ABSTRACT
This paper is concerned with the Cabrei of the Knights of the Order of St John (Treasury Series B: 289–311), which are conserved at the National Library of Malta, Valletta. The study is divided into three main sections. The first part provides some general considerations about the Cabrei and how they are organized in the national collection. The second part focusses on two particular volumes: Cabrei 290 and 307. After describing the general characteristics of these two Cabrei, this section concentrates on the typical property that the Order possessed in the Maltese islands during the eighteenth century, which included rural and urban houses, palazzi, landed estates and windmills. It analyses the architectural style of these dwellings and uses two case studies to examine their spatial dynamics, with particular reference to communication and class. Through this analysis it is also possible to estimate the area of these houses, thus forming a general idea of the level of comfort that their occupants enjoyed. The last section delves into certain other features that appear in some of the illustrations of the two volumes, particular reference being made to costumes, farming practices and landscape.
