[Video] New archaeological findings at San Marcial del Rubicón

The archaeological research project at San Marcial de Rubicón (Yaiza, Lanzarote) begins a second phase within the new agreement signed between the Government of the Canary Islands, the Yaiza Town Council, and the public universities of La Laguna and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This campaign, developed at the first permanent European settlement in the Canary Islands, aims to advance the different archaeological units through surveys, excavations, and above all, geophysical prospecting — both terrestrial and marine — to locate possible buried structures.

The site of San Marcial de Rubicón, located in Yaiza, Lanzarote, is an archaeological enclave of high scientific and heritage value, as it shows the first contacts between European and aboriginal cultures in the 15th century. From this area began the process of exploration and conquest of the Canarian archipelago, which led to the construction of architectural elements that have been discovered in recent decades, such as a tower-fortress, a church, wells, and other structures related to the settlement. Additionally, this nucleus also contains other social formations belonging to the ancient inhabitants of the island, such as a necropolis.

The overall purpose of this project is to advance the knowledge of this outstanding site, promoting its research, the conservation and protection of its heritage, as well as its dissemination and enhancement. Among the lines of action of this new campaign are archaeological works such as surface and geophysical surveys, test pits and extensive excavations, and geophysical and underwater prospecting of the coastal area of the site. These main actions will be supplemented by interventions derived from them, such as restoration and consolidation of excavated units that require it, as well as the study of the resulting archaeological materials.

First results

The results of the first days of archaeological work at San Marcial de Rubicón have yielded positive results, selecting three points of interest. The first, where a worked rock was observed, has revealed "masonry structures with occupation levels associated with 15th-century dumping grounds, yielding aboriginal and colonial ceramics, as well as consumption remains," indicate the archaeologist Miguel Ángel Hervás and the co-director of the research, Esther Chávez. The second area intervened, "is where in the 1980s some structures had already been identified by professors Tejera Gaspar and Aznar Vallejo and, indeed, a room with an occupation level and several associated hearths has appeared, along with 15th-century materials," they add. Finally, they explain that there was evidence provided by the ground-penetrating radar, in the area of greatest strategic value for the defence of the site, "which has allowed us to confirm a wall section almost two metres thick, associated with what written sources call the Castillo del Rubicón, being one of the great finds of the campaign."

The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Nona Perera, highlights that this intervention is "integral and multidisciplinary, using both documentary sources and current research techniques that lead us to increase knowledge of what happened here, beyond the founding of the city in 1408, from the first human settlement." The head of the Heritage area of the Government also stressed that "there is a team of 15 people, including students from both Canarian universities, taking advantage of this intervention for their training." She also stated that "the installation of temporary information panels and the rerouting of paths is planned to prevent possible losses or alterations in the state of conservation of the visible structures."

New methodologies

Through the methodology specific to surface surveying, geophysical prospecting, and stratigraphic excavation, the limits of the archaeological area will be clearly defined and possible structures within it will be identified, as well as recording archaeological materials found at surface level on the corresponding record sheets.

Terrestrial geophysical prospecting is used to detect buried structures using non-destructive methods, as it ensures a research depth of approximately two metres over the archaeological area. Complementary to this action, a survey using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is proposed to support the interpretation of the results obtained via ground-penetrating radar, to obtain information on the geo-archaeological context at a depth of approximately 6 metres.

As for underwater prospecting, a pioneering method at this site, it allows a survey of the coast by means of a suction hose with the removal of the stratigraphic deposit, to determine whether there is presence of material remains in the sedimentary package. In principle, the extraction of material from the marine environment is not contemplated, only objects that carry a high risk of deterioration or disappearance.