Colossal lava stone pyramids in Tenerife/Canary Islands

1. There is a complex with 6 lava stone pyramids, partially reconstructed, in the town of Güimar on Tenerife. Discovered by Thor Heyerdahl in 1999 and turned into a museum complex: The archaeological park of Güimar
2. More pyramids were found in the north of Tenerife near Icod de Los Vinos, Santa Barbara, San Marcos and La Mancha (Braem 1992,1994,2000; Bethencourt 1996; Calvet 2007). Latest find in Teno Alto (Andrea Montgomery 2010)

 

 

 

• The stones were not stones from nearby fields but rather lava rocks from further inland. In addition, the stones showed evidence of being worked, shaped and trimmed.
• The pyramids were painstakingly constructed stone-by-stone with the stones' flat side facing out.  
• The pyramids lead up to a flat platform, not the peak of a rock pile.
• The pyramids have astronomical orientations. If you climb to the top of the largest pyramid during the summer solstice you can witness a double sunset; on this day only, the sun sets behind a tall mountain peak, passes it, and then reappears and sets again behind the next mountain. In additon, the pyramids all have stairs on their western sides which you can climb up exactly as the sun does on the morning of the wintersolstice.  

More pyramids in Tenerife

Icod de los Vinos (foto by bardofely)                                San Marcos (foto bardofely)

Long mound near San Marcos (foto bardofely)

Teno Alto Pyramid (foto credit Andrea Montgomery 2010)