Over the centuries, crop cultivation and animal husbandry were given a boost. Similar to their predecessors, these settlers employed an agricultural activity based on cultivating crops and rearing animals. Some archaeological evidence indicates that late Bronze Age settlers seem to have established links with Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.

The Bronze Age phase was mainly characterized by war-like people who employed copper and bronze tools and weapons. Evidence suggests that this culture came to an abrupt end around 2500 B.C. Representations of birds, fowl and quadrupeds in sculpture and pottery found in these religious structures further support the relationship of food and religion especially if associated with sacrificial rituals. The temple might be seen as the place where the community would present sizeable parts of their agricultural produce as offerings to the divinity. Basically, the considerable amount of saddle querns, shallow hard stone mortars and other hand mills found within these locations could have served as part of a centralised servicing system of crushing seeds, especially grain. These structures, besides their religious function as centres of worship, could have been centres of redistribution of commodities. Endowed with remarkable relief sculptures and interesting designs, the temples probably reflected a prosperous agrarian primitive society with deeply rooted religious beliefs. The Temple period was marked by the significant stone architectural structures. Evidence suggests that these natural cave dwellers also settle in sparsely populated hamlets. Research indicates the cultivation of wheat, barley and lentils supported by the domestication of animals such as goats, sheep and pigs. These early Neolithic farmers were probably of a southern Sicilian origin.

Husbandry, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, deer, rabbitsĪrchaeological evidence dating from c.5000 B.C.

Agriculture, wheat, flour, chickpeas, peas, olive trees.When humans first set foot on the islands, Malta was still mainly a woodland and the new settlers’ diet was predominantly plant based, though they also ate game which they hunted. Situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the island of Malta has a long history of settlers and invaders.

Muslim dietary restrictions