THE CATACOMBS OF SAINT-PAUL

The Saint-Paul catacomb complex comprises a large part of the main cemetery of the ancient city of Melite. As such, the site comprises a multi-level cemetery, with remains dating from Punic, Roman and Byzantine times, and which may have been in uninterrupted use for over a millennium, between the ^4th century BC and the ^8th century AD. The complex covers more than 2,000 m², and the highlight of the site are the 24 catacombs and hypogeums, which were used mainly in Late Antique and Byzantine times. These small underground tombs offer examples of intimate hypogeum burials and feature elements that are unique in the world, such as certain types of tomb and the triclinia cut into the rock, reminiscent of the sigma tables in Roman dining rooms, suggesting that they were used for commemorative meals.
Rediscovered and studied in the ^19th century, these hypogeums invite visitors to explore ancient burial customs and an important chapter in Malta's historical narrative. Part of the catacombs was reused during the re-Christianization of the island, around the ^13th century, when an open space was redeveloped and used as a Christian sanctuary decorated with murals. The site was excavated and studied in 1894 by Dr. A.A. Caruana, the pioneer of Christian-era archaeology in Malta.