The Vernacular Evidence of the Maltese Islands: the Case of the Ethnic Girna and the Hybrid Hovel

Abstract

The present paper reveals aspects of the rural landscape of the Maltese islands, situated in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea. This landscape is endowed with a unique vernacular heritage which comprises a variety of ethnic structures including the razzett (farmhouse), the mitħnatar-riħ (windmill), numerous troglodyte dwellings, an extensive number of masonry dwellings and wayside churches, amongst others. Two specific examples of native structures are considered: the girna (corbelled stone hut) and the hybrid hovel, the latter consisting of two principal parts: a masonry façade and a troglodyte interior. The archaeological evidence and historical records suggest that, since the late Middle Ages, both examples were apparently used as abodes, where humans and animals coinhabited the same domestic spaces. The analysis demonstrates that the girna and the hybrid hovel, despite their restricted internal spaces, were an arena of vibrant socio-economic human activity.