An Arabic artefact and the circulation of antiquarian knowledge in eighteenth-century Malta

Abstract

The eighteenth century constituted a formative period in the intellectual and cultural history of Malta, marked by an emergent scholarly commitment to the recovery, interpretation, and preservation of local identity. Among the principal figures of this movement was Gian Francesco Agius de Soldanis (1712–1770), whose linguistic and antiquarian investigations positioned him within both local and transnational scholarly networks. Locally, de Soldanis maintained close ties with several Maltese intellectuals. In particular, his collaboration with Padre Pelagio Mifsud Gauci Piscopo (1708–1781) proved crucial to his work, reflecting their shared commitment to the preservation of the Maltese heritage. This study examines a copper vessel attributed to the Arab period, discovered at Għar Barka in 1749, as a case study through which to reconstruct patterns of intellectual exchange linking de Soldanis, the Capuchins, and wider European scholarly circles. By analysing the documentation, transmission, and interpretation of this artefact, the article highlights the intersection of antiquarian inquiry, linguistic curiosity, and artistic documentation. More broadly, it demonstrates how a single object may illuminate the collaborative frameworks and methodological limitations that shaped early Maltese historiography.