Malta Island, June 18th, 2004.
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Visite de l’atelier de restauration des sculptures. |
The day starts with lectures at Mellieha.
Max speaks about cannon, which together with anchors, often provide the first indicators of the presence of a wreck fro after the 15th century. A good knowledge of cannon permits the identification of the wreck as well as its date.
Elaine Azzopardi gave a lecture on the environental conditions of underwater sites. She focused on the importance on natural stratigraphy and anthropogenic causes od disturbance such as dredging.
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Laboratoire d’analyses ! |
We are welcomed at the institute by an asistant director and after the welcome we are shown around by our host, Joanne Mallia.
We are shown around all the departents and in the last one we are met by Frank Checuti who works at the insitute and Ingrid Ross who studies there.
The institute is housed in the ole British naval hospital and is very spacious.
We visit the laboratory directed by Mr. de Grigny, a Frenchman from the laboratoire d’ARC Antique de Nantes. Much work is carried out on the limestone which erodes in the local climate.
Joanne Mallia shows us the set up of the IKONOS project.
At the end of the visit we pay a visit to the small port of Kalkara which is surrounded by fortifications and it inspires Jean-Marie Gassend to start drawing.