Climbing community requests meeting with Heritage Ministry after Latnija cave closed off

Non-profit organisation ClimbMT has written to the Ministry for Heritage requesting a meeting after access to the Latnija cave in Mellieħa was closed off following a major archaeological discovery.

In a statement, ClimbMT said the site holds value not just for archaeologists but for other communities, “We have highlighted the site’s importance and uniqueness for the local and international climbing community and have requested a meeting to discuss how access to the climbing routes can be retained responsibly.”

The reaction follows the cave’s classification as a Class A archaeological site, the highest level of protection under Maltese law. An emergency conservation order was issued shortly after, banning all activity within the cave and confirming that a security fence will be erected around the perimeter.

Last week, discoveries were made during excavations at the L-Għar ta’ Latnija cave site, which began in 2019 as part of a scientific consortium led by Prof. Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the University of Malta.

Researchers uncovered stone tools, hearths, and food waste, evidence of a Mesolithic community that relied on hunting and gathering. The remains shed new light not only on human history but also on Malta’s natural history, revealing a wider range of wild fauna than previously assumed.

However, the place which was once easily accessible and popular among climbers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts has now been declared “heritage at risk.”

Meanwhile, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage confirmed that Għar Tuta has been added to the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.

According to the Cultural Heritage Act, any form of development or interference now requires express permission from the Superintendent and any damage to the site is strictly prohibited.