Clash over Roman-era olive press found in Mġarr development site

There is disagreement over what to do with the remains of a Roman-era olive press found on a plot of land in Mġarr that is soon to become a building site.

The local council is campaigning to move the ‘anchor block’ , which once formed part of the mechanism of the press, to another location where it could be appreciated by the public rather than be concealed within the development.

But the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is opposed to the move, saying this is not the best way to preserve archaeological features.

The block of stone, which was once placed into a socket cut within the rock bed, was discovered during works on the site in Triq Sir Temi Zammit, currently an undeveloped plot of land.

The Planning Authority issued a permit (PA8930/20) to Noel Vella last November for the construction of two garages, three apartments and a penthouse on four levels on the plot.

The plot is located within the scheduled area of archaeological importance for Mġarr and Żebbiegħ, which was established to provide protection to two UNESCO World Heritage sites – Ta’ Ħaġrat and Skorba temples – as well as a number of classical period sites.

The area of importance was extended in 2014 to...