The 'Cart Ruts' of Malta

 

Malta’s famous cart ruts, deep parallel grooves carved into the limestone, have puzzled people for years. Fringe theorists call them prehistoric, made by "ancient high technology", evidence of the wheel or long lost machines in Ice Age Europe, traces of an alleged prediluvian civilisation. Others see them as the work of later ancient societies. A detailed study by archaeologist Joel Grima from the University of Malta, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports and discussed in a recent Ancient Architects video, takes a close look at 2,628 of these ruts. Using digital surveys, excavations and careful analysis, the research points to most of the network forming during Phoenician, Punic and Roman times.