Works have been temporarily halted on a part of the Central Link project where some form of archaeological remains were uncovered, roads agency Infrastructure Malta said.
It described the remains as probably being vine trenches that had low historical value. The rock-cut trenches will be cleaned by hand and documented by archaeologists.
A spokesman told Times of Malta that an investigation is being carried out on the discovery and that work on that stretch of the project has been stopped until archaeological experts record the find and either gave their go-ahead for works to carry on or issue another order they deemed fit.
The €55 million road-widening project is intended to reduce travel times, improve air quality and create safer spaces for alternative modes of travel along the arterial road corridor between Mrieħel and Ta’ Qali.
However, it has generated huge controversy over plans to chop down hundreds of trees and destroy agricultural land to make way for the wider road.
Photographs of the archaeological find emerged earlier this week when they were posted online. The images show a series of parallel trenches dug into the rock beneath the soil.
Environmentalists claimed the archaeologists monitoring the ongoing works told them that “all the land that is being uncovered is most probably Roman age, which was once used for vine fields”.
The land being uncovered is most probably Roman age
However, a spokesman for Transport Malta said the archaeologists, who are answerable to the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, which is monitoring the works, denied confirming this to passers-by.
“They never made such a statement. This is the second time that false allegations about archaeological findings during the Central Link project works have been made. A few days ago, a similar allegation that historic rock-cut features were being destroyed also turned out to be untrue,” he said.
He explained that the first works of the project included the removal of top layers of soil and other materials to expose the underlying rock surface.
Once these layers were removed, and before any excavations commenced, the archaeologists study the rock surface to look for any remains that may be worth recording or, if necessary, preserving, the spokesman added.
Infrastructure Malta and the Superintendence were engaged in similar collaborations during the reconstruction of Aldo Moro Road, as part of the Marsa Junction project, during the implementation of the Santa Luċija Underpass project, which is still in progress, as well as during the reconstruction of Xarolla Avenue, in Żurrieq and Il-Kuċċard Road, Safi, among others.
The spokesman said that, in such situations, the rock-cut features are cleaned, carefully documented and analysed.
“If they are found to warrant protection and preservation, the Superintendence will liaise with Infrastructure Malta to identify the required project plan modifications,” he said.
“If they confirm that the findings are not of a significant archaeological importance, the Superintendence will permit the continuation of works as per approved plans.”
Infrastructure Malta said it will continue working with all authorities to upgrade the quality of infrastructure while preserving and improving nearby rural and urban environments and cultural heritage.