Unveiling the ancient astronomers of the Canary Islands
This Thursday at 6:00 PM, journalist Luis Socorro will present his book Astronomers of the Past: Archeoastronomy of the Canary Islands at the Gran Canaria Island Council’s Insular Library. The work compiles years of research on pre-Hispanic archaeological sites that reveal how the islands’ ancient inhabitants observed the sky. This marks the first journalistic investigation into the Canary Islands’ most significant astronomical archaeological sites, supported by Juan Antonio Belmonte and César Esteban, scientists from the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and pioneers of cultural astronomy in Spain.
A groundbreaking exploration of celestial history
Belmonte and Esteban authored the book’s prologue, which features 21 reports—a trilogy for each island with indigenous heritage. Thursday’s presentation will include a visual summary of the 45 most notable sites Socorro visited during his research. Following his earlier series Amaziges of the Canary Islands: History of a Culture, this book is his second major journalistic work on the archipelago’s indigenous culture, also published in Canarias Ahora.
Expert praise for a comprehensive study
“Without a doubt,” writes astronomer César Esteban in the prologue, “this is the most exhaustive, serious, and accurate journalistic synthesis of archeoastronomical studies in our archipelago to date.” Juan Antonio Belmonte adds, “From the beginning, I found it a fascinating initiative to compile all the astronomical research, both from archaeology and traditional Canarian culture.” He particularly highlights the book’s balanced approach in reconciling differing viewpoints among researchers.
Unpublished research and new insights
The book also features previously unpublished work by archeoastronomers Juan Manuel Caballero and José Carlos Gil, as well as studies by Miguel Ángel Martín, a historian from La Palma who has extensively researched the cosmology of the archipelago’s earliest settlers. This compilation offers a rare glimpse into the celestial knowledge of the Canary Islands’ ancient inhabitants, making it a must-read for history and astronomy enthusiasts alike.
