Paleopathology and funeral rites

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The necropoleis of the ancient Canarians were located close to their dwelling areas, and were in use over several generations. They were thus collective funerary spaces where individuals who had shared the same habitat and had developed social and economic links were buried.

Social differences among the ancient Canarians were reflected in the funerary deposits. There were obvious dissymmetries in the burial treatment afforded to different individuals, in the constructive characteristics of their funerary structures or in the internal organization of these spaces, which were meant to ensure the reproduction of the social order. 

This room displays a scale model of the burial mound at La Guancha (Gáldar) as well as a reproduction of a burial cave, two examples of the ancient Canarian's funerary practices.
Paleopathological exhibits help explain the way experts may reconstruct the way of life of ancient populations based on an analysis of their illnesses and traumatisms. Fractures caused by accidents, articular degenerative illnesses -some of them related to the frequency of certain activities-, tumors and so on are some of the pathologies illustrated. The surgical practice of trepanation -the purpose of which is still unclear- among prehispanic Canarians is also  explained.