Archipelago of Stone

The Maltese Islands have few natural resources; so many raw materials must be imported, with the exception of limestone. The islands are composed of sedimentary rock, which means that they have been formed over millions of years through the process of sediment compaction (Vella).

Examples of Globigerina and Coralline Limestone

Malta’s rock layers can be divided into five distinct types:

• Upper Coralline Limestone
• Greensand
• Blue Clay
• Globigerina Limestone­­
• Lower Coralline Limestone

The oldest of these rock types (Lower Coralline Limestone) was formed roughly 35 million years ago, while the newest (Upper Coralline Limestone) was formed only 7 million years ago (Vella). In comparison, the majority of the exposed rocks in the Grand Canyon range from 200 million and 2 billion years in age (Grand).

Hagar Qim Temples

Both types of Coralline Limestone were formed from the skeletal remains of algae, corals, and molluscs. Globigerina Limestone was formed by the compaction of the remains of a single-celled organism called globigerina. It is believed that the ­Blue Clay layer may have been created from detritus deposits from Italian rivers. The Greensand layer was likely formed in a similar manner to the Blue Clay, but at different depths and with different water current conditions (Vella).

Model of the Mnajdra Temple Site

Tarxien Temples

The inhabitants of Malta have been using these abundant resources for thousands of years. We have been fortunate enough to visit several ancient temple sites, which are constructed entirely of stone, including Hagar Qim, Mnajdra, Tarxien. These sites date from 4,000 – 2,500 BCE. This makes them older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids (About, Timeline). I found the temples to be impressive in both their architecture and scale.

Limestone has continually been used in the construction of many types of buildings and sculptures. All of the baroque churches that we have visited have also been constructed of limestone. All of the fortresses built by the Knights of St. John were constructed with stone. Additionally, most modern buildings in Malta still utilize limestone extracted from Maltese quarries.

View from Fort Manoel

Arches at the gate of Fort Manoel

Coralline limestone is much harder and more durable than globigerina limestone, but this also make it more difficult and expensive to quarry. For this reason, the majority of modern buildings are constructed using globigerina, with coralline being applied in specific areas for additional strength (Cauchi).

Malta has a long history of exporting limestone to other countries for use in building materials and sculptures. Throughout the nineteenth century, limestone was traded with a number of Mediterranean countries including Greece, Turkey, and North Africa (Retention). Limestone has also continued to be an important export from Malta in the modern era (2011). It is exported to several nations in the European Union and elsewhere.

I am interested in researching the other building materials that are currently being used, such as steel and glass. I am interested in discovering whether these materials are now being used due to reduced cost, increased strength, environmental concerns, or a combination of these factors. Finally, I am interested in visiting/researching a quarry in Malta. The team visited two quarries in Sicily, and I found them and their history to be fascinating. I don’t think that we will have time to visit one during our trip, but it will definitely be at the top of my list if/when I return to Malta.

“About Stonehenge.” http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/about.php.

Cauchi, Rudolph.“The Maltese Limestone.” Limestone Sculptures. http://www.limestonesculptures.com/limestone.html.

“Grand Canyon Geology.” Grand Canyon National Park Lodges. http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/grand-canyon-geology-5451.html.

“Retention of the Status Quo Regarding the Exportation of Maltese Stone.” Ministry for

Economic Services, Malta. 2000. http://www.lino-bianco.com/otherprojects/images/3_exportation/retentionofthestatusquo.pdf.

“Timeline of Ancient Egypt.” National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/timeline.html.

Vella, Leslie. “Living Stones: a brief guide to Malta’s geology.” Malta Inside Out. http://www.maltainsideout.com/11993/living-stones-a-brief-guide-to-maltas-geology/.

"The 2011 Import And Export Market For Worked Building And Monumental Stone In Malta." Country Trade Reports (2011): N.PAG. Business Source Premier. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.