The territory known as Xewkija is a small area of land forming an inlet under one of the bastions that surround the city of Vittoriosa and the starting point of the fortifications known as the Cottonera Lines. From ancient times it has been used as a storage for small boats, especially since Kalkara Creek was known for fishermen and oarsmen. The same area is also known for the construction and repairs of traditional seacrafts.
The etymology of the name Xewkija probably derives from the evidence that the land around the fortifications from Kalkara’s side was moors and rocks, therefore likely to be a stretch covered with thorns (in Maltese: xewk). Another possibility is that the inlet is found at a corner within the outside fortifications. Today, albeit to a lesser extent, traditional boat building is still performed here.
