Dungeons Malta, located on the first right at the entrance of Mdina, was used as a dungeon in ancient times. In the dungeons under Vilhena Palace, you can see the dark side of Malta and the torture methods used in history with underground passages each leading to a different dungeon.
The people in the dungeons are made to look real with wax sculptures. The realism is enhanced by the sounds heard in the background. The museum exhibits torture methods from the Roman period, the period of the knights in Malta and the Arab period.
It is thought that in Roman times the island of Malta was used as a place to keep slaves. Crucifixion and beheading were also quite common at that time. During the Arab period in 870 AD, the most common method of torture was crushing under large stones. The museum also depicts beheadings on poles, hanging people and leaving them to die in wire cages.
The masks of shame used during the period were also a form of torture. The masks of shame, which were worn in the face of a crime, not only disgraced the perpetrator with characteristic features such as long ears and pig nose, but also caused pain by pressing on the mouth or nose with the sharp parts inside the masks. Thus, the offender could be harmed both psychologically and physically.
The dark and gloomy atmosphere of the museum may not be for everyone. But it is a good museum to learn about the bad side of history. The rooms are dark but there are no sudden movements or things that come out of nowhere to scare you.
