The V Archaeology Campus of Tijarafe kicks off this Monday, July 13, with a survey in the areas of Aguatavar and Bellido, focused on locating and recording unexcavated aboriginal sites.
The municipality of Tijarafe becomes an open-air archaeology classroom starting this Monday, July 13. The fifth edition of the Archaeology Campus, which will run until Saturday, July 25, is taking place alongside the 10th Archaeological Campaign of the Occidente Project, which this year focuses on surveying as the main fieldwork methodology.
The initiative, driven by the Tijarafe City Council through the Heritage department led by Aitor Rodríguez Pérez, has the support of the General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands, through its educational project EnSeñas, and the technical team of the company Cultania. This backing has made the Campus a regional benchmark in promoting archaeological work among the public.
Survey instead of excavation
Unlike previous editions, there will be no excavation this year. This decision reflects a methodological shift. Last summer, the work was concentrated on the Cueva del Lomo de las Viñas I, a residential space located in the Barranco de los Gomeros, declared a Cultural Asset of Interest with the category of Archaeological Zone since 2015. Now, the project changes scale: instead of delving into a single point, it aims to cover the entire territory.
According to project sources, an excavation provides a very detailed but limited snapshot of a specific space; in contrast, surveying allows for an understanding of how settlements were distributed and related across an entire region. Alternating between these two perspectives —the depth of the stratigraphic level and the breadth of the territory— is what makes the Occidente Project unique and enables a more complete reconstruction of the lives of those who inhabited this part of the Island.
Two weeks of work in Aguatavar and Bellido
The recognition will focus on the areas of Aguatavar and Bellido, located in the northwest of the municipality. There, surveying means locating, identifying, and recording the sites that are still preserved, providing precise documentation of their existence so that both future research and the responsible administrations for their custody know what is there and where it is.
The Tijarafe Archaeology Campus not only trains participants but also generates a direct benefit for the municipality. By mapping the aboriginal remains, it facilitates their protection and opens the door to future tourist or educational routes. The residents of Tijarafe will be able to better understand their oldest heritage, and visitors will discover a history that goes beyond the volcanic landscape.
The Occidente Project, which has been studying the first inhabitants of the municipality since 2017, has so far combined excavations, surveys, material studies, laboratory analyses, dating, and historical document reviews. Additionally, it has focused on dissemination through 3D surveys, publications, talks, and social media. This Campus is its main outreach tool.
The event, which has established itself as one of the star activities of the cultural summer in Tijarafe, demonstrates that archaeology is not just a thing of the past: it also builds community and attracts attention to the northwest of La Palma. And all without moving a shovel.
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