Mdina's origins

I refer to the article Archaeological Discoveries At Mdina And Marsa by Anthony Pace, the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage (August 25). Dr Pace stated that the recent excavations in the Cathedral square of Mdina "provided useful information on Mdina, which we now know to have been established some time around 1,500BC, if not earlier".

In this respect, I would like to draw the attention of Dr Pace to pages one and two of my book Mdina - A History Of Its Urban Space And Architecture (Malta, 1995) where I had written that Mdina's origins go back to the later Bronze Age, so that the recent archaeological digs only confirmed the results of my research on the subject in caption. I would also like to take this opportunity to inform Dr Pace that the Mdina Rehabilitation Committee, under my chairmanship, had some years ago forwarded a proposal to eventually exhibit all the Mdina finds; in fact a small exhibition of the material unearthed in Villegaignon Street had been held in Vilhena Palace.

Besides, the rehabilitation project of the forecourt of this same baroque palace had also included a permanent exhibition of some of the archaeological material unearthed together with explanatory charts, which is still there to be seen by all who visit the Natural History Museum.