Birżebbuġa (Maltese pronunciation: [biːrˈzɛ.bʊdʒɐ]; sometimes shortened to B'Buġa) is a seaside town in the Southern Region of Malta, close to Marsaxlokk.
The village is also notable for its important archaeological sites, especially Għar Dalam, Ta' Kaċċatura and Borġ in-Nadur.
Għar Dalam Cave is a highly important site, as it was here that the earliest evidence of human presence on Malta was discovered.
The display area consists of two parts: the cave and the museum, which exhibit a remarkable wealth of finds from animal bones to human artefacts.
The lowermost layers, more than 500,000 years old, contain the fossil bones of dwarf elephants, hippopotami, micro-mammals and birds.
The remains of a large, defensive wall lie nearby, running across the head of a promontory between two valleys leading down to two bays.
This logistic situation leads scholars to believe that the people living in the village were more afraid of being attacked by invaders by land rather than from the sea.
Archaeologists think that this could have been due to no agricultural produce, civil warfare, or the Neolithic population being murdered by war-like tribes.
In addition to prehistoric sites, the town includes historical structures and remains that date back centuries, revealing changing peoples as the island went through different periods of domination by various political interests.
Churches tell part of the history of the town: A monument in Birżebbuġa commemorates the Malta Summit, which took place close by on 3 December 1989.
Some vacationers prefer the rocky shore in the neighbouring St George's Bay, ideal for sunbathing and snorkelling.
Birżebbuġa's coat of arms shows a blue chevron and olive branch on a white field.