The Archaeology of the Early Castilian Colonialism in Atlantic Africa. The Canary Islands and Western Barbary (1478–1526)

Abstract

Towards the end of the fifteenth century, the Crown of Castile decided to become directly involved in the conquest of the three Canary Islands which remained rebellious: Gran Canaria (1478–1483), La Palma (1492–1493) and Tenerife (1494–1496). This was the beginning of an authentic state-driven project of colonization that is traditionally considered to have been completed in 1526. Significantly, 1526 also marked the end of the Castilian attempts to colonize the neighbouring African coast, the Western Barbary.

This chapter examines the materiality of this double colonial experience drawing on two different but interrelated archaeological research projects. The first project focuses on the territory of Gáldar (northwest of Gran Canaria), which had a significant presence of indigenous Canarian population both before and after the Castilian conquest. The second project analyses the African towers of Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña and San Miguel de Asaca.