I have over 20 years’ experience in archaeological and heritage work throughout Australia, Singapore, Malta, and Italy. I have worked extensively with government, private and community organisations in consultancy and heritage practice. As an archaeologist I have worked on Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal (historical), maritime, and classical sites.
This paper offers an overview of Roman Melite: the paper examines the epigraphic evidence for the... more This paper offers an overview of Roman Melite: the paper examines the epigraphic evidence for the topography of the urban centres of Gaulos and Melite in particular, the activities of wealthy benefactors and the civic government of the municipia through benefactions to the Temples to Apollo and Proserpina and dedications to the Imperial Cult. There is only limited evidence for the buildings themselves apart from the Domus Romana that was discovered on the outskirts of Rabat in 1881. The urban area appears to have been in decline by the fourth century AD despite the presence of a Late Roman see and Byzantine officials. The paper concludes with the abandonment of the island as a consequence of the Aghlabid sack of 870.
The archaeological site of the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta was excavated almost 100 years ago yi... more The archaeological site of the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta was excavated almost 100 years ago yielding artefacts from the various phases of the site. The Melite Civitas Romana project was designed to investigate the domus, which may have been the home of a Roman Senator, and its many phases of use. Pending planned archaeological excavations designed to investigate the various phases of the site, a team from the Institute for Digital Exploration from the University of South Florida carried out a digitization campaign in the summer of 2019 using terrestrial laser scanning and aerial digital photogrammetry to document the current state of the site to provide a baseline of documentation and plan the coming excavations. In parallel, structured light scanning and photogrammetry were used to digitize 128 artefacts in the museum of the Domus Romana to aid in off-site research and create a virtual museum platform for global dissemination.
The Roman Domus in Mdina, Malta, has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Mal... more The Roman Domus in Mdina, Malta, has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Maltese Islands; the partial remains of a lavishly decorated domus that would have in its time been situated within the walls of the urbanised Roman city of Melite. The site, last excavated more than 100 years ago, is also home to the only museum in the Maltese Islands, which is solely dedicated to house and showcase a collection of artefacts that date from the Roman period in Maltese history. This site alone provides a unique perspective on Roman Malta, being our only substantial remnant from the Roman Maltese capital, and needs a refocused and renewed exploration. For a long time, the archaeology of Roman sites in Malta has suffered a distinct lack of priority, and it has only been in the last two decades that considerably more focus has been placed on understanding the Roman period. Most of the archaeological focus, in this respect, has centred on agricultural villas, and though this stu...
Ground-penetrating radar(GPR) mapping provides a three dimensional analysis of archaeological fe... more Ground-penetrating radar(GPR) mapping provides a three dimensional analysis of archaeological features within the context of landscape studies. The method’s ability to measure the intensity of radar reflections from deep in the ground can produce images and maps of buried features not visible on the surface. A study was conducted in some areas near the Domus Romana in Rabat (Malta) in order to investigate the still uncovered archaeological structures. The purpose of the GPR survey was to guide the excavation operations (planned but postponed due to Covid-19) and to allow us to understand the development of the defensive walls of the city and any other structures related to the Roman mansion. The choice of the areas to be investigated was therefore guided both by previous archaeological excavations and by the considerations made above. The results obtained through the GPR made it possible to shed light on some of the aspects related to the questions posed by the archaeologists, highlighting part of the structures related to the defensive walls, part of the structures related to water supply and conservation and part of the wall structures related to the Roman mansion itself.
ABSTRACT http://antiquity.ac.uk/tributes/morwood.html Professor Michael (Mike) John Morwood died ... more ABSTRACT http://antiquity.ac.uk/tributes/morwood.html Professor Michael (Mike) John Morwood died on 23 July 2013 in Darwin, Australia, surrounded by his family. Though he had been ill for some time, his death was unexpected. Mike Morwood was one of the leading archaeologists of his time. While he will be remembered primarily for his high-profile discovery of a new species, Homo floresiensis in the cave of Liang Bua, on the island of Flores, Indonesia, he also made world-class contributions to rock art research and to regional studies in northern Australia.
Australia and New Zealand have yet to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Unde... more Australia and New Zealand have yet to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. This poster highlights the changes required for South Australian legislation to meet the 2001 Convention. The data presented on this poster results from a review of literature, research into state and national legislation, the 2001 Convention itself, and correspondence with the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR). This poster presents the legislative changes at a state level, in accordance with the 2001 Convention, which would make national ratification easier. This poster is the third in a series of eight.
