Archeologia dell’acqua nel santuario di Tas-Silg˙ a Malta: cisterne, canalizzazioni e spazi rituali

The sanctuary of Tas-Silġ in the island of Malta features several facilities for water management. The review of data from old and recent excavations allowed the recognition of a network of canals meant to collect the rainwater from the roofs of the temple and of the structures bordering the sacrificial area. In the sanctuary, there are two bell-shaped cisterns: in the central area, the water tank named C2 is strictly functional, whereas C4 is part of a series of structures that were relevant to the rituals performed here. The hypogeum complex is a different matter: it was most probably created as a ritual space, and was later turned – at least partially– into a cistern between 4th and 3rd century BC, when the system of canals and water tanks developed.