GharMirdum Finds Page1

A Carved Bone Dagger-Handle, the Bronze Dagger, and other items of bronze. The dagger handle was one of the most beautiful finds in the cave complex and quite unique to Malta's archeological treasures.


Artist's impressions of the dagger handle, coupled with the bronze dagger which was found in the vicinity, showing the three rivet holes. Bronze rivets were also found nearby (below), but these were much bigger and probably belonged to some other implement or household article.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Cilia

Two Bronze Rivets also found in the proximity of the Dagger (right). Pottery and bones were also nearby, as if left in a hurry.		The BRONZE DAGGER which was found close to the Carved Bone Handle (above). Note the bone the 'cook' left bnehind.		A large lump of bronze possibly used as an impliment. This was found near the rest of the bronze items.
				Two photographs to the left were taken by the Museum Authorities for insertion in their Annual Report for discoveries made in 1964. Extreme left are the two large bronze rivets, the purpose of which is pure guess work, but may have held a skin or wooden bucket handle. Left is the bronze dagger some 7 inches long, which was found in chamber N, close to the bone dagger handle shown at the top.
A further selection of Choice Finds

A Faience Bead, possibly part of a necklace or other decoration.	Assorted decorated Bronze Age ware found in various parts of the cave...		...as were these shards of Grey Ware, beautifully decorated.		Collection of fibruous material found inside a broken clay pot.

A beautiful tiny pot after repairs; little is missing.	A potsherd showing the broken off handle. Scale in centimeters.		A beautifully embossed shard. Scale in inches (just to confuse you).		The collection of fibres (see above) which were found on this piece of pot.
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A unique find - an unbaked clay pot, just over 2 inches high which was found balanced on a stone ledge.	The beautiful, unusual base of a large pot with the imprint of the mat it probably stood on whilst drying out for firing. Imprints of seeds are also visible.		Two sides of a whole pot, which shows signs of having been encrusted with lime scale, probably caused by water dripping on it for hundreds of years.

Three views of a small pot, just 3 inches high. Could be an oil lamp.					Two views of a large pebble which was obviously used as a hammer or axe...

A beautifully painted shard of pottery - lines are brown pigment. (below)	A piece of pottery with embossed or applied decorations.		A piece of pottery with incised decorations. This too shows signs of lime scale.		...This was found in Chamber-M close to much of the decorated pottery.

One of three red-painted shards mentioned in Mr. Mallia's lecture which fit almost to perfection the pottery from the Castelluccio site, which is in Tuscany.	Closer to the surface and not far from the Bronze Age finds, was this large Pot, possibly of Roman origin, which was crushed beneath a more recent fall of rock. Inside this large urn, you will note a small pottery cup.		The large pot was left in situ as it would need to be broken up to remove. The small container is the Museum stores in Malta with the rest of the finds.		An assortment of decorated pottery of various types.

A large rim of a pot, later excavated by Francis Mallia, Curator of Archeology.	What appeared at first to be half a Roman coin, possibly was part of a bronze medallion. Scale in millimetres.		A large pot handle and collection of animal bones and pottery as found in situ.		Collection of finds awaiting labelling and bagging.

A piece of embossed pottery.	The so-called catapult and axe handles which had their origin and full development in the Apennine mountains of Italy during the Bronze Age.				Another piece of pottery with applied decoration.

	What did the Bronze Age residents have for lunch? Judging by these finds which were at the middle level, fish as evidenced by the vertebra on the left, and eggs by the egg shell found near broken pottery.

	The Finds (All Photos can be enlarged - just Click)
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