Guayadeque ravine

Located in the south-eastern quarter of Gran Canaria island, the valley starts at the Las Marteles crater (at around {{convert|1500|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} altitude)[http://www.estodotuyo.com/2014/09/26/guayadeque-reserva-de-la-tranquilidad/ Guayadeque, reserva de la tranquilidad] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208190410/http://www.estodotuyo.com/2014/09/26/guayadeque-reserva-de-la-tranquilidad/ |date=2018-02-08 }} ("Guayadeque, peace reserve") on the site of the Unidad de Patrimonio Histórico del Cabildo de Gran Canaria. and follows a N-W/S-E direction.[https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Barranco+de+Guayadeque,+Ingenio,+Espagne//@27.9336061,-15.4934842,15z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0xc4099a716309b47:0xb935e1b2ea73fbc3!2m2!1d-15.509339!2d27.938875!1m0 Guayadeque valley] on Google maps. It separates the two Spanish municipalities of Ingenio and Agüimes, with Agüimes on the south side.

The GC-103 road follows the bottom of the valley and the course of the Guayadeque stream, ending at Montaña de las Tierras where are cave-restaurants and cave-homes. On the way the road crosses Bermeja cave, a small settlement {{convert|4|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} up the road from the visitors centre.[http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/barranco-de-guayadeque/introduction Barranco de Guayadeque] on lonelyplanet.com. Beyond Montaña de las Tierras is a footpath that goes up to the Las Marteles crater and then joins with the GC-130 road.[http://www.wildcanarias.com/barranco-de-guadayeque-gran-canaria/ Trip to the Las Marteles crater], very well documented with many photos. On wildcanarias.com.

The valley's sides present over {{convert|300|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and sometimes {{convert|400|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} difference of altitude.[http://descargas.grancanaria.com/jardincanario/documentosweb/publicaciones%20de%20educaci%f3n%20ambiental/33%20espacios%20naturales%20protegidos/C-19%20CURVAS.pdf Monument natural: Barranco de Guayadeque]. Terraced areas for plantations are characteristic of the valley, where fig trees and almond trees are common.

The area's relief was created by volcanic activity and by erosion.[http://www.aguimes.net/industrias/museo_guayadeque.htm Museo de sitio in Guayadeque]. On aguimes.net. The soil substrate is made of basaltic rocks.

Guayadeque, according to Ignacio Reyes, means "tranquil spirit" or "reserve of tranquillity" in pre-Hispanic local language.

File:Museum Gueyadeque kz1.JPG

The site used to be the most populated valley on the island and contains hundreds of caves. All the people who lived there have left many mummies and other burial remains in some caves, well guarded by the difficulty of access of the caves they were left in.[http://www.spain-grancanaria.com/en/places/east-south/barranco-guayadeque.html Barranco de Guayadeque] on spain-grancanaria.com. These caves include Labour cave ("Cueva Labra"), Numerous caves ("Cuevas Muchas"), Canary Cliff ("Risco del Canario"), Vincent Cliff ("Risco Vincentico"), Black Cliff ("Risco del Negro"), etc... The ravine is thus among the most important pre-historic burial ground of the island.

The caves were then used as dwellings, food storage and for fertility rituals. Sometimes burial caves were re-used, in which cases special care was taken to protect the skulls with stonesIn Montaña de la Mina (San Bartolomé, Lanzarote), skulls protected with stones were found in the same circumstances as in Guayadeque valley. and, in Guayadeque, covered with animal skins or covers weaved of reeds.{{sfn|Mederos Martin & al.|2002|p=160}}

The 19th century saw much devastation from grave plundering; many items found on the site found their way to the Canarian museum of Las Palmas, who bought them. Subsequently, the site was designated as a nature reserve to stop the plundering and other damages.

The importance of water courses through the valley is shown by the many remains of water mills.

A museum has been built at the beginning of the GC-103 road: the Guayadeque museum – Centre of Archaeological interpretation (Sp.: Museo de Guayadeque – Centro de Interpretación Arqueológica). It shelters an exhibition on human activities in the valley, going back to pre-Hispanic times.

File:Gallotia Stehlini.jpg}} ]]

The ravine is home to more than 80 endemic species, notably the Gallotia stehlini (Sp. Lagarto Canarión), the largest species of lizards in Europe and Africa that can reach {{convert|80|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in length.

