Archaeological Sites
Although there are numerous archaeological sites in the area around Agaete, only a few of them are open to the public. The best-known and best-preserved site is El Maipés necropolis. It is situated near Agaete, on the road leading into the valley.
El Maipés, a Remarkable Burial Site
On the upper edge of the small town of Agaete lies ‘El Maipés’ burial site. In a relatively recent lava field with rugged, barren and arid soil, known as ‘Malpaís’, nearly 700 graves of the Canarian indigenous people have been found, which are thought to be more than 1,300 years old.
The truncated cone-shaped tombs or burial mounds, built from volcanic rock, sometimes reach a diameter of 8 metres and a height of 3 metres. The bodies lie in a sort of coffin built into the tomb, the size of which corresponded to the height of the deceased. The burial site was designated an archaeological monument in 1974. In addition to its undeniable archaeological value, ‘El Maipés’ is also of interest from a geological and biological perspective.
The park’s facilities comprise an interpretation centre and a number of footpaths that wind their way through the entire site. Information is provided via display panels, scale models and multimedia applications in several languages.
