The archaeological significance of rock-cut pits identified in the limits of Ħal Safi and Gudja between 2014 and 2019

Abstract

Rock-cut pits are occasionally found in the Maltese archaeological context though to date their study remains a lacuna. Recovered cultural material from within these features can be dated though missing voids of datable cultural material can make interpretation and dating difficult to attain. This dissertation intends to analyse a sample of rock-cut pits from two sites found at Tal-Karwija in Ħal Safi and at Ta’ Garnaw in Gudja, both in the southeast of the Maltese Islands. This study starts with a literature review related to the rock-cut pits. The two sites are analysed to comprehend any typological patterns while also using a basic set of topographic criteria applied within a range of the sites’ wider archaeological landscape. Their special distribution using GIS to determine any possible association with the topography. At the end of the study any limitations which these features present are also discussed and areas for further study are suggested.