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2,000-year-old Punic tomb discovered in Żabbar
A what now? A 2,000-year-old Punic tomb was discovered in Żabbar by the Water Services Corporation whilst they were carrying out roadworks.
The tomb, which was still sealed, was found to contain several urns, containing the cremated remains of human bones, including those of an adult and a young child, both of which were identified using bones which were also discovered in the tomb.
There’s more! An amphora, which is a two-handled storage jar, two urns, an oil lamp, a glass perfume bottle and other pottery vessels, typically associated with the Punic period were also found.
“The burial rite was altered through the Punic and Roman times. Sometimes, the bodies were burnt and other times they were buried intact in the grave. Cremation necessitated a variety of resources, including wood to burn the body and presence of a person throughout the whole process of cremation, which took several hours,” said the corporation.
Right now, all the material is being removed and being transported to a laboratory, where the pottery and bones are consolidated, cleaned and analysed.
“Because of the archeological sensitivity of the location, the Superintendence requested that an archeologist accompany the crew in case any ancient remains are discovered,” said the Water Services Corporation.
