Breve esbozo histórico del coleccionismo de antigüedades en Malta (siglos XVII-XXI)

Abstract

The Maltese archipelago occupies a strategic location within the Mediterranean, being an almost forced stopover along the East–West maritime connections. In particular, the largest island, Malta, due to its geographical centrality, has been highly disputed and, over time, been ruled by different external powers. Such a suffered and complex background gave rise to the peculiarities that can still be observed today in its culture, identity and heritage. The multilayered history of Malta clearly appears upon closer examination of the development of the history of collections within the island. Therefore, the aim of this contribution is to present the Maltese history of collections, with a particular focus on pre-Roman antiquities. We will reconstruct the major chronological phases of this phenomenon and finally consider the particular case of the Cathedral Museum of Mdina and its last acquisitions.