Title: The General or Fungus Rock Gozo, showing the Faura gorge and downthrow. Extensive Pleistocene Beds in the neighbourhood

Creator: John Henry Cooke

Description: Photo of Fungus Rock, a limestone islet on the west coast of the island of Gozo, part of Malta. It stands at the entrance to an almost circular lagoon. Its name originates from the discovery by the Knights of Malta, who lived on the islands from the 16th to the 18th centuries, of what they called the Malta Fungus. This plant (not actually a fungus) was considered to be very valuable, with medicinal properties, and was consequently heavily guarded. The islet’s Maltese name is Il-Gebla tal-General.

This image accompanied a paper by Cooke read at the Geological Society on 21st November 1894. It was published without the photos as, ‘The Pleistocene Beds of the Maltese Islands’, Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, vol.51 (1895), pp49-50.

Date: [1893-1894]

Format: Black and white albumen photograph

Archive reference: LDGSL/936/15

Image reference: 05-35

Recommended print size: Up to 10 x 8 inches (25 x 14cm)