Gran Canaria Tourist Guide

Gran Canaria has managed to conserve its artistic and cultural legacy, inherited from the pre-Hispanic dwellers who lived on the island before it incorporation into the Castilian Crown, during the last quarter of the 15th century. Kings, nobility and religious leaders at the time occupied the peak of a hierarchical society, whose economical activity was based fundamentally on agriculture and cattle farming, although the aboriginal islanders also caught fish and different seafood for food supplies. The most representative settlement in Gran Canaria is the Painted Cave of Gáldar. It is a museum and archaeological park that sits on top of an artificial excavation on volcanic tuff rock, with wall paintings in its interior. The cave was found quite by chance in 1862 following some agricultural work on the land related to tunera cactus plants used for the breeding of cochineal. However, it wasn’t until 1873 when its discovery was given an official date, as a central living area of a settlement, comprising 60 stone houses all around it, which would be reconstructed after 24 years of excavations. Although the use of this hugely influential settlement is still to be determined, researchers have ventured that it might have been a sacred site, the living quarters for some of the guanarteme tribal kings who governed the island, or even a funeral parlour. The black, red and white paintings in geometric format that can be seen inside their glass chamber are also visible on pottery items and aboriginal seals found at other archaeological remains on the island.

The most representative settlement in Gran Canaria is the Painted Cave of Gáldar. It is a museum and archaeological park that sits on an artificial excavation resting on volcanic tuff rock, with wall paintings in its interior.

Archaeology 10

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LEISURE GUIDE OF GRAN CANARIA