Risco Caído

Risco Caído is a land-form and archaeological site on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. The site contains prehistoric cave dwellings, temples, and granaries attributed to the pre-hispanic culture of the Canary Islands. It is also considered to have been used as an astronomical observatory by Aboriginal people. In July 2019, Risco Caído was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1][2] It is the first World Heritage Site of the island of Gran Canaria and the province of Las Palmas and the fifth of the Canary Islands.[3] Located in a vast mountainous area in the centre of Gran Canaria, Risco Caído comprises cliffs, ravines and volcanic formations in a landscape of rich biodiversity. The landscape includes a large number of troglodyte settlements habitats, granaries and cisterns whose age is proof of the presence of a pre-Hispanic culture on the island, which has evolved in isolation, from the arrival of North African Berbers, around the beginning of our era, until the first Spanish settlers in the 15th century. The troglodyte complex also includes cult cavities and two sacred temples, or almogarenes Risco Caído and Roque Bentayga where seasonal ceremonies were held. These temples are thought to be linked to a possible cult of the stars and Mother Earth. [4]

Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationGran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
Criteria(iii)(v)
Reference1578
Inscription2019 (43rd session)
Area9,425 ha
Buffer zone8,557 ha
Websiteriscocaido.grancanaria.com
Coordinates28.0435°N 15.6613°W / 28.0435; -15.6613
Location of Risco Caído in Canary Islands

Critics

The inclusion of Risco Caído in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites has been criticized by certain sectors, such as the mathematician José Barrios who considers the lack of scientific support to really consider it an aboriginal astronomical observatory or the institutional overprotection of this enclave in front of others in Gran Canaria, such as the archaeological site of Four Doors.[5] Also the geographer Eustaquio Villalba, has called into question the existence of an astronomical observatory in Risco Caído.[5] Both criticizing also that a single article (which they consider with "little scientific base"), written by the discoverer of the site, Julio Cuenca, has sufficed for such an international declaration.[6][5]

According to Barrios: "there is no scientific study that supports the archaeological astronomical hypothesis" (fundamental reason why the site was declared a World Heritage Site). It alludes that there are no astronomical markers that would ratify this theory and that there is not a single published technical report that supports any of these statements.[7]

References
  1. "From Babylon to Rajasthan, here are the newest UNESCO World Heritage sites". Travel. 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  2. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  3. "Risco Caído y las Montañas Sagradas de Gran Canaria ya son Patrimonio Mundial" (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  4. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1578/
  5. Los que rompen la unanimidad sobre Risco Caído
  6. Risco Caído, un ejemplo de historia manipulada
  7. Algunas consideraciones sobre las políticas de protección del patrimonio arqueoastronómica de Gran Canaria: los casos de Cuatro Puertas y Risco Caído

[1]


  1. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1578/
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