Rome in the history of Fuerteventura

The importance of the Roman discovery in Fuerteventura

The Archaeological Museum of Betancuria reopened its doors in 2015 after years of closure, this time in a modern building and under the direction of Luis Lorenzo Mata. This museum space focuses on showcasing the historical richness of Fuerteventura, with a special emphasis on the archaeological discovery of the Lobos islet.

One of the main exhibitions is called «Fuerteventura Archaeological» . It narrates how the archipelago witnessed the Roman discovery between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD, a key finding for understanding the commercial connections between the Canaries, Africa, and Rome.

This Roman settlement on the Lobos islet stands out for its use of the mollusk murex to obtain the famous «Getulian purple», a pigment highly valued in antiquity and even exported to the capital of the Roman Empire. Its origin seems to be linked to North Africa, especially to areas that today correspond to Mauritania and western Morocco.

In addition to the value of the dye, records from the time of the conquest refer to an economy based on livestock, with high-quality cheeses. But what is truly revolutionary is that the discovery of the Lobos islet indicates that the Romans brought slaves and skilled workers with them, implying a complex and organized society even before the arrival of the Normans.

The new Archaeological Museum of Betancuria features a lab-room where restoration processes are shown in real-time. This initiative aims to bring the public closer to the technical work being carried out on the recent finds from the Lobos islet. The work is being coordinated by the Museum of Tenerife, reinforcing scientific collaboration between Canary institutions.