Investigaciones arqueoastronómicas en La Gomera (Islas Canarias)El solsticio de invierno en Las Toscas del Guirre

Abstract

The Archaeological museum of La Gomera (MAG) is promoting several research lines, seeking to advance the knowledge of the history of the island. One of these lines, developed in collaboration with the Dept. of mathematical analysis at the University of La Laguna, tries to determine the astronomical and calendrical knowledge of the ancient inhabitants of the island. As part of this research, it has been made an important discovery that reveals the observation of the Sun set at winter solstice by the ancient Gomerans. Among other functions, the control of the movement of the Sun on the horizon can be used to precisely track the changing seasons, as well as to synchronize the lunar calendar with the solar calendar, forming the basis of a stable lunisolar calendar. The discovery has been made in the cave of Las Toscas del Guirre. A cave discovered in 2005 that houses the largest panel of Libyan-Berber writing found so far in the Canaries.