posted on Jan, 29 2010 @ 06:54 PM
Tonight I saw a documentary on the Canary Islands, and to my surprise they were inhabited by a blondish race now collectively called the Guanches. The
origins of the Guanches are as mysterious as their lifestyle and demise. Most often they are seen as related to the equally obscure non-Arab
"Berbers" in North Africa, while others count them as isolated Cro-Magnon people. They herded goats and sheep, but were mostly extremely sparse in
material culture, as far as we know. They built stone pyramids and mummified many of their dead, which has led to some debate on a link to
Atlantis.
The end of the culture came with the Spanish conquest in 1402, and by 1500 all the islands were conquered. However, especially in rural areas some
Guanche customs and words remain, although the people and their culture are officially extinct.
I include some links which are far from exhaustive, and I beg other members to share any links or knowledge on this fascinating, unique culture, and
its heartbreaking story.
en.wikipedia.org...
What became of the Guanches:
www.ctspanish.com...
img273.imageshack.us...
[edit on 29-1-2010 by halfoldman]