[ 243 ] 
manner contiguous to one another ; that the money 
of each was undoubtedly current, on account of their 
great vicinity, in both of them ; and therefore that 
we may eafily conceive a confiderable number of 
pieces appertaining antiently to the latter to have been 
preferved, for many ages, in the former of thofe iflands. 
And this is rendered dill more probable by one or two 
infcriptions found in Malta (35), that originally be- 
longed to the ifle of Gozo. Nor is the cardinal 
point taken for granted in this objection, on which 
it almoft intirely turns, by any means inconteda- 
ble. For feveral of thefe medals, perhaps mod of 
them, are brought into Europe from Tunis, as I take 
mine actually to have been, to which place they 
might as eadly have found their way from Gozo 
as from Malta. All which being maturely weighed, 
the figures of the letters themfelves, which ought to 
be the bads of all our reafoning relative to the word 
formed of thofe letters, will, I would flatter my- 
felf, be allowed decifive in favour of my prefent 
opinion. 
Sig. Abate (36) Venuti has, indeed, obferved, 
that the God Mithra fometimes appears onfuch Punic 
coins as that conddered by me here, in the lame 
manner as on fome of the antient Greek (37) medals 
of the Maltefe ; from whence he infers, that thefe 
Punic pieces are to be attributed to the if] and of 
(35) Spon. Mifc. Antiq. p. 190, 192. Jan. Gruter. Corp. 
Infcmpt. ex Recenf & cum Annotat. Joan. Geor. Graevii, p. 415. 
Amfteiaedami, 1707. Chriftoph. Cellar. Notit . Orb. Antiq. 
p. 655, 656. Cantabrigiae, 1703. 
(36) Ridolfin. Venut. ubi (up. p. 37. 
, (37) Mem. de /’ Acad, des Bell. Lett. Tom. IX. p. 160. 
I i 2 Malta. 
