Institute, at which she currently teaches Communication and Enhancement of Archives as part of the two-year specialization course for archivists.

12:00–13:00Medieval Malta’s High Languages: The Transition from Chancery Sicilian to Italian as Witnessed in Notarial and Administrative DocumentsProf. Joseph M. Brincat (Keynote)
Abstract
In medieval Malta the earliest documents were in Latin, as in Italy, where local varieties were spoken and came to be written rather late. In Sicily the volgare appeared in poems around 1250 and later in the chanceries. In Malta correspondence with parts in Sicilian began in 1345, but the acts of the Mdina Universitas increasingly turned to Sicilian, besides Latin, in the 15 th and 16 th centuries (Wettinger 1993). The Church followed suit in practical writings as early as 1473 (Fiorini1992). I outlined the local linguistic situation in the XIIIth to the XVIth centuries in chapters 3 to 6 in Maltese and other languages (2011¹, 2021²). Recently, a detailed phonetic and grammatical analysis of the language used in Malta has been published by Davide Basaldella (2024), while Mario Pagano scoured Maltese documents in the compilation of ARTESIA (Archivio Testuale del Siciliano Antico), a corpus of words in their original context. These studies are indispensable to Maltese scholars reading our medieval documents.
Bio-note
Professor Joseph M. Brincat specializes in Historical Linguistics, the Romance element in Maltese, Onomastics, and Film dubbing. He holds degrees from the universities of Malta, London and Florence, read papers in conferences held in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, England and the USA, and has delivered courses and seminars in various European universities. His main publications are Giovan Matteo di Meglio, Rime, Olschki, Firenze 1977, La linguistica prestrutturale, Zanichelli, Bologna 1986, and the linguistic history of Malta published in Maltese (2000, 2005²), in Italian (2004) and in English (Maltese and other languages, 2011, 2021²). He edited the proceedings of six conferences held in Malta and abroad, and is on the editorial board of various journals. He is an elected member of the Accademia della Crusca (Florence), of the Centro Studi Filologici e Linguistici Siciliani (Palermo), the Centro Internazionale sul Plurilinguismo at the University of Udine, and has been
honoured with the title of Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana for scientific merits.

🍽️ Lunch Break

14:00–14:30Palermo State Archives Collection: Conservation Issues and Future ChallengesDr Sophie Bonetti
Abstract
The lecture will introduce, in the first part, the variety of materials forming the archive, in terms of different types of paper, manufacture, binding, sizes, and their interaction with the environment; the most prominent issues in terms of conservation will be analyzed. In the second part there will be a focus on our present effort to face this challenge: an immense amount of material in an historical building; this will include the new approach in the care of the archives, with planning of regular maintenance and long term projects.
Bio-note
Sophie Bonetti is a conservator and art historian (Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Florence 1997). She currently works in the Conservation Lab at the Archival Superintendence for Sicily-State Archives of Palermo, where she takes care of the archival materials, with a particular focus on the notary. Before moving to Palermo, she worked in the U.S. (Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, J. P. Getty Museum in Los Angeles), and in Syria (archaeological expedition 1998-2003), as well as in Axsum – Etiopia, and in Florence (Villa la Pietra), a NYU campus. In Palermo she has been teaching conservation courses at the Art Academy, and has been a consultant for the City of Palermo, for the restoration of its cultural heritage.

14:30–15:00Parchment Making in Malta: Towards a Revival?Dr Jiří Vnouček with Chanelle Mifsud Briffa
Abstract
The first parchment-making trials in Malta were initiated in 2024 through a collaboration between the Notarial Archives Foundation (NAF), the Biċċerija, and parchment expert Jiří Vnouček. Using locally sourced sheep and goat skins, these experiments explored the practicalities of production and also highlighted the sustainable potential of reviving this dying craft.
The question mark in the title underscores the unresolved issue of whether parchment making was ever firmly established in Malta, or whether current initiatives represent the introduction of a practice previously absent. In this light, the study engages with historical references and archival evidence to consider whether parchment was produced locally or sourced through Mediterranean trade networks.
Looking ahead, the Biċċerija has secured EU funding, with NAF as partners and Jiří Vnouček as the expert, to develop further experimental work on historical methods of skin preparation and finishing. These efforts aim to expand knowledge of parchment making in Malta, while also opening the craft to the international community through courses and workshops, ensuring both historical insight and contemporary relevance.
Bio-notes
Jiří 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.
Chanelle 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.

Participation & Tickets
The symposium offers a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and dialogue, and is open to both professionals and the general public.
Ticket prices:
€15 for in-person participation (includes coffee break and light lunch)
€10 for online participation
Register here.
Payments methods:
Bank transfer or BOV Mobile Banking
Bank details here.
Please include “Symposium” in the payment note for easy tracking.
In-person attendance is limited. Reserve your place early and complete payment to secure your spot.Deadline for registration: 7 October 2025
Let’s build bridges through archives!

