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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Arqueoentomología y arqueobotánica de los espacios de almacenamiento a largo plazo: el granero de Risco Pintado, Temisas (Gran Canaria)

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This contribution aims at understanding the storage techniques used in the past by means of studying the entomological and plant remains present in the pre-hispanic granary of Risco Pintado, dated between the IX and XV centuries cal AD.This type of granary groups together a large number of silos excavated in the volcanic tuff, situated on steep escarpments, difficult to access and easy to defend.The exceptional environmental conditions of these infrastructures have allowed the desiccated remains of the stored plant products and the pests associated with such storage to be preserved within the silos.The domestic species documented include cereals (barley and wheat), legumes (broad beans and lentils) and fruits (figs), as well as other gathered indigenous plants.Together with these remains, insects that developed as primary and secondary storage pests are recorded (grain weevil and sawtoothed grain beetle).To combat these infestations, the ancient Canarians used a number of natural insecticides (laurel and lentisk).The presence of these pests is analysed as an indicator of long-term storage and of the strategies developed to ensure the integrity of stored plant resources.