Lives in Limestone: Preserving Malta’s Vanishing Troglodyte Heritage

In a recent expedition, A&E Creative Consulting explored a series of abandoned and derelict cave dwellings in Mellieħa, remnants of Malta’s living rock-cut heritage that risk being lost to neglect. These sites, carved by hand and inhabited for generations, represent not just architectural ingenuity, but the resilience and adaptability that define Malta’s cultural identity.

“If proactive steps aren’t taken soon, a valuable part of Malta’s historical authenticity - lived in, hand-carved, and emblematic of endurance - may disappear forever.” Glen Smith

Malta’s identity has always been defined by its limestone. From ancient temples to traditional dwellings, the island’s bedrock has delivered both a building material and a way of life. Yet while the nation’s prehistoric sites are formally protected and promoted, a more recent chapter in Malta’s rock-cut heritage, its cave dwellings, are quietly disappearing.

Among some notable examples are the settlements at L-Għar u Casa and Ġnien Ingraw in the north of the island, carved out of the cliffs around the Mellieħa plateau. Home to families within living memory, these dwellings now stand abandoned and deteriorating, overshadowed by modern construction and neglected by formal protection frameworks.

Heritage carved by hand

The tradition of cave habitation in Malta spans millennia. Archaeological and historical evidence indicates that limestone caverns have been used continuously as shelters, places of worship, workshops, and even homes, from prehistory through to the twentieth century.

The reasons were practical and sustainable: limestone is soft, easily worked, and thermally efficient, providing natural insulation that kept interiors cool in summer and warm in winter. For those of modest means, it offered a low-cost, environmentally responsive form of housing that integrated seamlessly with the landscape.

What makes Malta exceptional is how long this tradition endured. While similar rock-cut settlements across the Mediterranean were abandoned centuries ago, in Malta they remained part of daily life until just a few decades ago - a living link between the island’s ancient and modern identities.

Shannon documenting the caves at Triq il-Wied, now filled with random rubbish and objects, from furniture to agricultural waste.

The Mellieħa caves: an overlooked treasure

L-Għar u Casa, recognisable by its yellow façade and small stone courtyard, once provided a secure home for at least one family, perched high above the valley with its switchback road leading down to the sea. Local accounts recall the final resident, named Evarist, who lived there well into the late twentieth century.

On the opposite side of the plateau, a series of caves opposite Triq il-Wied, below the Mellieħa Cross, trace the cliff line of the valley named Ġnien Ingraw (The Ingraw Garden) on old maps of the area. These, too, bear physical evidence of habitation and adaptation: masonry walls, hand-carved openings and staircases, and repurposed building materials.

Today, however, both clusters are in shocking decline - overgrown, filled with mounds of rubbish and debris, and largely forgotten. They remain unlisted and unmanaged, despite their potential as part of Malta’s tangible social and architectural heritage.

Some amazing images of the abandoned troglodyte community, perched high above the Gnien Ingraw valley.

Neglect, ownership and governance gaps

The appalling deterioration of these sites highlights a broader challenge in heritage governance. The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) is responsible for the protection of historical assets, yet many of Malta’s troglodyte dwellings have never been formally assessed or scheduled. Mellieħa’s local council acknowledges their presence, yet lacks the resources or mandate to conserve them.

Ownership is also complex: some caves lie on private land, others may fall under church or government responsibility. Lacking clear documentation, they exist in a grey zone, neither classified as buildings nor formally designated as archaeological sites. As a result, they are excluded from planning and conservation strategies.

Simply stunning views of the abandoned and disintegrating L-Ghar u Casa cave dwelling.

This situation contrasts sharply with the situation elsewhere around the Mediterranean. Matera, in southern Italy, once stigmatised as a symbol of poverty, has become a UNESCO World Heritage site and thriving cultural economy. In Cappadocia, Turkey, rock-cut dwellings are preserved and leveraged for tourism, education, and sustainable development.

Malta, by contrast, risks allowing comparable assets - smaller in scale but just as rich in narrative value - to quietly disintegrate.

Cultural value and ESG relevance

The Mellieħa caves are not just archaeological artefacts; they are part of Malta’s social and economic story. They represent resilience, adaptation, and an environmentally integrated approach to living, values increasingly relevant in discussions of ESG, circular design, and sustainable development.

Preserving these sites is therefore not simply an act of cultural nostalgia. It is an investment in Malta’s intangible capital, a way to connect modern society with its material roots, promote responsible tourism, and reinforce identity through cultural authenticity.

Strategic pathways for preservation

Protecting these sites would require modest but structured intervention:

• Documentation and assessment under the SCH’s remit to establish heritage value and ownership.

• Basic stabilisation and clean-up to prevent further degradation.

• Interpretive signage and digital mapping, enabling inclusion in cultural and eco-tourism trails.

• Partnerships between local councils, universities, NGOs, and private sponsors to fund maintenance and interpretation.

• Community engagement to record oral histories from those who recall the last inhabitants.

Even limited investment could transform the Mellieħa caves from neglected relics into educational and cultural assets with measurable community and tourism value.

Left and middle: The almost impassable approaches to L-Ghar u Casa, choked with rubble and rubbish. Right: Shannon stands beneath the imposing statue of St Paul perched high above the valley.

A case for action

In a national context dominated by development and construction, Malta’s troglodyte dwellings offer a unique counterpoint, an opportunity to demonstrate responsible heritage stewardship and ESG-aligned cultural management.

Their preservation would not only protect the material remains of a forgotten past but also showcase Malta’s ability to integrate sustainability, identity, and economic opportunity.

The story of L-Għar u Casa and the Triq il-Wied caves is more than an archaeological curiosity; it is a reminder that Malta’s competitive advantage lies as much in its historical authenticity as in its infrastructure.

Unless proactive steps are taken soon, a valuable part of that authenticity, carved by hand, lived in by generations, and emblematic of resilience, may be lost forever.