Set the scene.
Near Xwejni on Gozo’s north coast, shallow salt pans are cut into the limestone. Their chequerboard pattern is practical: it spreads seawater into pools where the sun can do its work.
Here’s the twist.
As water evaporates, salt crystals remain. Harvesting still needs people: collecting, drying and storing the salt are skilled tasks passed down through local families. The landscape is a workplace as well as a striking view.
Why it still matters.
The story connects food, weather, geology and family knowledge. Try explaining the process in three steps: add seawater, let water evaporate, collect the salt. Simple science can support a long-lived tradition.
FACT OR MYTH? 🤔The sun turns water itself into salt.Tap to reveal ↓
Myth. Seawater already contains dissolved salts. Evaporation removes water and leaves the salt behind.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.