The Guanches were the indigenous pre-Hispanic peoples of the Canary Islands, met by Spaniards some 500 years ago. Each of the seven islands had its own population, and the groups never contacted each other. The presenter notes the islanders had no navigation skills, and reports seeing fair hair and light eyes on the mummified remains, though descriptions of their build conflict between short and stocky versus tall and fit. Genetic evidence points to closest ties with modern Berbers. The islands sit about 100 miles off North Africa and belong to Spain today. 🏝️
Guanche of the Canary Islands: mummies, Berber links and pre-Columbian navigation
Key facts
- The Guanches are described as the indigenous pre-Hispanic inhabitants of the Canary Islands, encountered by the Spaniards roughly 500 years ago.
- Each of the seven islands had its own indigenous population and the groups had no contact with one another.
- The presenter states that none of the islanders possessed navigation skills.
- Guanche mummies show conflicting descriptions of body type (short and stocky vs. tall and fit); the presenter says he observed fair hair and light eyes in person.
- Genetic evidence is said to link the Guanches most closely to modern Berbers.
- One origin story presented in the video has the Romans deporting Berber enemies to the islands about 2,000 years ago, deliberately leaving them without means of travel.
- The islands lie roughly 100 miles off the coast of North Africa and are part of Spain.
Sources
Guanche and Canario | Indigenous, Canary Islands, Pre-Hispanicbritannica.com
The original inhabitants of the Canaries were the Guanches (see Guanche and Canario); now assimilated into the general population, they were a Berber people who ...
Who Were The Guanches?lanzaroteinformation.co.uk
They were the indigenous people when the Spanish conquered the islands in the 15th century. The Guanche tribe that lived in Lanzarote were known as the Majos.
Guanchesen.wikipedia.org
The Guanches were the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean some 100 kilometres (60 mi) to the west of modern Morocco
The Guanches, the aboriginal inhabitants of the Canary Islandsvillagrancanaria.com
The Guanches were a people who lived in the Canary Islands until the archipelago was officially conquered by the Castilians in 1496.
The Mystery of the Guanches: First Inhabitants of Tenerifecanariashistoria.com
The Guanches, known as the first inhabitants of Tenerife, represent one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of the Canary Islands.
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