Catacombs of Malta

There are hundreds of catacombs in Malta, principally found in the neighbourhood of Citta Vecchia, the old capital of the Island. The catacombs are very small, but are in good preservation.
Many of the catacombs were included on the Antiquities List of 1925.
Mr Vincent Zammit notes that catacombs developed from earlier rock-cut tombs. Wherever burial places were discovered, it is generally presumed that a small community lived in the area. The Maltese catacombs are characterised by spaciousness, smaller extent than those found in other countries, similar in type of tomb to others found around the Mediterranean, but having their own particular type of decorations. Decorations, nevertheless, are rare, which may indicate that with the exception of few families who had their private tombs, the community was not wealthy.
Prof. George Cassar observes that the catacombs of Malta have educational value: "They are the key to the understanding of the development of religious rites and beliefs and indicate the birth and spread of Christianity among the small community of Maltese living on the islands. This mysterious yet concrete environment helps towards the creation of a pedagogical setting which the educator can utilize to the full."
Catacombs of Malta.
The catacombs include:
There are several other catacombs in Malta.