Discover Malta's
maritime history
etched in stone

Welcome to the Malta Ship Graffiti Project.

The Malta Ship Graffiti Project (MSGP) aims to document historic ship graffiti found across the Maltese Islands. Ship graffiti refers to the intentional etching of a ship’s depiction onto a surface. Through the MSPG, we strive to gain better insight into these graffiti. Using the latest technology and equipment, we can now record and study graffiti that may be invisible to the human eye. The team works to record and research these graffiti, making the findings accessible the public through this website. 

By sharing this little-known part of Malta’s heritage, we hope to raise awareness and contribute to the preservation of this part of Malta’s history.

Why study historic graffiti?

Historic graffiti offer a glimpse into cultures and ways of life that no longer exist and may offer important information about the past. In order to preserve the graffiti and the information they hold, they must be recorded. 

Recording graffiti can be done either by using a high resolution camera or by drawing an accurate scaled drawing. The spatial context, such as the locality, the type of building it is etched into and the specific region of the building also contributes to interpretation. By studying the features of the graffiti together with the context, researchers are able to make inferences into our collective human past.

Ship Identification

Identifying the various ship graffiti.

Malta’s long-established maritime history can be seen in the various ship types depicted in the graffiti assemblage. In many cases, a graffito may be little more than a few lines more akin to a scrawl than a fully-detailed vessel. Whereas in the case of detailed examples of ship graffiti, vessel types can even be identified, which can inform on the potential age of the graffito itself. 

Stay Updated. Get Involved.

Stay Updated. Get Involved.

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