In order to understand any historical or archaeological site, it is very important to first get to know its context.
The topography, geology and other environmental conditions could have influenced the choice of location for the site under study. Through research one can gather information about how the context of the site changed by time; what kind of links there could have been between the site under study and other similar sites in the surroundings. If we try to understand the past context of the site, we can value better the heritage asset we have at hand today.
Understanding the present context will not help us identifying its current state of conservation but will also reveal whether the site is appreciated as it should be. Through this one can then prepare proper conservation and management plans to safeguard this cultural asset.
Ruben Abela
Wirt iż-Żejtun
An architect by profession and specialized in spatial planning, environmental management and conservation. He worked as a manager at MEPA for fourteen years, during which he also served for three years as a member of the Heritage Advisory Committee. Since 2006 he served various managerial roles within Heritage Malta covering the fields of documentation, conservation and projects. He is currently the project leader of the ERDF project: Fort St Angelo Heritage Experience, through which it is planned to restore substantial parts of Fort St Angelo and open it as a visitors’ heritage experience managed by Heritage Malta. He is also a part-time lecturer at the Department of Built Heritage at the University of Malta. He was the master-mind after the setting up of Wirt iż-Żejtun in 2010.
Wirt iż-Żejtun 