The Earliest Human Presence on Malta: Views from the Latnija Cave (Mellieħa)
2025-10-30 10:00 (Europe/Rome) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Speakers: Prof. Eleanor Scerri & Prof. Nicholas Vella (University of Malta)
Language: English
About the Lecture:
Last April, the announcement of the results of archaeological excavations at the Latnija Cave received acclaim for rewriting the narrative about the earliest human presence on Malta. This lecture will consider the evidence uncovered by an international team of archaeologists working at Latnija since 2019, drawing on a suite of scientific analyses to identify the nature and extent of human activity in the cave. The findings shed light on the challenges and opportunities of small-island settlement in the Mesolithic and the ramifications of some of the longest sea crossings in the Mediterranean during this period.
About the Speakers:
Prof. Eleanor Scerri is an archaeological scientist based at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology in Germany, where she is the head of the Human Palaeosystems Research Group. Her research seeks to uncover the nature of the origin of our species, our global spread, and our interactions with the environment – with the implications for present day challenges. To do this she combines archaeology with climate science, genetics and computational methods. She has authored over 75 publications on this subject including in the top scientific journals in the world. In doing so, she has achieved global prominence for formulating the dominant models of recent human evolution and driving key breakthroughs in palaeoanthropology. Most recently, she is the Principal Investigator of the European Research Council funded ‘IslandLab’ project, a 1.5 million euro project which is re-writing the prehistory of the Maltese Islands and more broadly, the entire Mediterranean region. She has held positions at the University of Bordeaux and the University of Oxford before joining the Max Planck Society.
Nicholas Vella is Professor in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, which he joined in 1999. He writes on Mediterranean history and archaeology, with a focus on the ancient Phoenicians and the history of archaeological thought and practice. He has co-directed numerous excavations on multi-period sites in the Maltese Islands as part of research-led fieldwork teaching and training for students. He is Co-Investigator of the ‘IslandLab’ project for which he co-directs the fieldwork at Latnija. He has been Rome Scholar at the British School at Rome, Getty Villa Scholar in Los Angeles, and Research Associate at the American University of Beirut. He has led the Department of Classics and Archaeology (2011/19) and the University of Malta’s Doctoral School (2017/25).
Kindly RSVP by emailing ou******@na******.org. Following the lecture, we warmly invite you to the courtyard to enjoy some light refreshments.
This lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

In Search of Corsairs at the Notarial Archives: My Journey
2025-11-20 10:00 (Europe/Rome) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Speaker: Liam Gauci
Language: English
About the Lecture:
Join Liam Gauci this November as he takes you on a journey through the Notarial Archives of Malta. What began as a serendipitous discovery in 2009 soon turned into a quest through centuries-old, uncatalogued documents, covered in dust and bearing the marks of history. Some pages were stained with ink from shipboard writing, while others bore traces of 18th-century quarantine fumigation. Through these fragile, forgotten manuscripts, Liam uncovered the human stories of corsairs—adventurers who roamed the Mediterranean, leaving behind tales of daring and heartache. This lecture promises to reveal a hidden chapter of Maltese history that was once believed to be lost, but thanks to the NAF these have been preserved for generations to come.
About the Speaker:
Liam Gauci is a historian and author whose work has helped uncover Malta’s maritime past through the fragile pages of forgotten archives. His books, Morte o Fortuna and In the Name of the Prince, bring to light the world of Maltese corsairs—men who sailed under letters of marque and whose lives were entwined with empire, trade, and survival.
Liam spent 18 years at the helm of the Malta Maritime Museum, where he curated international exhibitions and collaborated with artists, curators, and institutions across the globe to tell Malta’s maritime story in compelling new ways.
Today, he serves as Senior Asset Development Manager at Heritage Malta and is the founder of Taste History, a unique initiative that fuses food history with archival research to recreate the flavours of the past.
Kindly RSVP by emailing ou******@na******.org. Following the lecture, we warmly invite you to the courtyard to enjoy some light refreshments.
This lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

The Brocktorffs, Composers and Society in 19th-century Malta
2025-12-04 10:00 (Europe/Rome) | Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1227, Malta
Speaker: Dr Anna Borg Cardona
Language: English
About the Lecture:
The 19th century was a time of significant change and innovation. Lithography was introduced into Malta and embraced by local artists, including the Brocktorffs. Improvements in the pianoforte led to the impressive increase in music outlets in Valletta, and the growth of the amateur performer. At the same time composers recognised an opportunity to publish their own music for the growing local market. They chose the Brocktorff Press. Nothing could provide a more fascinating mirror of the age, or better expose the influential individuals in Malta’s society, than this salon music intended largely for local consumption.
About the Speaker:
Anna Borg Cardona, Ph.D Music (University of Southampton, 2018), author of A Musical Legacy: Malta-related music found in foreign libraries (2002), Daqq Għana u Żfin Malti (2007), Musical Instruments of the Maltese Islands (2014), Musical Culture and the Chitarraro Mattheo Morales in Seventeenth-Century Malta (2022), Music Printing by the Brocktorff Lithographers 1832-1893 (2025). Curator of several exhibitions, including the Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti exhibition Music in Malta: From Prehistory to Vinyl (2019). Contributed several entries to the second edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments (2014). Founder of the Ġukulari Ensemble that performs Malta’s music, placing it within its historical and social context.
Kindly RSVP by emailing ou******@na******.org. Following the lecture, we warmly invite you to the courtyard to enjoy some light refreshments.
This lecture is kindly supported by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation.
