The exhibition, which can be visited until 17 December, explores how the aboriginal populations of the Canary Islands managed and made use of plant resources
The Fuerteventura Archaeological Museum will host the opening of the touring exhibition ‘Archaeology of plants: a look at the invisible archaeological record’ next Tuesday, 3 November, at 7.00pm. The exhibition invites visitors to discover how the study of plant remains allows us to reconstruct the landscape and learn about the way of life of the archipelago’s aboriginal populations. It will remain open to the public until 17 December 2026.
Through 14 information panels, the exhibition takes an in-depth look at how pre-European aboriginal communities in the Canary Islands managed and made use of their plant environment. The study of charcoal, pollen, phytoliths, seeds, fruits, wooden objects and plant fibres reveals how the islands’ inhabitants adapted to their insular surroundings and helped shape the landscape over time.
In Fuerteventura, archaeobotanical research has revealed the significant presence of thermophilic woodland during the aboriginal period, a landscape that today has been severely degraded by human activity. The research has also documented unique examples of basketry and rope-making produced on the island, which bear witness to the knowledge and resourcefulness of its early inhabitants in making use of natural resources.
The exhibition combines microscopic photographs of charcoal and pollen, replicas of basketry and rope-making techniques made by Canarian craftswomen, and original archaeological objects displayed in showcases. It offers visitors a glimpse into a less visible part of the archaeological record, yet one that is essential to understanding the historical relationship between human communities and their plant environment.
Panel discussion with specialists from the University of La Laguna
The opening will also include the panel discussion ‘The archaeology of plants: what is it for?’, which will launch a series of talks by researchers from the Archaeobotany Laboratory of the Department of Geography and History at the University of La Laguna (ULL).
The programme will feature Dr Álvaro Castilla Beltrán, assistant professor, presenting ‘The setting: climate and landscape through pollen and phytoliths’; Dr Paloma Vidal Matutano, senior lecturer, who will discuss ‘Gathering: woodlands and scrubland through charcoal and timber’; and Dr María Herrero Otal, postdoctoral researcher, who will present ‘Technology: tradition and plant knowledge through plant fibres’.
This initiative is funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, with support from the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo de Fuerteventura. It is also part of Las Semanas de la Ciencia y la Innovación en Canarias (Canary Islands Science and Innovation Weeks), promoted by the Canary Islands Government’s Ministry of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture through the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and the Information Society (ACIISI).