This paper offers an overview of Roman Melite: the paper examines the epigraphic evidence for the... more This paper offers an overview of Roman Melite: the paper examines the epigraphic evidence for the topography of the urban centres of Gaulos and Melite in particular, the activities of wealthy benefactors and the civic government of the municipia through benefactions to the Temples to Apollo and Proserpina and dedications to the Imperial Cult. There is only limited evidence for the buildings themselves apart from the Domus Romana that was discovered on the outskirts of Rabat in 1881. The urban area appears to have been in decline by the fourth century AD despite the presence of a Late Roman see and Byzantine officials. The paper concludes with the abandonment of the island as a consequence of the Aghlabid sack of 870.
The archaeological site of the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta was excavated almost 100 years ago yi... more The archaeological site of the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta was excavated almost 100 years ago yielding artefacts from the various phases of the site. The Melite Civitas Romana project was designed to investigate the domus, which may have been the home of a Roman Senator, and its many phases of use. Pending planned archaeological excavations designed to investigate the various phases of the site, a team from the Institute for Digital Exploration from the University of South Florida carried out a digitization campaign in the summer of 2019 using terrestrial laser scanning and aerial digital photogrammetry to document the current state of the site to provide a baseline of documentation and plan the coming excavations. In parallel, structured light scanning and photogrammetry were used to digitize 128 artefacts in the museum of the Domus Romana to aid in off-site research and create a virtual museum platform for global dissemination.
The Roman Domus in Mdina, Malta, has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Mal... more The Roman Domus in Mdina, Malta, has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Maltese Islands; the partial remains of a lavishly decorated domus that would have in its time been situated within the walls of the urbanised Roman city of Melite. The site, last excavated more than 100 years ago, is also home to the only museum in the Maltese Islands, which is solely dedicated to house and showcase a collection of artefacts that date from the Roman period in Maltese history. This site alone provides a unique perspective on Roman Malta, being our only substantial remnant from the Roman Maltese capital, and needs a refocused and renewed exploration. For a long time, the archaeology of Roman sites in Malta has suffered a distinct lack of priority, and it has only been in the last two decades that considerably more focus has been placed on understanding the Roman period. Most of the archaeological focus, in this respect, has centred on agricultural villas, and though this stu...
Ground-penetrating radar(GPR) mapping provides a three dimensional analysis of archaeological fe... more Ground-penetrating radar(GPR) mapping provides a three dimensional analysis of archaeological features within the context of landscape studies. The method’s ability to measure the intensity of radar reflections from deep in the ground can produce images and maps of buried features not visible on the surface. A study was conducted in some areas near the Domus Romana in Rabat (Malta) in order to investigate the still uncovered archaeological structures. The purpose of the GPR survey was to guide the excavation operations (planned but postponed due to Covid-19) and to allow us to understand the development of the defensive walls of the city and any other structures related to the Roman mansion. The choice of the areas to be investigated was therefore guided both by previous archaeological excavations and by the considerations made above. The results obtained through the GPR made it possible to shed light on some of the aspects related to the questions posed by the archaeologists, highlighting part of the structures related to the defensive walls, part of the structures related to water supply and conservation and part of the wall structures related to the Roman mansion itself.
ABSTRACT http://antiquity.ac.uk/tributes/morwood.html Professor Michael (Mike) John Morwood died ... more ABSTRACT http://antiquity.ac.uk/tributes/morwood.html Professor Michael (Mike) John Morwood died on 23 July 2013 in Darwin, Australia, surrounded by his family. Though he had been ill for some time, his death was unexpected. Mike Morwood was one of the leading archaeologists of his time. While he will be remembered primarily for his high-profile discovery of a new species, Homo floresiensis in the cave of Liang Bua, on the island of Flores, Indonesia, he also made world-class contributions to rock art research and to regional studies in northern Australia.
Australia and New Zealand have yet to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Unde... more Australia and New Zealand have yet to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. This poster highlights the changes required for South Australian legislation to meet the 2001 Convention. The data presented on this poster results from a review of literature, research into state and national legislation, the 2001 Convention itself, and correspondence with the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR). This poster presents the legislative changes at a state level, in accordance with the 2001 Convention, which would make national ratification easier. This poster is the third in a series of eight.
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Papers by Andrew Wilkinson
This poster is the third in a series of eight.
This poster is the third in a series of eight.