Knocking on Malta’s door! Everything you need to know about the Maltese ‘ħabbata’
The Maltese Cross tends to be the most popular door knocker seen around the island.
Walking through the streets of several old towns and villages in Malta, several door knockers may catch one’s attention. Brass animals, family crests and a simple ring are some of the most commonly seen ‘ħabbata’, but a keen eye could spot some more original variations, even depicting the goddess of fertility or a man’s head (possibly belonging to the owner!)
Legend has it that in medieval times, Maltese would scratch on each other’s doors to announce their presence – the advent of knocking and eventually the ‘ħabbata’ itself provided an easier way of doing so. The type of ‘ħabbata’ hanging on a door would often reflect the wealth and status of those residing inside, shown in size and elaboration of the knocker itself.
Another curious fact linked to the ‘ħabbata’ speaks of the tradition of the removal of a door knocker from a family’s front door when a neighbour or a member of the same family passed away, as a sign of respect and mourning.
Although most modern residences have progressed to the electronic doorbell, several traditional Maltese homes maintain this feature of their front doors as a salute to times gone by.
Have you seen any interesting ‘ħabbata’ recently?