For the benefit of those who do not have Maltese fonts we list the Comino placenames in normal Latin text, i.e. without the special Maltese font charcters, supplemented below by graphics that show the proper spelling in the Maltese language.
In the above table we list the Comino placenames in their proper Maltese spelling,
whereas below (in geographical order) they appear in plain Latin text.
|
Local Name
|
Ref
|
English meaning
|
Link:
|
|
Bejn il-Kmiemen
|
1
|
Betwixt the Cominos
|
visit the page
|
|
|
il-Hobza
|
8
|
the Loaf
|
|
|
il-Bejta tal-Fenek
|
5
|
the Rabbit's Burrow
|
|
|
l-Ghar tal-Mazz
|
15
|
'Tal-Mazz' (Pile) Cave
|
view from the sea
|
|
|
Taht il-Mazz
|
15
|
beneath the 'Mazz' (Pile)
|
seen from the tower
|
|
|
Ras l-Irqieqa
|
18
|
Narrow Point
|
let's go there
|
|
|
it-Torri
|
13
|
the Tower
|
visit the page
|
|
|
il-Palazz
|
12
|
the Palace [sic. hospital]
|
let's go there
|
|
|
Wied Ernu
|
23
|
Ernu Valley
|
|
|
it-Trunciera
|
14
|
the Battery
|
visit the page
|
|
|
Ta’ Prexxa
|
21
|
of the Breach lit.
|
view from the sea
|
|
|
id-Darsa
|
4
|
the Molar
|
|
|
l-Imkebba
|
16
|
the Wrapped One lit.
|
|
|
Ras l-Imnieri
|
17
|
Lanterns Point
|
|
|
il-Kola
|
10
|
[Santa Maria] Bay
|
see below
|
|
il-Kappella
|
9
|
the Chapel
|
visit the page
|
|
|
San Niklaw, il-Qala ta’
|
19
|
Saint Nicholas' Bay
|
let's go there
|
|
|
tal-Hmara
|
22
|
of the Donkey
|
visit the page
|
|
|
Ghar Ghana
|
2
|
Song Cave
|
view from the sea
|
|
|
ic-Cimiterju
|
3
|
the Cemetery
|
|
|
il-Forn
|
6
|
the Bakery
|
let's go there
|
|
|
il-Hazina
|
7
|
the Waste
|
|
|
Stazzjon tal-Birdlife
|
20
|
'Birdlife' Station
|
aerial view
|
|
|
Wied l-Ahmar
|
24
|
Red Valley
|
|
|
il-Modd
|
11
|
il-Modd a unit of measure
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Protecting our Oral Heritage
my-malta.com was extremely preoccupied by the lack of documentation concerning Comino's toponomy. The most authoritative work on vernacular placenames, Placenames of the Maltese Islands, 1300-1800, the product of avid research by Professor Godfrey Wettinger, gives little information about Comino.
This is understandable considering the source of information was notarial deeds that primarily dealt with arable land. For hundreds of years, Comino was an exclusive hunting ground for the Knights of S. John and, therefore, the sparse tracts of land under cultivation were unleased.
Most of its garigue was noted for the production of cumin and its famed wild thyme honey. British cartographers scaled the island's waters in order to chart treacherous reefs, rocks and boulders that dot its eastern and south-eastern coasts.
We are concerned that modern commercial maps contain erroneous information about the local placenames. One clear example is l-Imnieri, that is repeatedly referred to as Ghemieri. The latter is the plural of the Maltese word Ghamra, that means 'an abode'. The singular of Imnieri is Imnara, 'a lantern'. It is all too obvious that no abode could be built on a narrow headland that at times is submerged in rough weather. The same site housed a lantern that warned sailing vessels to stay clear. We are also aware that the battery, referred to by the islanders as it-Trunciera, should in precise military terms be referred to as batterija. We do, however, feel that we have to respect the islanders' common usage of the word it-Trunciera despite this technical anomaly.
I took the task to document the oral testimony of old seafarers, now octogenerians, who knew the Cominan and Gozitan coastline and waters by heart.
Steve Borg
Very Important:
ALL INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED IN BONA FIDE, HENCE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER CAN BE ACCEPTED BY OR ATTRIBUTED TO THE AUTHORS OF THIS CHAPTER OR BY/TO MY-MALTA.COM FOR ANY CLAIMS AND/OR CONSEQUENCES ARISING FROM INFORMATION APPEARING HEREIN.
my-malta.com
|
|
