The Caves of Bencomo (La Orotava, Tenerife): From Historiography to Archaeological Data

The Bencomo Caves are one of the most significant spaces in the archaeology of Tenerife, especially linked to the emblematic character of the traditional identification with the Mencey de Taoro. However, this space had not been the result of a systematic excavation that would shed light on what would be its chronology and possible functionality, sometimes linked to the problematic concept of auchon. The present article shows the results obtained from the archaeological interventions, in which the caves were deaned and reused as sheepfolds, and their excavation and detailed recording was carried out.