Heritage Malta has launched a new book that brings to life the people and stories of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea during the first century of the Order of St John in Malta.
Titled Sea, Walls & Souls: A Social History of Birgu, Bormla and Isla, 1530-1630, the thoroughly illustrated and referenced publication was penned by historian Rachel Grillo and produced by Heritage Malta’s publishing house.
Drawing extensively from the Castellania archives, notarial records, parish registers and the Università documents, the book offers the first comprehensive social history of all three harbour towns during an often-underrepresented period.
‘Striking glimpses into everyday life’
Alongside the broader narrative, the book’s pages abound in striking glimpses into everyday life – from possibly the first mention of a pastizzar in a Vittoriosa parish record and insights on the daily routine of the town’s Benedictine nuns as described by their Abbess Imperia Aquilina, to common tavern quarrels.
A latter case was that of Domenico Paci of Żabbar, a Cospicua resident, who was accused of punching Hieronimo Gambigallo of Sengela in a tavern, showing the rowdy nightlife and social tensions that bubbled in the wine-filled streets.
More audacious episodes include the 1607 St Catherine’s feast heist, when stone by stone, Isabella Tonti and Nicola Giufre sneaked into a warehouse to steal poultry and provisions while festivities drowned out any suspicious noise.
Readers also discover how social and religious life intersected in surprising ways, such as the fact that Greek rite parishioners often acted as godfathers to the children of Latin rite parishioners, revealing a complex web of community integration.
Harsh realities
The book also paints a vivid picture of life’s harsher realities. In early modern Malta, adultery could result in public beatings and years of forced labour, with women sometimes chained at the feet while working in hospitals.
Even more chilling is the case of Luca Lo Pogio, a Genoese resident executed in 1608 for sodomy after a six-day trial marked by public testimony, torture and a stark display of state power.
This publication arrives at a moment when Heritage Malta is placing unprecedented emphasis on making the stories of the Three Cities more accessible and engaging to diverse audiences.
The agency’s interactive portal Tales of Kottonera, this year enriched with a graphic novel, four heritage trails and more animated characters, has opened new pathways for children, students, families and visitors to explore Kottonera’s history in multisensory ways.
Sea, Walls & Souls and Tales of Kottonera complement each other, giving a voice to the ordinary people who lived in these historic communities.
Sea, Walls & Souls is now available for purchase on Heritage Malta’s online store, as well as at Heritage Malta museums and sites.