For the first time in over 240 years, two ancient pillars - which are to Phoenician script what the Rosetta Stone is to Egyptian hieroglyphics - have been reunited on Maltese soil.

The Cippi of Malta are two marble pillars from the second century BC, that are historically significant due to the bilingual Phoenician and Greek inscriptions carved into them.

These inscriptions tell the story of two brothers making a sacred offering to the Phoenician God Melqart. Importantly, they were instrumental in deciphering the Phoenician alphabet, a breakthrough French scholar Jean-Jacques Barthélemy achieved in 1758.

In 1782, Grand Master de Rohan gifted one of the Cippi to France as a gesture of scholarly and diplomatic exchange.

Since then, it has been housed at the Louvre Museum in Paris, while its counterpart has remained in Valletta.

For the first time since then, Heritage Malta, in collaboration with the Louvre, has launched a temporary exhibition called The Cippi of Malta—Their Story and Voyage, which will host both pillars.

One of the Cippi in Valletta. Photo: Emma Borg

The only other time the pair were reunited was at a temporary exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2023, representing a cultural partnership between Malta and the UAE.

“The Cippi are being married once again,” said Culture Minister Owen Bonnici, emphasising the pillars' symbolic significance.

He added: “Their return is not only a celebration of Malta’s rich archaeological heritage but also a testament to the enduring ties between Malta, France, and our cultural partners around the world”.

Owen Bonnici at the launch Photo: Emma Borg

Helene Le Meaux, a curator at the Louvre, expressed optimism about future collaborations.

“I hope this collaboration will lead to other outreach and partnerships between our institutions,” she said.

Mario Cutajar, chairman of Heritage Malta, highlighted the Cippi’s historical and cultural relevance beyond the Phoenician period. He referenced Lord Strickland, who invoked the Cippi during Malta’s language debates in the interwar period.

Cutajar also drew parallels with other artefacts, mentioning the sword of La Valette, which was loaned to Malta from the Louvre over ten years ago, and La Valette’s dagger, which was displayed in Malta in 2017.

When asked about the possibility of the permanent return for the pillars, he acknowledged the international discussion regarding the repatriation of heritage artefacts but said “it is not that simple".

He explained that the pillars were protected by a legal framework that justified their current location. He also noted that other artefacts remained abroad despite lacking the same legal justification.

Cutajar stressed the importance of cultural diplomacy and technology in providing access to heritage.

He pointed out that Malta’s National Museum of Archaeology already held a copy of one Cippi for public viewing when the other was unavailable.

“Today, you can still gain the experience through cultural diplomacy and technology,” he said.

He hinted at broader challenges, stating that England holds “hundreds if not thousands” of artefacts, which Heritage Malta is acutely aware of “but it takes time” and that there is more than one way of experiencing the artefacts without them necessarily having to be in Malta. 

The exhibition is open to the public at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta from November 23 until March 31, 2025.