Page 362 - Lanzarotto Malocello from Italy to the Canary Islands

362 from Italy to the Canary Islands

African influences
are also evident.
Archaeological
studies show that
each island had a
very different social
and political struc-
ture. However, they
all had a monar-
chical structure, al-
though the royal title
differed; for exam-
ple, “Guanarteme”
in Gran Canaria,
“Mencey” in Tener-
ife. Kings were as-
sisted by members of
the nobility; it would
appear that the latter
was not just hered-
Aboriginal petroglyph. (Island of La Palma). itary, as even com-
mon men could join
the ranks of nobility through personal merits, especially if they had always
conducted themselves morally and complied with the law.
Each island had its own set of laws; for example, there was no death
penalty in Tenerife, as opposed to Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. Cor-
poral punishments were similar to the provisions of Muslim law, such as
cutting off the hands of thieves.
Justice was administered in ways that could be called popular, for they
had public trials and juries made of citizens freely elected by the people.
Like for all peoples, work was the main daily activity and was divided
into subsistence farming and pastoralism. Mostly due to the weather, farm-
ing was not very developed and was limited to the cultivation of grains,
especially barley, rye, and wheat, which were deposited in silos excavated
in caves in order to keep them fresh and edible all year.
On the other hand, pastoralism was the main activity and was highly
developed.
The crafts were also well developed in the villages; artisans formed