Material Expressions of Social Memory: A Contemporary Archaeology of the Great Siege Monument and the Spontaneous Shrine to Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta, Malta.

This article examines the interaction between the Great Siege Monument in Valletta, Malta—a national monument unveiled in 1927 commemorating the 1565 Ottoman siege—and the spontaneous Daphne memorial that emerged in 2017 following the assassination of Maltese journalist and anti-corruption activist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Using a multitemporal archaeological approach, the study analyzes how these two memorial entities coexist as a "monument-memorial" palimpsest, embodying contrasting and sometimes conflicting political narratives and social memories. The article argues that this hybrid memorial space exemplifies themes of "counter-monumentality," as defined by James Young, by challenging traditional monumentality through ongoing public engagement, contestation, and material renewal. This case highlights how heritage sites can evolve dynamically, reflecting contemporary political divisions and collective memory in Malta.