A plaque honouring Pawlu Mizzi – the “Father of the modern Maltese Book” – was unveiled by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and Mizzi’s widow, Marija, at Il-Ħaġar Museum, in Victoria, to commemorate the first anniversary of Mizzi’s death.

Meanwhile, the Mizzi family is donating various items to the museum according to Pawlu’s wish. One of the items is an ancient amphora discovered in the area of Victoria’s Triq Vajrinġa in the 1950s. Archaeological relics – generally of a funerary nature – were found in the area.

The amphora is Phoenician in style. Amphorae like these, dating back to the 8th century BC, were manufactured in Carthage, Tunisia; Mozia, a small island next to the Western coast of Sicily; and Sulcis in the southern part of Sardinia.

It seems that the amphora in question was mainly used for the transportation of wine.

Amphorae were mainly used to carry food and drink. According to some scholars, those amphorae which were not suitable for food any longer, but were still in good condition, were used for funerary purposes.

Documents show that numerous tombs have been unearthed during construction works in this area.