The vegetation include elements of thermophile woodland and uncommon vegetal species, both meeting on the steep slopes. Such are for example {{Interlanguage link multi|Kunkeliella|es|3=Kunkeliella}} canariensis[http://www.grancanaria.com/patronato_turismo/Observing-Nature-Escobilla.20334.0.html Escobilla] and [http://descargas.grancanaria.com/jardincanario/documentosweb/publicaciones%20de%20educaci%F3n%20ambiental/Flora%20Exclusiva%20de%20Gran%20Canaria%20en%20peligro.pdf Escobilla de Guayadeque, p. 50] on grancanaria.com. Escobilla is the Spanish common name of Kunkeliella canariensis, a plant endemic to the Guayadeque valley and present only there. (in Sp. escobilla de Guayedeque), a plant of the sandalwood family,[http://www.jardincanario.org/en/barranco-de-guayadeque Monumentos Naturales – Barranco de Guayadeque] on jardincanario.org. Helianthemum tholiforme,[http://proyectos.ignos.net/centinela/especie/F00889/informe Helianthemum tholiforme] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817071307/http://proyectos.ignos.net/centinela/especie/F00889/informe |date=2016-08-17 }} on proyectos.ignos.net and [http://descargas.grancanaria.com/jardincanario/documentosweb/publicaciones%20de%20educaci%F3n%20ambiental/Flora%20Exclusiva%20de%20Gran%20Canaria%20en%20peligro.pdf p. 26 on Top 50 endangered flora of Gran Canaria]. Polycarpaea filifolia (Sp. pataconejo fina)[http://www.floradecanarias.com/polycarpaea_filifolia.html Polycarpaea filifolia] on floradecanarias.com. and many other plants endemic to the island.

File:Barranco de Guayadeque (2).png

The population of Guayadeque valley is reduced{{when|date=February 2017}}, but clusters remain. One cluster is Cueva Bermeja ("Red Cave"), a small hamlet that owes its name to the colour of the stone. The other is "Las Tierras Mountains", the site of Los Marteles , site of the Saint John-the-Baptist hermitage.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

In both clusters services, restaurants, souvenir shops exist and one can savour a wine typical of the area, as well as fried pork meat and Canarian wrinkly potatoes.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

Guayadeque valley was listed on June 21, 1991 as Spanish Heritage site as a Site of cultural interest in the category "Archaeological site" regulated by the Law of Historical Heritage of the Canaries. The royal decree 126/1991 was published in the Boletín Oficial de Cantabria on the following July 12.[http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/1991/092/009.html Royal decree 126/1991 in the Boletín Oficial de Cantabria].

It has also been declared a Natural Monument by the Law on Natural Areas of the Canaries,[http://www.grancanaria.com/patronato_turismo/Barranco-de-Guayadeque-Visitors-Centre.52136.0.html Barranco de Guayadeque] on grancanaria.com. and is registered on the list of the European Heritage network of natural countrysides, as troglodyte zone.

The GC-103 road that follows the bottom of the valley starts in Agüimes from the GC-100 road that goes south to ArinagaArinaga is located in the main industrial zone of Canaries and is one of the major ports of Spain. The GC-100 road starts nearby the Punta de Arinaga Lighthouse. and north to Mercalaspalmas through Ingenio, Cuatro Puertas and Telde.

A visitors centre is open from Tuesday to Sunday all year round, located in a cave at the entrance of the valley.

Barranco Guayadeque hacia la isla.JPG|{{center|View from the S-E (the sea is behind us)}}

Barranco de Guayadeque 2016 04.jpg|{{center|Old steps leading to a cave-house}}

Barranco de Guayadeque 2016 07.jpg|{{center|Another cave-dwelling}}

Chiesa grotta.jpg|{{center|Chiesa cave chapel in Bermeja dwellings}}

Casa cueva.jpg|{{center|Bermeja cave, a group of houses and cave-houses}}

Guayadeque, riachuelo.jpg|{{center|One of the streams flowing in the valley}}

Barranco de Guayadeque 2016 05.jpg|{{center|Steep slopes}}

Barr Gueyadeque kz4.JPG|{{center|Close-up on the vegetation. Houses at the foot of the cliff, mid-plan of the photo}}

Babel Mountain - WLE Spain 2015.jpg|{{center|Babel mountain and blossoming almond trees}}

• Painted Cave, Galdar

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• {{cite book |last1=Mederos Martin |first1=Alfredo |last2=Escribano Cobo |first2=Gabriel |title=Los aborígenes y la prehistoria de Canarias |url=https://www.academia.edu/9141196 |year=2002 |publisher=Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria |isbn=84-7926-382-2 |ref={{harvid|Mederos Martin & al.|2002}} |language=es}}

{{Commons|Barrango Guayadeque}}

• {{in lang|es}} [http://www.grancanaria.com/patronato_turismo/Patrimonio-Arqueologico.9669.0.html List of archaeological Heritage sites, Grand Canary]
• On local flora and fauna:
• {{in lang|es}} [http://descargas.grancanaria.com/jardincanario/documentosweb/publicaciones%20de%20educaci%f3n%20ambiental/33%20espacios%20naturales%20protegidos/C-19%20CURVAS.pdf C-19 – Monumento Natural del barranco de Guayadeque]
• {{in lang|es}} [http://descargas.grancanaria.com/jardincanario/documentosweb/publicaciones%20de%20educaci%F3n%20ambiental/Flora%20Exclusiva%20de%20Gran%20Canaria%20en%20peligro.pdf Flora exclusiva de Gran Canaria en peligro] ("Endangered flora of Gran canaria")

{{Prehistoric technology}}

{{Culture of Canary Islands}}

{{Gran Canaria}}

Category:Caves of the Canary Islands

Category:Prehistory of the Canary Islands

Category:Landforms of Gran Canaria

Category:Archaeological sites in Gran Canaria

Category:Prehistoric sites in Spain

Category:Agricultural buildings in Spain

Category:Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of Las Palmas

Category:Tourist attractions in the Canary Islands