Two wells discovered at historic San Marcial del Rubicón site in Lanzarote

Archaeologists have discovered two wells during the latest excavations at San Marcial del Rubicón in Playa Blanca, offering new clues about how the first European settlement in the Canary Islands was built and supplied with water.

The seventh excavation campaign at San Marcial del Rubicón has uncovered two wells and another structure that may be linked to the site’s water system.

The settlement was founded by a Norman expedition in the 15th century. Researchers are studying the remains to understand how the settlement developed and how its inhabitants lived.

The archaeological team, led by María del Cristo González, Esther Chávez, Nona Perera, Luis Alejandro García and Miguel Ángel Hervás, has not yet confirmed whether the two wells date back to the settlement’s foundation. Further excavations will be needed.

The discoveries bring the number of confirmed wells at the site to six. A further structure linked to water management is also being investigated.

“Any artifacts we find have few parallels, and that poses a challenge for the team as we look ahead to future campaigns,” said María del Cristo González, co-director of the project.

Previous excavations have uncovered pottery shards, coins, homes, fortifications, a cemetery and a lime kiln.

This year’s work also identified a site that may be connected to the kiln and another area known as “La plaza”, which had previously been explored by professors Antonio Tejera and Eduardo Aznar.

Researchers hope to identify the different areas that made up the original settlement and better understand how the city was organised.

Plans for an archaeological park

The project is funded by the Canarian Government, the University of Las Palmas, the University of La Laguna and Yaiza Ayuntamiento.

Yaiza mayor, Oscar Noda, has highlighted the work carried out over the seven excavation campaigns and the potential to develop the site into an archaeological park or museum.