Zona Arqueológica Roque de Malpaso

Zona Arqueológica Roque de Malpaso is an archaeological site in the municipality of Arona, in the southern part of Tenerife, set within the San Lorenzo valley. Its centerpiece is a dome-shaped phonolitic rock formation roughly 192 meters high, a striking landmark that stands out clearly against the surrounding landscape.

What can be found at the site?

Roque de Malpaso is more than a rock formation — it is a documented site connected to the island's pre-conquest inhabitants, the Guanches. Because of its cultural value, the site has been officially registered as a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural), under the category of archaeological zone.

The rock preserves a collection of engravings made using incision techniques, with lines of varying depth — some finished with abrasion, others left without it. The motifs are largely schematic and geometric, with cruciform shapes also present among them. Alongside the engravings, the site contains a lithophone: a set of stones that produce sound when struck, believed to have served musical or signaling purposes for the people who once used them.

Why is this place significant?

In 2018, photographer Tarek Ode came across a feature on Roque de Malpaso that later turned out to be a Guanche solstice marker — a natural formation used together with sunlight to mark the winter solstice. The discovery triggered years of scientific research that confirmed its authenticity and importance. Roque de Malpaso is currently the only known site in the Canary Islands where three elements coexist: a solar marker, a lithophone, and a station of rock engravings, making it a unique combination within the archipelago.

What is the surrounding area like?

The site sits in the San Lorenzo valley, close to other locations of natural and archaeological interest, such as Roques de la Abejera, Igara, Chijafe, and the nearby Yacimiento Las Toscas. A trail connecting these points is popular among hikers exploring southern Tenerife, combining volcanic scenery with traces of the island's pre-colonial culture.

Frequently asked questions

Who created the engravings at Roque de Malpaso? The engravings and other features at the site are attributed to the Guanches, the indigenous inhabitants of Tenerife before the Spanish conquest.

What is the lithophone found at the site? It is a set of stones that produce a sound when struck, thought to have been used for musical or communication purposes by the island's early inhabitants.

What is the solstice marker discovered here? It is a configuration in which sunlight falls on the rock in a distinctive way at a specific time of year (the winter solstice), pointing to astronomical knowledge held by the island's earlier population. The marker was discovered in 2018 and has since been the subject of years of research.

Where exactly is the site located? In the municipality of Arona, in the San Lorenzo valley in southern Tenerife, near other archaeological points and hiking trails.