When I went to Ħal-Millieri Chapel last Sunday I visited also these catacombs which are normally closed and were open for the public on this special occasion.
The queue was long and only ten persons at a time where allowed in. Suddenly, as I waited patiently my turn to go in I was told that those responsible were looking for one single person to join the nine already in. I, being the only one on my own, skipped the queue and joined the other nine to go in. I was not yet prepared and inside it was pitch dark. I could barely see my way around and at the time it didn’t cross my mind to use my mobile torch. Through the view finder of the camera I only so black, so all my shots were taken blindly. Luckily all of them came out well. I had to use high ISO and flash combined to take them. We had very little time at our disposal before we were called out to make way for the next group.
These are the three shots I chose for this collage.
Tal-Mintna Catacombs were certainly in use sometime around the 4th century AD but were discovered in 1860. They contain a number of detached underground sets of burial chambers grouped collectively next to each other and are now connected to form one larger complex. The interior is made up of small galleries and tombs carved out on both sides of the passageways. The ritual table known as the "triclinium" table (top right photo) dominates the complex.
The burial chambers are richly decorated such as the carved scallop-shell (left photo). There are also a number of window tombs ((bottom right photo).
Sorry for the long narrative.
Thank you so much for looking and for your comments on yesterday’s picture.
@bella_ss Now that you mentioned you may be right. Normally I don't even take the lens hood with me in such occasions and I don't know if I did that time. I was thinking it could be a thumb's shadow.
