A recent exploration campaign initiated in the Cañadas del Teide by the General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands has uncovered 92 archaeological sites, including fifteen previously unreported obsidian workshops, and 131 ethnographic locations that significantly enrich the cultural heritage of the National Park.
This new surface heritage survey was conducted by the specialized firm PRORED in collaboration with the University of La Laguna, with Dr. Matilde Arnay de la Rosa providing scientific guidance within the project supervised by archaeologists Efraín Marrero and Hacomar Ruiz. The study area encompasses some of the paths utilized by the Guanche society to link Las Cañadas with the southwest of the island and subsequent periods.
According to Miguel Ángel Clavijo, the general director of Culture and Cultural Heritage, continuing scientific research is crucial because “Las Cañadas del Teide is the most significant archaeological site in Tenerife, not only due to its expanse but also the wealth of information it imparts about the island’s history.” This location encapsulates “2000 years of history from a cultural perspective,” thus it is the Government’s responsibility to “disseminate this invaluable legacy to the populace,” he concludes.
As highlighted by Clavijo, Teide was not solely occupied and traversed by the indigenous population but was also a hub of vigorous activity post-conquest. Indeed, a recurrent observation in the surveys is that “the ethnographic footprint is apparent from the remnants of charcoal pits, beehive seats, structures, or resting spots,” determined Ruiz, among other ethnographic features.
Among the registered archaeological sites, “the areas of surface remains not linked to structures or dwelling spaces” are noteworthy, a phenomenon that, “coupled with dispersed ceramic fragments, signifies a region transiently traversed by the native population,” states Ruiz. According to these findings, the Guanche society ascended the peaks of Tenerife seasonally to exploit the varied resources offered by this environment.
OBSIDIAN WORKSHOPS
The discovery of fifteen obsidian workshops and several carving areas and cabins affirm the “significance of Las Cañadas associated with the procurement of lithic resources,” confirms Marrero, citing this volcanic glass primarily used as a tool by the Guanche population.
These findings pave the way for new research initiatives, which will be explored in the context of the ARQUEOVOL R&D project of the Ministry of Science and Innovation in collaboration with the University of La Laguna, under the leadership of principal investigator Dr. Cristo Manuel Hernández. This study aims to examine the exploitation of obsidian from diverse perspectives and the correlation between human activities and high-altitude volcanism.
However, obsidian is not the sole lithic material utilized in Las Cañadas by the native population; “objects crafted from porous basalt or vesicular basalt, employed in the production of millstones for grinding grains,” have also been identified, Marrero explains.
Since 2014, the General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage has partnered with the Teide National Park in the program of archaeological surveys and excavations in Las Cañadas. The project’s objective is to deepen the understanding of the historical habitation of Las Cañadas and comprehensively catalogue its cultural heritage, providing an efficient resource for the management and dissemination of its archaeological and ethnographic assets.
