Join us for the first lecture in our new series: 'Revisiting Malta's Cabrei: Property books from the Knights' period at the National Library of Malta' by Mevrick Spiteri.
LECTURE 1 // 29-10-2025
'Landscapes in Paper and Place: Rethinking geo-spaces through Malta’s Cabrei and Country Maps' - The 8th edition of the National Library of Malta's Public Lecture Series, coordinated by Mevrick Spiteri, Daniel Borg, and André P. DeBattista, in collaboration with the Public Works Department.
This lecture explores Malta’s cabrei, or property books. These cabrei are landmark compilations of property surveys and descriptions of territorial holdings in the Maltese Islands, drawn up under the rule of the Order of St John. The National Library of Malta holds a group of 26 surviving cabrei in the Treasury Series B, which offer detailed snapshots of the islands’ historic landscapes during the early modern period, shedding light on patterns of land use as well as the political, social, and economic structures of the 17th and 18th centuries. The lecture will trace the archival history of these records, examine the context in which they were produced, and delve into their composition, highlighting several noteworthy land surveys of the Maltese countryside. Moreover, it will offer insights into Malta’s heritage and cultural landscapes, revealing why the cabrei remain such valuable visual and historical resources today.
Mevrick Spiteri holds a B.A. in History and Archaeology and an M.A. in Baroque Studies from the University of Malta. His research focuses on historic properties, landscape studies, and their links to social and economic histories, especially relating to land use and spatial transformation. He also specialises in the archival development of property-related and land management archives. His latest book is The Houses of Baroque Valletta 1650–1750. Property redevelopment from records of the Officio delle Case: socio-economic reflections on civil buildings.
All lectures start at 18.30hrs. Free entrance. No booking required. For more info email
ZXZlbnRzICEgbGlicmFyeSB8IGdvdiAhIG10 and check out our lecture series flyer:
https://issuu.com/nationallibraryofmalta/docs/ml_pl_-_landscapes_in_paper_place_a5_booklet
