Beehive in Kercem

This photograph captures a wide view of the rugged countryside of Kerċem, characterised by exposed limestone bedrock, terraced fields, and low rubble walls shaping the landscape. In the mid‑foreground stands a small rectangular stone structure with a flat roof, built from roughly cut limestone blocks and partially sheltered by a dense patch of trees and shrubs.The stone structure visible in the image is a traditional beehive (miġbħa tan‑naħal), used for apiculture, an activity closely tied to rural life in Gozo. Such beehives were often built in secluded valleys or sheltered slopes, close to wild vegetation and cultivated land, providing an ideal environment for bees while remaining accessible to farmers.