SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Jan. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage, in partnership with the La Orotava City Council, is advancing a third archaeological excavation in the vicinity of the Church of San Francisco. The aim is to uncover the history of the historic Franciscan convent of San Lorenzo, which has concluded with the identification of eight individuals in various graves linked to burials that occurred at this religious site prior to the fire of 1801 that ravaged a considerable portion of the property.
The fieldwork has documented burials and previously unknown daily items that provide new insights into the functioning and evolution of the first monastic foundation in the Villa de La Orotava.
These discoveries, dated from the late 17th century to the early 18th century, bolster the theory that “the interiors of such ecclesiastical spaces were utilised as burial sites,” as highlighted by the PRORED team, the firm overseeing this project since 2021.
In addition to these findings, conservation efforts have been conducted on the architectural features linked to this ancient convent established in 1519, including a stone arch and an attached column with a Corinthian-style capital.
The positioning of these elements “validates earlier assertions that the area in question pertained to an interior nave of the building,” stated the work team, who emphasised the necessity to restore these wall structures for their preservation and future enhancement.
According to the director of Culture and Cultural Heritage, Miguel Ángel Clavijo, this research is crucial “to further understand the history of what Viera y Clavijo referred to as El Escorial de Canarias, a segment of history that has been obscured and merits recovery due to its impact on the future of La Orotava and the entire archipelago.”
Likewise, the mayor of La Orotava, Francisco Linares, appreciates that such archaeological initiatives are conducted in the locality as they facilitate the “discovery” of aspects of local history and enhance the appreciation of heritage values.
With these undertakings, he continued in a statement, “history is preserved, and it serves as a means to gain further understanding of our ancestors and their lifestyles, to persist with these excavations to further explore the remembrance of this space.”
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Concerning the anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains, among the eight individuals documented, three are adults and five are minors.
This finding is particularly significant as it indicates that the convent “was used for the burials of individuals of varying ages, sometimes repurposing adult graves for the interment of children’s remains, a common funerary practice in that era,” archaeologists have concluded.
In addition, items associated with the clothing, daily life, and furnishings of the individuals connected to this site have been recovered, including a coin, a pin, several buttons, and a pipe, alongside other artefacts situated within the Old Regime context.
Furthermore, the excavation has facilitated the identification of a stratigraphic package encompassing other architectural elements such as stone blocks and brick remnants, which form part of the original structures of this notable convent.
Despite the impacts of bioturbation and weathering, the units are reported to be in a “relatively good” state of conservation, according to the research team.
These structural features, alongside the human remains uncovered, offer vital information about the organisation of the convent and the funerary practices that occurred there.
Enhanced analysis of the artefacts will proceed in subsequent stages of the campaign, along with the implementation of restoration and conservation strategies.
