Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi
Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi
Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi
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MUNIBE(Suplemento/Gehigarria) - nº nº 3100 286-293 000-000 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN 2010 2003 D.L. ISSN SS-1055-2010<br />
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Archaeological shell middens and shellfish<br />
gathering on La Gomera island (Canary Islands, Spain)<br />
Concheros arqueológicos y recolección de moluscos<br />
en la Isla de La Gomera (Islas Canarias, Spain)<br />
KEY WORDS: Shell middens, prehistory of La Gomera, Canary Islands, pre-europeans Gomerans, ethnoarchaeology.<br />
PALABRAS CLAVE: Concheros, Prehistoria de La Gomera, Islas Canarias, Gomeros pre-europeos, etnoarqueozoología.<br />
GAKO-HITZAK: Maskortegiak, Gomerako Historiaurrea, Kanariar uharteak, Europa aurreko Gomerakoak, etnoarkeozoologia.<br />
Eduardo MESA (1) , Juan C. HERNÁNDEZ (2)<br />
Jose F. NAVARRO (1) & Gustavo GONZÁLEZ (3)<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
We present the preliminary results of the research project “Surface Study of the Archaeological Shell Middens of La Gomera (2006 – <strong>2008</strong>)”.<br />
The remarkable level of preservation of La Gomera´s littoral, where the shell middens are situated, allows exhaustive study. The work has been<br />
based on an exhaustive fact-gathering of territorial and surface information about the shell middens existing on the island. In order to obtain<br />
data and search for ways to interpret them, a series of interviews was conducted among other island residents (60 to 95 years old) who have<br />
been related to the sea. We also re-examined malacological remains to be found in the island´s Archaeological Museum collection. All of these<br />
sources allow us to understand the role played by shellfish gathering among the pre-European Gomerans, as well as to make a general evaluation<br />
of the shell middens for both their heritage and scientific interest.<br />
RESUMEN<br />
Se presentan los resultados preliminares del proyecto de investigación “Estudio superficial de los Concheros arqueológicos de La Gomera<br />
(2006-<strong>2008</strong>)”. El importante nivel de conservación del Litoral de La Gomera, lugar en el que se ubican los concheros, permite su estudio exhaustivo.<br />
La investigación está basada en una recogida sistemática de información de los concheros isleños. Para obtener información e investigarlos<br />
se han efectuado series de entrevistas a gentes, (con edades comprendidas entre 60 y 95 años) que han vivido del mar. También volvemos<br />
a estudiarlos restos arqueomalacógicos de la Isla conservados en el Museo Arqueológico. A través de esta investigación pretendemos<br />
comprender qué papel jugó la explotación de los moluscos marinos en los grupos pre-europeos de La Gomera, así como hacer una evaluación<br />
general de los concheros desde el punto de vista patrimonial y científico.<br />
LABURPENA<br />
“Gomerako maskortegi arkeologikoen azaleko azterketa (2006-<strong>2008</strong>)” ikerketa-proiektuaren atariko emaitzak aurkezten dira. Gomerako itsasertza<br />
oso ongi kontserbatu denez, bertako maskortegietan ikerketa sakona egiteko aukera dago. Ikerketaren oinarria uharteko maskortegietan<br />
informazioa sistematikoki biltzea da. Informazioa lortzeko eta ikerketa egiteko, itsasotik bizi izan diren pertsona batzuk elkarrizketatu dira (60 eta<br />
95 urte artekoak). Museo Arkeologikoan jasotako uharteko hondakin arkeomalakologikoak ere berriro aztertu ditugu. Ikerketaren bidez<br />
Gomerako Europa aurreko taldeetan itsas moluskuek zer zeregin zuten jakin nahi dugu, bai eta maskortegien azterketa orokorra egin ere, ondarearen<br />
eta zientziaren ikuspegitik.<br />
1. INTRODUCTION<br />
La Gomera, one of the smallest of the Canary<br />
Islands at 378 sq. km., is nevertheless one of the<br />
most rugged. Although it has a volcanic origin (11.5<br />
my old) (Herrera et al. <strong>2008</strong>), the island has not suffered<br />
volcanic activity since the Pliocene, and erosion<br />
has been determinant in the landscape of this<br />
island´s geography, which features a steep topography<br />
showing deep ravines and coastal cliffs.<br />
There is a clear geographic difference between<br />
the north and the south of the island, with direct<br />
influence on the shellfish gathering; the large ravines<br />
are concentrated in the south, ending in wide<br />
stony beaches; the main part of the prehistoric<br />
population inhabited this extensive area. The north<br />
was mostly forested, humid and with fewer beaches,<br />
so it offered worse conditions to live.<br />
(1)<br />
Dpto. de Prehistoria, Antropología e Hª Antigua, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain (emimesa@hotmail.com; jnavarro@ull.es).<br />
(2)<br />
Museo Arqueológico de La Gomera, Islas Canarias, Spain (museoarqueologicodelagomera@gmail.com).<br />
(3)<br />
Dpto. de Biología Animal, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain (jggolo@ull.es).