A hundred people attend the conference of the professor and Canary Islands Prize Antonio Tejera Gaspar

The professor of Archeology at the University of La Laguna, Antonio Tejera Gaspar, offered this Tuesday afternoon, at the MIAC-Castillo de San José, a conference on 'The Normans in Lanzarote' and the settlements of these European expeditionaries on the island at the beginning of the 15th century.

Some 130 people were interested in the talk, organized by the Cabildo de Lanzarote, through the Historical Heritage Service directed by the councilor Carmen Rosa Márquez, and the Mercedes Medina Díaz Association. This act was held, among others, to honor Tejera Gaspar's long career as a teacher, which comes to an end this year.

Tejera is 'Premio Canarias de Patrimonio Histórico', member of the Canarian Academy of Language and, among other merits, author of numerous archaeological studies on Lanzarote and the Canary Islands. He spoke about the conquest of Lanzarote by the European population, the Normans, as well as about the first contact between both cultures, reflected in Le Canarien, chronicles of the conquest of the islands and description of the islanders written by the friars Jean Le Verrier and Pierre Boutier, who accompanied the Normans.

He also addressed the excavations of San Marcial del Rubicón, located on the coasts of Papagayo as the first permanent European settlement in the process of conquering the Canary Islands. Its election, he explained, "was both for strategic reasons away from the main populations of the majos, ancient inhabitants of the island, as well as logistical, due to the existence of drinking water and shelter for boats." In the area, of high heritage interest, elements of the two cultures are recorded: the aboriginal and the European conqueror. Its history was ephemeral because at the end of the 16th century it was practically abandoned, once the center of island life fell on Teguise. The abandonment was also caused because, as a coastal nucleus, San Marcial del Rubicón was easy prey for pirate attacks.

He also related the "singular elements of it are the seven known wells of San Marcial del Rubicón. They are located at the bottom of a small ravine, taking advantage of an impermeable area that allows the conservation of water for long periods. The most important are those of San Marcial and that of the Cross. One of the hypotheses that are considered is that they existed since pre-Hispanic times, although they were built by the conquering population with aboriginal labor".

"The whole area is of great archaeological interest, highlighting the paved access ramp as well as the arch of the San Marcial well, in addition to the engravings of the La Cruz well, which include podomorphs and an anthropomorphic figure that some researchers attribute to the goddess Tanit. Also noteworthy are the remains of the Tower, which was located on a small breakwater on the beach, the Cathedral Church, with an approximate area of 14 x 7 m, the factory area and the aboriginal area," he said.