Time cannot be saved in a bottle but some things, tangible or intangible, can. When they are, they usually make for a gripping narrative of aspects of life in the past that ‘progress’ or modern-day needs have made redundant or killed.

Any initiative aimed at preserving memory for the purposes of history, national identity, culture, tradition, lifestyle and so on is, therefore, commendable and certainly deserves all-round support and encouragement. It is heartening to read about two recent examples, one dealing with bell-ringing and the other public buses.

Thanks to the National Archives of Malta, people will soon be able to listen to bell sounds from every church on the island. It is estimated there are more than 500 such bells, though not all are rung as they used to in the past, as attested by Lord Byron who wrote about “an island of yells, bells and smells” when he was here in the early 1800s.

The inscriptions on the bells and the names given to most, if not all of them, have their own stories to tell. If their pealing along the years could somehow be translated into words, there would emerge vivid accounts of good and bad tidings and so much more. For bells used to toll – in some instances and localities they still do – to indicate the time, call the faithful to Mass or assemble people to religious, cultural and even political events, drive away bad or evil spirits, communicate important messages and also mark some commemoration or birthday.

If bells could speak, history would be that much richer.

The other project, consisting in the documentation of public buses, is another chapter in the history of transport in this tiny island. Malta is possibly a unique example of a country that had a railway system which, rather than being developed, was driven out of business after 48 years in operation. It could not compete with the tram, since also disappeared, or the buses.

In both cases, enthusiastic individuals played a leading role as others before them did, prompting what, by time, became national projects or attractions.

In 2008, Rayden Mizzi started recording every bell in Malta, building a collection of over 1,000 recordings of their pealing during different occasions. Ten years later, Richard Stedall launched the Malta Bus Archive, which the National Archives has adopted.

The National Archives have been doing a great job in preserving and maintaining records related to the history of Malta, providing access to them for research purposes. Likewise, Heritage Malta has been working hard to promote cultural heritage among the public.

Apart from having a chequered history, the country is dotted with some very old houses and buildings that may be hiding artefacts and items which,  though uninteresting to the untrained eye, could be of significant historical value to an expert. A 1912 telegram sent by the Titanic’s sister ship Olympic to the rescue boat Carpathia just hours after the luxury liner sank on the night of April 15 had been found among items on sale at the Kalkara open market in 2009.

Perhaps the National Archives and Heritage Malta could put their heads together and offer free expert advice to people who might come across old items whose historical value they may be unsure of. You never know what you might come across when clearing up the cellar, that old chest of drawers or musty cupboard.

What may look like trash could well be something worth recording for posterity – and that would enhance our collective memory.