Prof. Arnold Cassola's new book, The Maltese in Scicli and Capo Passero (1675-1777) has just been published.
This book is a welcome addition to the series of books on Maltese migration in the Mediterranean published by Arnold Cassola. These include Malta-Pachino: una storia in comune (with Silvio Aliffi), I Maltesi di Trapani (1419 -1455), I Maltesi di Vittoria e Scoglitti (1628-1846) (with Salvatore Palmeri di Villalba) and Maltese migration in Tunisian Coastal Towns - Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia, Sfax, Djerba, Moknine.
This new book deals with the presence of Maltese people in the Sicilian town of Scicli in the course of the 17th century and with a number of Maltese buried in Capo Passero in the 18th century. The first of the two chapters in this book is devoted to a number of Maltese who, in the 18th century, were buried on the island of Capo Passero, which is the closest Sicilian location to Malta. It is also home to a formidable fortress built early in the 17th century.
The second chapter not only highlights various connections in early modern times between Malta and Scicli but also identifies a number of persons with Maltese surnames, who were living in Scicli during the last quarter of the 17th century. These surnames appear in marriage documents of the time but are mainly attested in the register entitled Chiesa Madre S. Guglielmo, Battesimi, Vol. 2, Reg. 1, which covers the period from 11 June 1675 to 30 December 1710.
This work, which constitutes another precious little piece in the mosaic that makes up the history of Maltese migration in the Mediterranean, is published by G&A Enterprises and can be obtained from Agenda Bookshop outlets.
