David Trump

Daniel Cilia writes: As I start to write this on the ferry boat on the way to Gozo I am pleased to overhear the people on the table next to me discussing the Times of Malta front page story about the passing away of my mentor and friend David Trump. One of the youths was telling the others that Dr Trump “… kien arkeologist kbir li għamel ħafna ġid għall-istorrja ta’ Malta’ (he was an important archaeologist who did a lot of good to Malta). David would have been pleased. From the first time I met him briefly in 1996, introduced by  Ann Monserrat, and later on in 2001, when we started to collaborate on a number of books, his love for Malta’s history, especially its pre-history, was addictive. His enthusiasm and knowledge on the subject was boundless. He described himself as ‘I am a pot man’, referring to his interest in the pottery found in most archaeological sites. David had put together the Maltese prehistoric chronological table of the ‘periods’ based on the pottery’s style, decoration and type of clay used in ritual and in everyday life. Each period was named after the temple site where the pottery was recognised or was found most aboundingly. On many occasions visiting a...