Pyramids of GüÃmar
The Pyramids of Guimar are six rectangular elongated pyramidal terraced buildings of mortar- free stacked lava rocks. You are in the district chacona that belongs to the town of Guimar on the island of Tenerife. During the dating remains unquestionable archaeological excavations in the 19th century, has not yet been clarified their original function.
Traditions of the local people as well as old plots show that such pyramids ( also Morra, Majanos, Molleros or Paredones called ) were once to be found in many places of the islands, but often demolished over time and were used as a cheap building material. In Guimar itself there were originally nine pyramids, of which only six have survived.
History of Research
Between 1991 and 1998, several excavations were carried out by archaeologists from the University of La Laguna ( Departamento de Prehistory, Anthropology and History Antigua ), which in 1996 was presented at a colloquium and published in 1998 session yielded conclusive evidence for the dating of the pyramids. After previous geophysical GPR investigations eight fields, each with 25 m² surface layers in the excavation were down abgetieft to the fixed Lavagrund. Three layers were observed, led from top to bottom:
Furthermore, it was discovered a natural lava cave under the side edge of one of the pyramids, which was bricked up and rendered findings from the Guanchenzeit. Since the pyramid is located stratigraphically above the cave, can be obtained from the n in the time between 600 and 1000 AD dated Guanchenfunden only conclusions for the use of caves draw. The pyramids can not be older than the 19th century to be due to the younger imported pottery found.
Theories of Juan Aparicio and Esteban López
Investigations of Juan Aparicio and Esteban López, both employees of the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands, had already in the early 1990s revealed that the long sides of some terraced buildings of Guimar point in the direction of the two solstices. On the day of the summer solstice, you can experience from the platform of the largest pyramid twofold Sunset: The sun sets behind a mountain peak, they happened, appeared behind it on again and disappears behind the next mountain a second time. All pyramids have on its west side stairs on which one exactly opposes the rising sun at the winter solstice.
In 2005, a book was published in Spanish by Juan López and under the title: The Pyramids of Guimar: myth and reality. There they put up for discussion, that the pyramids were built on the solstices oriented toward, inspired by the symbolism of the Freemasons. Both scientists support this proposal on three aspects: statistical tests for randomness of the orientation, the importance of the solstices in Freemasonry and the aspect that the owner of the land at the time of construction was a Freemason.
Transatlantic hypothesis
Died in 2002, explorer and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, who became aware of the stone in 1990 and then settled for several years in the field, representing the hypothesis that the Canarian pyramids were a stopover on the way Egyptian sun worshipers among the Maya of Central America. This led to controversies that were held, among other things in Canary newspapers. Although Heyerdahl's hypothesis was refuted by excavation results, he still seems to have captured it. With the most active in the Canary Islands Norwegian company Fred. Olsen & Co., now owner of the 1990, the obstruction dedicated to the site, the area was marketed in 1998 with the completion of excavations touristy. An information center makes visitors with Heyerdahl's expeditions and his hypotheses about the pyramids familiar. Two pavilions show exhibitions on Heyerdahl and models of its vehicles, including the replica of the Ra II in original size.