List of caves in Malta

The Għar Dalam

A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, ^{[1] [2]} specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word cave can also refer to much smaller openings such as sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos, though strictly speaking a cave is exogene, meaning it is deeper than its opening is wide, ^[3] and a rock shelter is endogene. ^[4]

List of Caves in Malta

Name	Location	Notes
Blue Grotto	south east coast of Malta	The Blue Grotto refers to a number of sea caverns on the south east coast of Malta, a short distance off the fishermen's harbour of Wied iż-Żurrieq limits of Qrendi, Malta Wied iz-Zurrieq, the blue grotto and neighboring caves, are all located within the Qrendi village confines, as per Local Council Act 1993 and a 1910 legal dispute between the villages of Qrendi and Zurrieq over their jurisdiction, ruled in favour of Qrendi.
Għar Dalam	Birżebbuġa	Għar Dalam is a 144 metre long phreatic tube and cave, [5] or cul-de-sac, located in the outskirts of Birżebbuġa, Malta. The cave contains the bone remains of animals that were stranded and subsequently became extinct in Malta at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. It has lent its name to the Għar Dalam phase in Maltese prehistory, and is viewed as one of Malta's most important national monuments. [6] Pottery similar to that found in Stentinello was found at Għar Dalam, but lacking details such as stamp decorations. [7]
Għar ix-Xiħ	Xewkija	Għar ix-Xiħ is a former cave in Xewkija, facing Mġarr ix-Xini, Gozo, Malta. It was inhabited since the 2nd-century B.C. and was re-discovered in 2009. [8] The cave is situated at the mouth of the valley. The cave was long believed a legend, going back to 1583, about a popular judge who used the cave. Another nearby cave is known as il-Ħabs (The Prison). The cave floor contained artifacts dating from Bronze Age to late Roman times. At some point the roof was removed.
Għar Lapsi	Siġġiewi	Għar Lapsi is a small bay near Siġġiewi, Malta. It lies about 1 km south-west of the Blue Grotto.
Ninu's Cave	Xagħra	Ninu's Cave is a cave in the village of Xagħra, Gozo, Malta. Ninu's Cave was discovered by local resident Joseph Rapa in 1888 while digging a well under a private house. Ninu's Cave is not far from another underground feature, Xerri's Grotto.
Ras id-Dawwara	western coast of the island of Malta	Ras id-Dawwara is a geographical area on the western coast of the island of Malta, a part of Rabat and on the line of picturesque cliffs including Dingli Cliffs. On site are several caves at sea level. The area is of some historic interest as the landing point used by Carmelo Borg Pisani, executed for treason in 1942, at the height of Second World War.
Xerri's Grotto	Xagħra	Xerri's Grotto is a cave in the village of Xagħra, Gozo, Malta. It was discovered by local resident Anthony Xerri in 1923 [9] or 1924 [10] while digging a well under a private house. Xerri's Grotto is not far from another underground feature, Ninu's Cave.

References

1. Whitney, W. D. (1889). "Cave, n.1." def. 1. The Century dictionary: An encyclopedic lexicon of the English language (Vol. 1, p. 871). New York: The Century Co.
2. "Cave" Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) © Oxford University Press 2009
3. Moratto, Michael J. (2014). California Archaeology. Academic Press. p. 304. ISBN   9781483277356.
4. Lowe, J. John; Walker, Michael J. C. (2014). Reconstructing Quaternary Environments. Routledge. pp. 141–42. ISBN   9781317753711.
5. van der Geer, Alexandra; Lyras, George; de Vos, John; Dermitzakis, Michael (2010). Evolution of island mammals: Adaptation and extinction of placental mammals on islands. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 92–102. doi:10.1002/9781444323986. ISBN   9781405190091.
6. Nadia, Fabri (2007). Għar Dalam: The Cave, the Museum, and the Garden: Birżebbuġa. Malta: Heritage Books. ISBN   978-9993271444.
7. Edwards, Iorwerth Eiddon Stephen; Gadd, Cyril John; Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lempriere (1970). The Cambridge Ancient History . Cambridge University Press. pp.  726. ISBN   0521086914.
8. Grima, Noel (8 February 2009). "Centuries old legend in Gozo proved true". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
9. "Xerri's Grotto". digigate.net/xerri. 1996. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000.
10. "Xerri's Grotto". visitgozo.com. Retrieved 8 May 2015.