El proceso de los materiales arqueológicos en el Museo Arqueológico de Fuerteventura

The Archaeological Museum of Fuerteventura (MAF) has successfully hosted another session of the Cultural Cycle ‘Between Showcases’, focused on the process that archaeological materials follow from their discovery to their exhibition in the museum. Under the title ‘From Excavation to Showcase’, archaeologists Marco Moreno, Valentín Barroso, Rosa López, and Isidoro Hernández shared their knowledge with a large audience.

In this way, Marco Moreno, director and manager of the Tibicena company, and responsible for the creation and revision of the latest archaeological map of Fuerteventura, addressed the discoveries of sites such as

Gran Valle de La Cueva or Rosita del Vicario (Antigua), the casual discovery, excavation, and conservation of the ceramics found in Barranco de Pesenescal (Pájara), or the excavations in Montaña del Moro (Pájara), archaeological materials that are displayed in the exhibition «Archaeological Fuerteventura».

Rosa López, an archaeologist, has conducted several excavation campaigns in Cueva de Villaverde (La Oliva). This site, discovered during the digging of ditches in 1979, is one of the most studied sites in Fuerteventura. Its archaeological record, essential to understand the different exhibition panels of the museum, includes human bone remains, ceramics, punches, etc. Her explanations helped understand the importance of a cave that was the first place where the first scientific evidence of agriculture practice by the ‘majo’ people was found.

Valentín Barroso, responsible for the Arqueocanaria company, mentioned that, in addition to numerous archaeological works in Fuerteventura, they stand out the ones carried out in Montaña de Tindaya, such as the catalog of the podomorphic engravings with the restoration proposal for each of them, the museographic project and the use of the mountain, the restoration of the engravings of Tindaya deposited in Casa Alta and Cabildo, and finally, the archaeological survey that has served for the extension of the BIC delimitation. Many of the podomorphic engravings that were exhibited in Casa Alta de Tindaya are now located in the MAF as one of the most astonishing rock art manifestations of the ‘majo’ people culture.

Finally, Isidoro Hernández, director of the MAF and co-director of the archaeological excavations in Islote de Lobos, explained the importance of the Romanized population’s purple factory located on the Playa de la Calera, south of the islet, as well as each of the pieces extracted from the site that are part of the exhibition panel «Canary Islands, beyond the Roman border». He highlighted the importance of the material record that includes all types of ceramics, metals, lithics, etc. He also reviewed the restoration work through agreements with the Archaeological Museum of Tenerife and the conservation measures established in the museum to extend the durability of these archaeological materials.

Between Showcases

This monthly event promoted by the Archaeological Museum of Fuerteventura aims to bring the island’s archaeological heritage closer to the general public and promote heritage education. This program offers guided tours through the museum’s showcases, led by archaeology experts, to explore in-depth the exhibited movable assets.

As indicated by the area councilor, Rayco León, the objective of the cultural cycle is to disseminate the archaeological heritage safeguarded by the MAF and practice social museology, uniting cultural heritage and community through visits to the different exhibition rooms of the museum guided by experts in archaeology, history, paleontology, conservation, and other scientific disciplines.

The cycle started in February, with Verónica Alberto Barroso’s analysis of the human bone remains of the ‘majo’ people exhibited in the «Archaeological Fuerteventura», «Remains/Challenges», and «Back Home» exhibitions, and continued in March with the analysis of the ceramics of the Canary Island aborigines that are part of the scientific discourse of the mentioned exhibitions by archaeologist Nona Perera Betancor.