🏠 How Did the Majo People Live?

Life on Lanzarote was shaped by the island's harsh climate. The Majo people had to cope with scarce fresh water, limited vegetation, and strong Atlantic winds. They relied mainly on raising goats and sheep, fishing, and simple farming. Most everyday objects were made by hand from stone, clay, wood, animal hides, and bones.

🏡 Homes

The Majo people lived in small houses built from local volcanic stone. The walls were constructed from large lava rocks without mortar, while the roofs were made of wooden beams, branches, and animal hides or vegetation. The entrances were low, helping to reduce the impact of strong winds and maintain a more stable temperature inside. Around the houses, stone walls often protected both people and livestock from the wind, and small enclosures were built for goats.

🐐 Livestock

Goats and sheep were the most important animals, as they were well adapted to Lanzarote's dry climate. They provided milk, meat, and hides, which were used to make clothing and a variety of everyday items. The animals grazed on natural pastures during the day and were sheltered in stone enclosures at night. Livestock farming was the main source of livelihood for most families.

🌾 Gofio

The staple food of the Majo people was gofio, a flour made from roasted barley or wheat. The grain was ground by hand using stone mills, and the flour was mixed with water, goat's milk, or animal fat. Nutritious and easy to store, gofio formed the basis of the Majo diet. Even today, it remains one of the most iconic foods of the Canary Islands.

🏺 Pottery

The Majo people made pottery by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. They produced pots, bowls, and jugs used for storing food, cooking, and carrying water. Some vessels were decorated with simple incised patterns and geometric designs. Today, this handmade pottery is among the most valuable archaeological discoveries on Lanzarote.

🐟 Fishing

The island's inhabitants made full use of the rich marine resources surrounding Lanzarote. They caught fish and collected shellfish, sea snails, and crustaceans to supplement their diet. Large shell middens found along the coast provide evidence of regular fishing and shellfish gathering. Fishing was an important complement to livestock farming and agriculture.

👕 Clothing

Clothing was made primarily from goat and sheep hides. The hides were cleaned, tanned, and sewn together with leather thongs to create simple tunics, cloaks, and garments that protected against the sun and strong winds. Many items of clothing were assembled from irregularly shaped pieces of hide, making practical use of the available materials. Outfits were often complemented with ornaments made from shells, bones, and stone, serving both decorative and symbolic purposes.

👑 Majo Society

Majo society was organized primarily around families and kinship groups. By the beginning of the 15th century, historical sources describe a local ruler supported by a council. Most inhabitants were engaged in livestock farming, agriculture, fishing and craftsmanship.

👨‍👩‍👧 Families

The family was the foundation of Majo society, with all members working together and sharing everyday responsibilities. From an early age, children learned the skills practiced by adults, preparing them for life on the island. Cooperation among family members was essential for survival in Lanzarote's challenging environment.

👑 Guanareme

By the beginning of the 15th century, Lanzarote had a local ruler whom European chroniclers described as a “king”. This should not be understood as a king in the European sense, with a crown, court and castle. The ruler represented the community and was supported by a council.

👩 The Role of Women

Women were primarily responsible for running the household, preparing food, caring for children, and making pottery and clothing. They also took part in livestock farming and food processing. Researchers believe that women played an important role in everyday community life, although the available historical evidence does not allow the full division of responsibilities to be reconstructed.

🙏 The Beliefs of the Majo People

The beliefs of the Majo people are among the least understood aspects of their culture. They left no written accounts describing their gods or rituals, while early European sources provide very little information.

Archaeologists therefore try to reconstruct parts of their spiritual world from figurines, rock carvings, inscriptions and places that may have held symbolic or ritual significance. For this reason, popular claims that the Majo people worshipped the Sun, the Moon or particular forces of nature should be treated as hypotheses rather than established facts.

☀️ The Sun

The Sun was probably one of the most important symbols in Majo beliefs. It marked the rhythm of the day, the changing seasons, and the agricultural and pastoral calendar. Some ceremonial sites may have been aligned with the sunrise and sunset.

🌙 The Moon

The Moon also held an important place in the beliefs of the island's inhabitants. It may have been used to mark the passage of time and could have influenced certain ceremonies and aspects of daily life. However, no written sources have survived that allow its exact significance to be determined.

⛰ Mountains

Volcanic cones and distinctive hills may have been regarded as sacred or special places. Their dominant presence in the landscape suggests that they were probably associated with the forces of nature and the spiritual world.

👣 Podomorphs

Podomorphs—rock carvings depicting human footprints—are among the most mysterious archaeological remains on Lanzarote. Researchers believe they may have marked sacred places, ceremonial routes, or held symbolic meaning. Their exact purpose remains unknown to this day.

🪨 Queseras

Queseras are mysterious archaeological features consisting of parallel grooves carved into the rock. Their purpose remains unknown. Various interpretations have been proposed, including practical, symbolic and ritual functions, but none has been conclusively proven.

🏺 What Remains of the Majo People?

Although hundreds of years have passed since the time of the Majo people, traces of their presence can still be found across Lanzarote. Archaeologists continue to uncover the remains of ancient settlements, houses, pottery, tools, and sites associated with the beliefs of the island's first inhabitants. These discoveries have given us valuable insight into their daily life and culture. However, many archaeological sites are not open to the public or lie away from the main tourist routes.

📖 Learn More...

In the guidebook: Lanzarote with César Manrique, you'll find detailed descriptions of archaeological sites connected with the Majo people, along with directions, GPS coordinates, and practical information about which sites can still be visited today.

The Majo People of Lanzarote – Who Were the Island's First Inhabitants?

