Project for the Identification and Documentation of the Maltese Fougasse
26/04/2005
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is launching a project aimed at documenting Malta’s dwindling repertoire of fougasse installations. The project is being undertaken in conjunction with Fortress Explorer Society, and will combine a series of excavations with historical research. The archaeology of historic Malta is often eclipsed by the antiquities of the archipelago. However, the project will serve to highlight the wealth of knowledge that is often overlooked, simply because of its historic nature.
The Fougasse is one of the most fascinating adjuncts of coastal defence introduced in Malta by the Knights of St John in the 18th century. The fougasse formed part  of broader military arrangements that were designed to protect the shores of the Maltese islands against invasion. Carved out in the rock, the Fougasse-Perrier (as it technically known) is a sort of large well that was cut at an angle. Technically, this hollow was shaped to simulate a mortar and designed to fire a huge mass of stone boulders. The objective was to hit enemy ships and boats intent on disembarking their troops – a veritable early form of ‘weapon of mass destruction’.
The fougasse was designed by the Order’s resident military engineer, Francesco Marandon. Current evidence suggests that this unusual form of artillery contraption was first used in the Maltese islands. The few similar devices known from other countries around the shores of the Mediterranean are much later in date and all seem to have been inspired by Marandon’s invention. The local form of the fougasse is truly a special feature that is practically unique to Malta.
In all some 64 fougasses were cut in the immediate years after 1742. Today, unfortunately, only a handful is known to have survived. Many fougasses were destroyed as a result of development along Malta’s coastal areas. Others examples disappeared beneath roads and buildings while a considerable number simply went unrecorded and still wait to be rediscovered. Recent fieldwork undertaken by personnel from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has been instrumental in re-discovering the location of three ‘new’ fougasses in Gozo.
Encouraged by these discoveries and aware of the historical importance of the fougasse, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has embarked on a project to identify, examine (through proper archaeological techniques) and document all the fougasses of Malta and Gozo. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Fortress Explorer Society and will involve archaeological fieldwork complemented by scientific and historical research. The objective of this project is to promote a hitherto obscure part of Malta’s heritage, which, like many other antiquities, requires protection. The project will include excavations and the publication of scientific reports. An exhibition and a series of public lectures, all designed to increase public awareness and appreciation of this important and unique historical feature, are also planned.
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