The Insular Library of Lanzarote hosts this Friday, May 13, the presentation of the book ‘A son de campana tañida. Inventory of bells of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote”, by the historian Gustavo A. Trujillo. This publication states that Lanzarote has 92 church bells, 4 clocks and a sundial in the 64 properties visited.
The publication explains that among the oldest is that of San Ginés Obispo in Arrecife and that of the hermitage of San Leandro in Teguise, dated between the 17th and 18th centuries, although the most abundant instruments are those manufactured in the 19th century.
The book collects and summarizes the main results of the research promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands, on the bells, clocks and rattles of the western islands of the archipelago.
The publication compiles a total of 165 cultural assets located in 105 public and private properties, mostly dedicated to Christian worship such as parish churches, former convents, hermitages and chapels, but also in military constructions and, to a lesser extent, in civil buildings.
The registry of bells of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura specifies, for each of them, "its denomination, authorship, chronology and place of origin", in addition to its location, ownership and current state of conservation, as well as its manual or automated ringing, "among other characteristics of special interest such as its ornamentation and iconography."
The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Nona Perrera, will attend the presentation, accompanied by the author of this research. During the event, the bell specialist will show some examples of the sound elements that are still preserved on the island, in addition to presenting "the problems and conservation proposals raised by this study."
The Government of the Canary Islands indicates that with this inventory "knowledge is expanded, dissemination is promoted and the protection of bells and their sounds is valued", so they assure that this work "marks a milestone in the study of this intangible cultural heritage of the Canary Islands."