CONTEXTUAL STUDIESTASK 4

BY: KIRSTY PARIS & TRIXYBELLE MICALLEF

GROUP D

CHARACTERISTICS

Luzzu

• Used for fishing and nowadays also for ferrying across the grand habour.

Traditional Maltese Tiles

• Handcrafted tiles used to decorate houses, apartments, farmhouses, mansions and also commercial outlets.

CHARACTERISTICS

Girna

• Used as a shelter for the farmer when its extremely hot in the summer or when its rainy and windy in the winter.

• A storage room for farming tools.

• Kept certain animals, pigs weren’t allowed for hygienic reasons.

CHARACTERISTICS

Bizzilla

• Maltese and Gozitan lace are creamy or honey coloured.

• Most of the lace was made using Spanish silk.

• Made using bobbins

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS Luzzu

• Take us back to the ancient Phoenicians.

• Gave us their culture and Semitic language.

• Luzzu is used as a fishing boat and it kept similar design as the ancient times.

Traditional Maltese Tiles

• Started in the 1900’s in the Mediterranean.

• Give us a national unique, visual and architectural identity.

• Originality of the tiles go back in Turkey. During their use of production technique were taken in Spain.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Girna

• Created by the ordinary farmer in the day

• Eventually helped the Maltese build more efficient houses.

Bizzilla

• Its origins started in Venice

• In the mid 1800’s lace makers from Genoa were sent to Malta by Lady Chichester.

• She sent them to develop the Italian bobbin lace

DESCRIBE

Luzzu

• Built with double-ended hull and wood.

• They are slightly bigger and are motorized and work with diesel engine.

• Painted with bright colours such as blue, yellow, red and green.

• The eye is of Horus or Osiris it is engraved it is a protection from the evil kept with the Phoenicians.

• Normally inherited from a person’s father or grandfather.

• Restoration is made after 5 years by the fisherman itself.

Traditional Maltese Tiles

• Made out of cement.

• They are made handcrafted and made one by one at the size of 20cm by 20cm.

• Common colours green, red, black and grey. They use palette colours and mix them in “Sasla”.

• Technology and machinery aren’t used so much.

• They are made from several layers of mortar: sand, marble powder and cement.

• The first mixture would be poured in the mould; dividing the surface into separate compartments.

• Wipe it with oil and fill up with colours.

• Later, “Putraxx” soaks the water so that design won’t mix with each other. Afterwards “Milanc” is put to set up the tile.

• Then, it would be pressed under the pressing machine which forces excess moisture.

DESCRIBE

Girna

• Made of stones that the farmers found in their fields.

• Some have a rounded roof others are more rectangular.

• Look simple but have an uncommon architecture.

• Small but very useful, used as a storage

Bizzilla

• Made using bobbins

• The Maltese/Gozitan technique is difficult when it is done properly.

• Back in the day it was used for various clothing material like wedding dresses, cloth and neck pieces.

OPINIONS

• Luzzu and the traditional Maltese tiles are still used nowadays.

• The traditional Maltese tiles are used less as modernism took place and they are used more classical style.

• While the Luzzu is still used as it used to be although it is used more for mass production as ferrying tourists.

OPINIONS

Girna

• The Girna may look simple to the average person nowadays, but for the people at the time which most of them were farmers.

• Used as a storage keeping the tools for the farmers safe

• Kept the farmers safe in any condition the weather was.

• It was a second home for the farmers during their work hours.

Bizzilla

• A famous Maltese tradition which is not so common nowadays.

• Has some trademark designs like the 8 pointed which is used in multiple designs.

• Its is common that nowadays they are bought as souvenirs

LUZZU

TRADITIONAL MALTESE TILES

Referencing Luzzu

• Airmalta.com, (2016). Maltese Luzzu: A tradition surrounded by superstition. [online] Available at: https://www.airmalta.com/destinations/malta/blog/detail/maltese-luzzu [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016].

• Anecdotesfrommalta.blogspot.com.mt, (2010). Anecdotes from Malta: The Luzzu. [online] Available at: http://anecdotesfrommalta.blogspot.com.mt/2010/06/luzzu.html [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016].

Traditional Maltese Tiles

• Independent.com.mt, (2016). FIRST: Stiled in Malta... The art of tile making - The Malta Independent. [online] Available at: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-08-20/local-news/FIRST-Stiled-in-Malta-The-art-of-tile-making-6736140811 [Accessed 29 Dec. 2015].

• Lawrencefenech.com, (2016). Materials - Lawrence Fenech Ltd. [online] Available at: http://www.lawrencefenech.com/materials.asp [Accessed 29 Dec. 2015].

• TVM News, (2015). Traditional decorative Maltese tiles still in demand - TVM News. [online] Available at: http://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/traditional-decorative-maltese-tiles-still-in-demand/ [Accessed 28 Dec. 2015].

• Versatile.com.mt, (2016). Versatile. [online] Available at: http://www.versatile.com.mt/ [Accessed 29 Dec. 2015].

Girna

• N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

Bizzilla

• Scicluna, Frank. "MALTESE CONSULATE OF South AUSTRALIA - Maltese Lace - BIZZILLA".Ozmalta.page4.me. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

Images• Luzzu: Marsaxlokk

• Traditional Maltese Tiles: Tiles and Marble Factory Attard

• Bizilla : grandmother’s pieces

• Girna: Mtarfa, Mgarr