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Evidence at the Caleta de Arriba site points to a violent death
centuries ago which could pre-date the 15th century Spanish
conquest of the archipelago off northwest Africa.
"They are not buried in the strict sense ... This is a funerary
practice that denotes very strong symbolic violence," explained
Veronica Alberto, head of the excavation.
The bodies had been forcefully placed on the rocky surface and
then had stones thrown on them, she told Reuters. Some had
straps or bindings on their limbs.
"It could be an aboriginal burial, but due to the
characteristics of the archaeological site we need to expand it
and consider that they could be from other periods after the
conquest, from 16th, 17th, 18th centuries," Alberto added.
Without objects to help establish the period, scientists are
waiting for radiocarbon dating tests on the bones.
The archaeologists, who use security ropes while working on the
steep terrain, said it was not a normal burial place because
they only found men. All six had strong arms, suggesting they
were involved in the same type of physical activity.
(Writing by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip and Andrew
Cawthorne)
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