The ceramic figure popularly known as "Idol of Tara", registered in The Canary Museum with the number 2899, is exhibited since next Tuesday, October 10 at the National Archaeological Museum (MAN) being part of the temporary exhibition "The Power of the Past" (http://bit.ly/2xWlftb). It is an exhibition of select materials that illustrates the process of building Spanish archaeology, and coincides with the 150th anniversary of the founding of MAN itself and the network of Spanish archaeological museums.
In an exhibition of the characteristics of "The Power of the Past" could not miss Tara's idol, which for today's canaries represents at the same time respect for the pre-Hispanic society of Gran Canaria and the development of the archaeological science that studies it. Tara's idol is also the most recognizable piece of the canary Museum, a research and outreach center that leads archaeological studies on the island since the early date of 1879.
The exhibition, which opens on Tuesday, October 10 and will last until April 1, 2018, is curated by Gonzalo Ruiz Zapatero and jointly organized by man and Spanish Cultural Action. Its central objective is to show the history and development of Spanish archaeology to understand how the construction of the country's material past has taken place and its presentation to the public. All this through 150 objects or sets, coming from 68 collaborating institutions, true icons of the past, which will capture an overview, updated and critical of the construction of our history from archaeology: a material history of Spain's past.
Since the creation of man and archaeological museums in 1867, these centres have completed three fundamental missions. On the one hand, raise public awareness of the importance of our history. On the other hand, document, preserve and exhibit the material objects and remains of the past to chart the evolution of societies. And finally, present and share historical knowledge, facilitating their understanding and access to all citizens. In the case of the Canary Islands, these functions were assumed by El Museo Canario, an institution that, without being publicly owned as provincial museums, was born with a clear social vocation.