446 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
Three of these types have, on one side of them, 
a representation of the head of the goddess As- 
tarte, who was held in great reverence by the 
people. The reverse side of number. L, according 
to Caruana, consists of three figures, the middle 
one representing Adon bearing on his head a 
pile us, or the Mitra melitensis of Varro, in his 
right hand a sickle, and in his left hand a lash, 
The figures on either side of him are probably 
priests bearing staffs and goblets, while above the 
whole is a legend in Phoenician characters which 
is common to the five types. The reverse of num- 
ber II has a representation of the head of Aries 
with the same legend. Number III is distinguished 
by a tripod surmounted by a crown ; and number 
four with a bearded male head and a Mercurj^’s 
caduceus and on the reverse side a laurel crown 
a bell, and the usual legend. Number five has a 
crab, representing the summer solstice. Specimens 
of these are now to be seen in the coin bureau of 
Public Library Valletta. 
Enormous quantities of broken pottery occur 
scattered over the districts in which the Phoeni- 
cian ruins are, the quality and variety of which 
show that the people who manufactured it must 
have been adepts in the art of moulding and 
baking clay. Pi Ay tells us that “The Phoenicians 
were the authors of vitrifacture, or glass-making, 
having discovered the way of fusing the brittle 
sand of the river Pelus.” 
It is not here fore surprising that the number 
of jars, and others vessels of clay, and of amphora 
and phials of irridiscent glass that has been 
discovered, is very considerable. 
A common practice that obtained among these 
people was to disembowell their dead and to 
deposit the heart, lungs, and viscera in earthen- 
ware vessels > after which the body and the jars 
v ere placed in open tombs. 
It is therefore in the rock tombs that the greatest 
number and variety of these ancient utensils are 
found. 
As a rule the jars are of a pale, sandy-coioured, 
unpolished material, and have inflated conical 
bodies, terminating with an elongated lower 
extremity, which was intended to be placed in a 
hole in the floor for the support of the jar. 
They are of all shapes and sizes, and w r hile 
sonic are perfectly plain, others are elaborately 
but rudely carved, or are covered with hierogly- 
phics. 
Amphora-shaped ware, jar-shaped vases, jugs, 
bowls, dishes, shoe-lamps, and sarcophaguses are 
among a few of the many relics that are con- 
stantly being found in the tombs among the 
secluded hills and ravines of the Binjemmas. A 
magnificent collection of these relics is now pre- 
served in the Public Library, Valletta.. 
Such are a few of the evidences relating to the 
earlier ethnology, and historical archeology of 
these islands. They are not so plentiful as in the 
neighbouring Phoenician colonies; but they have 
been so ably interpreted by Vassallo, Adams, 
Caruana and others that the testimony that they 
afford us of Phoenieo-Maltese habits and customs, 
agreeing as it does wfith the inferences drawn from 
the data collected in other countries, leave us no 
room to doubt but that most of the interpreta- 
tions are accurate and indisputable. 
The study of Maltese archeology is, however, 
but still in its infancy. Scarcely a year passes by 
but what new discoveries are made, and fresh data 
is, therefore, constantly being accumulated. 
By the light of this we hope at some future 
time to be able to obtain a still further insight 
into the character of this wonderful people; and 
it will therefore be as well if, for the present, 
judgment be suspended on all of the more contro- 
versial of the opinions and theories that have 
been advanced. 
John H, Cooke. 
( Photographs of all of the relics mentioned, in 
the above article are to he obtained from A. 
Formosa . Photographer Str. Forni Valletta. ) 
Stray Thoughts. 
When we consider how little is known, com- 
pared with that which remains to be discovered, 
it is obvious that there are few 7 who cannot oo 
soin ethi ng. — Carpenter. 
Where the foot finds an easy way, the eye finds 
the same; where the body finds harmony, the mind 
finds harm o n y . — Burroughs. 
Knowledge is not, like food, destroyed by use, 
but rather augmented and perfected. — J. Her send. 
Every student who enters upon a scientific 
pursuit, especially if at a somewhat advanced 
