Archaeology
The archaeology of Villa de Mazo offers a privileged window into the aboriginal past of La Palma. In pre-Hispanic times, the municipality was part of the Tigalate canton, one of the great territories of the Auaritas. It was governed by the chiefs Juguiro and Garehagua, formidable warriors who resisted with determination the advance of the Castilian conquerors in the 15th century. The arrival of Alonso Fernández de Lugo’s troops unleashed confrontations that marked local history, and whose echoes still resonate in the archaeological memory of the municipality.
Research places the arrival of the first settlers around the first millennium BC, although earlier arrivals are not ruled out. These natives of Mazo were organized in a society where women played a central role, recognized for their courage and leadership. Their spiritual world was presided over by the god Abora, and the funerary rites reveal a deep belief in the afterlife. In the Cueva de la Cucaracha, a cemetery was discovered with bowls and gánigos as offerings, proof of the respect that the Auaritas showed towards their dead.
The raising of goats and sheep was the basis of their subsistence, complemented with vegetable and marine products. From these animals they obtained meat, milk and hides that served them for clothing and footwear. The organization of grazing followed a seasonal pattern: in winter, the herds remained on the coast, while in summer they ascended to higher areas in search of fresh pastures.
The habitat was structured mainly in natural caves adapted as dwellings. Among them stands out the famous Cueva de Belmaco, in the ravine of the same name, considered the abode of the sovereigns and one of the most emblematic sites in the Canary Islands. At the end of the 19th century, the researcher René Vernau described Belmaco as a beautiful and perfectly habitable place. Next to it, other caves such as those of Camello, Lázaro, Cabreros, Goteras, Roque de la Campana, Palomas, Pulidor or those of Niquiomo complete a wide inventory of settlements, some of them with a burial function.
In addition to the caves, open-air settlements have been identified in coastal enclaves such as Roque de los Guerra, Pocito or El Tributo. There, cabins with stone walls and vegetable roofs could have been built, which demonstrates the diversity of housing solutions of the ancient settlers of the area.
Today, the archaeological sites of Villa de Mazo—with Belmaco as a central icon—constitute an authentic heritage treasure. They represent not only a scientific legacy of enormous value, but also a cultural and tourist resource that allows visitors to approach the life, beliefs and customs of the ancient inhabitants of La Palma, making Mazo an essential destination for those who wish to discover the living history of the first Canarians.
