material culture

Introduction

oWhen someone digs into the roots of culture in the Canary Islands they encounter an identity of a people with strong customs, who depend on their past while forging on their future.

The stone tools

oThe absence of metals on the islands obliged the natives to make their working tools of stone.

The common ones:

The scrapers used

normally as elements to

cut.

•The mill stones used to grind cereals and to obtain “gofio”, their

most important food.

• Tabona: species of blade done with obsidian that has a great hardness and an edge which can be made very sharp. They used it in combats, to cut weaves and to kill animals.

Bone toolsoThe cattle

economy gave food but also let them take advantage of the skin to get dressed and the bones of the animals to make equipment, such as needles or jewelry.

Ceramics

oThe manufacture of the ceramic was done by hand and by the women.

The most common ceramic work in Fuerteventura

was:

“Tabajoste” or “tofio”: this is a

container, generally of clay that was used to milk the goats.

Project done by:

Maria

Joana

Ainara