The genomic history of the indigenous people of the Canary Islands.

The indigenous population of the Canary Islands, which colonized the archipelago around the 3rd century CE, provides both a window into the past of North Africa and a unique model to explore the effects of insularity. We generate genome-wide data from 40 individuals from the seven islands, dated between the 3rd-16rd centuries CE. Along with components already present in Moroccan Neolithic populations, the Canarian natives show signatures related to Bronze Age expansions in Eurasia and trans-Saharan migrations. The lack of gene flow between islands and constant or decreasing effective population sizes suggest that populations were isolated. While some island populations maintained relatively high genetic diversity, with the only detected bottleneck coinciding with the colonization time, other islands with fewer natural resources show the effects of insularity and isolation. Finally, consistent genetic differentiation between eastern and western islands points to a more complex colonization process than previously thought.

Oral conditions of the pre-Hispanic mummies of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain).

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the oral conditions of pre-Hispanic mummies from Gran Canaria (5th-11th centuries AD), comparing the results with published data from the non-mummified population. MATERIALS: 440 teeth and 764 alveoli of 30 adult mummies. METHODS: Macroscopic examination of pathological and non-pathological features of the oral cavity, using standardized criteria. RESULTS: The mummies reveal frequent dental caries (11.8%), especially affecting molars (27.6%), a high prevalence of calculus (66.3%) and periodontal disease (34.9%). The average wear is characterized by extensive dentine exposure. Periapical lesions (10.6%) and antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) (15.9%) are common. A high percentage of individuals exhibit linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) (84%). Except for periodontitis, the data indicate the absence of significant statistical differences between the mummies and the skeletonized sample. CONCLUSIONS: The profile of the dental pathologies of the mummies indicates a carbohydrate-rich diet that contained abrasive grit from the stone querns used to grind cereals. Comparison of the oral conditions of mummified and skeletonized remains shows no differences in access to food resources, reinforcing the recent rejection of the traditional interpretation of the mummies as the pre-eminent status group of Canarian society. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study to delve into the oral conditions of pre-Hispanic mummified remains from Gran Canaria. The results have implications for the framing of research questions based on the social status of these mummies. LIMITATION: The preserved sample of mummified remains of ancient Canarians is small. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Comparative analysis from a diachronic perspective would improve understanding of the historical development of ancient Canarians.

Violent encounter or capital punishment? Evidence of lethal violence in an indigenous burial from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain).

This paper focuses on an unusual Pre-Hispanic burial, 11-12th century cal AD, from Fuerteventura Island. The pattern of injuries of the skeletal remains, together with the grave's features suggest exceptional circumstances of death and funerary treatment differing from those commonly observed elsewhere among the indigenous population of the Canary Archipelago. The study first uses forensic anthropology techniques to characterise the individual's injuries before turning to archaeological and ethno-historical records of the indigenous populations to identify the potential scenarios explaining the fatal injuries. The nature of the peri-mortem lesions, especially those to the head, is consistent with an intention to kill. This case provides an opportunity to analyze the mechanisms of violence in a society with strong environmental limitations and conditions of isolation, as well as to deepen the concept of justice in ancient times.

Exploring the risks accompanying child-bearing in aboriginal society on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, 13th-15th cal. CE): death of a pregnant woman during her third trimester.

In the pre-Hispanic necropolis of Juan Primo, northwest Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) a grave was found containing a 20-25 year-old woman with a foetus in her abdominal region, whose age at death was estimated at 33-35 weeks of gestation. The purpose of this study is to discuss the possible cause of death of the woman and foetus. Skeletons of both individuals were well preserved, permitting a good record of the bones found in the burial, which is compatible with a pregnancy at preterm. The age of the foetus and the position of the left upper limb raise the possibility that their death was the result of a difficult birth (dystocia). However, a number of alternative disorders can be put forward to explain this death in the third trimester of pregnancy, such as eclampsia and abruption placentae. In this case, pertinent ethnohistorical and osteoarchaeological information about the ancient canaries allows us to assess some of the stressors that would increase their maternal mortality. The lack of similar evidence in archaeological contexts makes this an important finding, providing a likely case of obstetric problems and their impact on pre-industrial societies.

Mitogenomes illuminate the origin and migration patterns of the indigenous people of the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands' indigenous people have been the subject of substantial archaeological, anthropological, linguistic and genetic research pointing to a most probable North African Berber source. However, neither agreement about the exact point of origin nor a model for the indigenous colonization of the islands has been established. To shed light on these questions, we analyzed 48 ancient mitogenomes from 25 archaeological sites from the seven main islands. Most lineages observed in the ancient samples have a Mediterranean distribution, and belong to lineages associated with the Neolithic expansion in the Near East and Europe (T2c, J2a, X3a…). This phylogeographic analysis of Canarian ancient mitogenomes, the first of its kind, shows that some lineages are restricted to Central North Africa (H1cf, J2a2d and T2c1d3), while others have a wider distribution, including both West and Central North Africa, and, in some cases, Europe and the Near East (U6a1a1, U6a7a1, U6b, X3a, U6c1). In addition, we identify four new Canarian-specific lineages (H1e1a9, H4a1e, J2a2d1a and L3b1a12) whose coalescence dates correlate with the estimated time for the colonization of the islands (1st millennia CE). Additionally, we observe an asymmetrical distribution of mtDNA haplogroups in the ancient population, with certain haplogroups appearing more frequently in the islands closer to the continent. This reinforces results based on modern mtDNA and Y-chromosome data, and archaeological evidence suggesting the existence of two distinct migrations. Comparisons between insular populations show that some populations had high genetic diversity, while others were probably affected by genetic drift and/or bottlenecks. In spite of observing interinsular differences in the survival of indigenous lineages, modern populations, with the sole exception of La Gomera, are homogenous across the islands, supporting the theory of extensive human mobility after the European conquest.

Violence in paradise: Cranial trauma in the prehispanic population of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands).

OBJECTIVES: This paper addresses the prevalence and pattern of physical violence in the prehispanic society of Gran Canaria and discusses its link with the social structure and insular context in which that people lived. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 347 prehispanic crania from Guayadeque Ravine (575-1415 AD) have been examined in order to determine the frequency, types, location, and timing of trauma. RESULTS: Craniofacial injuries are present in 27.4% of the crania examined. Only 2% display perimortem trauma. Most of the injuries (84.3%) correspond to depressed blunt force trauma, with an ellipsoidal or circular shape. Most of these are in the anterior aspect of the cranium. Males are significantly more affected than females. DISCUSSION: The aboriginal population of Gran Canaria show a high frequency of traumatic injuries to the skull compared to other archaeological groups. Their frequent location in the anterior aspect suggests regular face-to-face confrontations. However, the lethal injuries typically occurring in large-scale combat are scarce. Practices such as ritualized combat, mentioned in ethnohistorical sources, would help to channel and mitigate inter-group conflict. The predominance of depressed blunt force trauma is in accordance with the weapons used by those populations: hand-thrown stones, clubs and sticks. The higher frequency in males indicates that they took part in direct violence more than females did. The hierarchical organization of their society may have led to frequent situations of conflict. The insular nature of a territory barely 1,500 m2 in size was a determining factor in competition for access to food resources, especially at times of climate crises or population growth.