Around two thousand years ago, Lanzarote was still an uninhabited volcanic island on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. It was during the first centuries AD that the island's first permanent settlers – the Majo people – established themselves here. For more than a thousand years, they developed their own unique culture, perfectly adapted to life in a harsh landscape with very little fresh water. Who were they? Where did they come from? How did they live, and why do so many questions about their history remain unanswered today?

📖 Learn more...

The story of the Majo people does not end at Zonzamas. In the guidebook: Lanzarote with César Manrique, I take you to the places connected with the island's first inhabitants, show you where to find them, how to get there, and what to look out for during your visit.

🏺Who Were the Majo People?

The Majo people (Spanish: Majos) were the first permanent inhabitants of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. The exact date of the first settlement of Lanzarote is still being studied. Current archaeological evidence suggests that permanent Majo settlement began during the first centuries AD. Developed a culture perfectly adapted to life in the dry volcanic landscape. They found Lanzarote uninhabited and made the island their home.

For many years, all the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands were collectively referred to as the Guanches. Today, however, it is known that this is not accurate. The Guanches were the native people of Tenerife, while the indigenous inhabitants of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are known as the Majo people. Although all of these communities shared Amazigh (Berber) ancestry, they developed independently over the centuries, creating their own customs, dialects, and social structures.

Archaeological discoveries, DNA analyses, and ancient inscriptions indicate that the ancestors of the Majo people originated from the Amazigh (Berber) peoples of northwestern Africa. However, it is still unknown who organized their journey to Lanzarote or why they chose this small volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean.

📌 Remember

🏺 The Majo people were the first permanent inhabitants of Lanzarote.

🌍 Permanent Majo settlement on Lanzarote probably began during the first centuries AD.

⏳ They lived on Lanzarote for more than 1,000 years, until the Norman conquest in the 15th century.

🧬 Their ancestors came from Amazigh (Berber) populations of North Africa.

❌ The term "Guanches" does not refer to the indigenous people of Lanzarote. It applies specifically to the native inhabitants of Tenerife.

🌍 Where Did the Majo People Come From?

One of the most frequently asked questions about the first inhabitants of Lanzarote is: Where did the Majo people come from? Until just a few decades ago, there were many theories—ranging from the legend of Atlantis to claims that they were descended from the Phoenicians or the Carthaginians. Today, thanks to archaeological research, DNA analysis, and linguistic studies, we have answers to some of these questions. However, several mysteries still remain unsolved.

✅ What Do We Know for Certain?

🌍 The Ancestors of the Majo People Came from North Africa

Modern research shows that the ancestors of the Majo people belonged to Amazigh (Berber) populations of North Africa. This is supported by genetic studies, archaeological discoveries, linguistic similarities, and inscriptions written in the Libyco-Berber alphabet found throughout the Canary Islands.

⛵ They Reached Lanzarote by Sea

Reaching Lanzarote required vessels capable of crossing more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) of open ocean. However, we do not know whether the Majo people made the journey in their own boats or whether it was organized by other seafarers.

❓ What Still Remains a Mystery?

🗺️ Which Part of Africa Did They Come From?

Although researchers agree on the North African origins of the Majo people's ancestors, the exact region from which the settlement of Lanzarote began remains uncertain. It is also unclear whether the island was settled during a single voyage or through several waves of migration.

⚓ Who Organized the Voyage?

This is one of the greatest mysteries in the archaeology of the Canary Islands.

Several hypotheses have been proposed. The ancestors of the Majo people may have reached the islands using their own vessels. Other researchers have considered whether their journey could have been organized or assisted by Mediterranean seafarers familiar with the Atlantic coast of North Africa. So far, however, no hypothesis has been conclusively proven.

So far, however, none of these theories has been conclusively proven.

🚤 Why Did They Lose Their Seafaring Skills?

This is perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of all.

We know that the ancestors of the Majo people had to reach Lanzarote by sea. What we do not know is whether they themselves were the seafarers who made that journey. By the time Europeans arrived in the 15th century, the islanders did not possess vessels capable of regular travel between the Canary Islands.

So how did their ancestors reach Lanzarote? The question remains unanswered.

💡 Did You Know?

For many years, some researchers believed that the Canary Islands had been settled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, or even the legendary inhabitants of Atlantis. Modern archaeological and genetic research has rejected most of these theories. Today, scientists agree that the first inhabitants of Lanzarote descended from Amazigh (Berber) populations of North Africa. However, it is still unknown who organized their voyage across the Atlantic and why they chose to settle on this particular island.

What Do Scientists Think?

Today, researchers are considering several possible explanations.

🌿 Searching for New Land to Settle

This is currently one of the most widely accepted theories.

At the time, Lanzarote was completely uninhabited. For a small group of pastoralists, the island may have seemed an attractive place to settle, offering open land, opportunities to raise goats and sheep, and access to rich marine resources.

However, life on the island was far from easy. There was very little fresh water and almost no timber, so the settlers had to learn how to make the most of the harsh volcanic environment.

⛵ An Organized Colonization

Phoenicians, Carthaginians and, later, Romans were familiar with the Atlantic coast of North Africa. This has led to the hypothesis that Mediterranean seafarers may have played a role in organizing or assisting settlement voyages to the Canary Islands.

So far, however, there is no conclusive archaeological evidence confirming who organized the voyage that brought the ancestors of the Majo people to Lanzarote.

So far, however, no archaeological evidence has confirmed this hypothesis.

⚓ The Accidental Discovery of the Island

This is considered a much less likely explanation.

Crossing more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) of open ocean required a seaworthy vessel and a successful ocean crossing. For this reason, accidental arrival is generally considered less likely than some form of deliberate voyage, although the circumstances of the first settlement remain uncertain.