A research undertaken by the Cultural Chair of Berber Studies at the University of La Laguna (ULL) indicates that Libyan-Berber script continued to exist in Tenerife until the conquerors arrived.
In a recent article published in the journal ‘Paleohispánica’, Renata Springer and Irma Mora, epigraphers at the Cultural Chair of Berber Studies at ULL, present further insights into the connection between the Guanches and Europeans, detailing phonetic characteristics that might imply this persistence.
The investigation centres on the examination of seven Libyan-Berber inscriptions recorded in Tenerife, three of which were uncovered thanks to the Inventory of alphabetical inscriptions in the Canarian rock region, a project initiated in 2016 and funded by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Canary Islands.
Employing a multidisciplinary methodology, the authors explore elements such as mediums, archaeological contexts, and texts, offering fresh perspectives on these epigraphic expressions, as stated by ULL in a press release.
Among the key findings, Mora and Springer highlight graphemes influenced by engraving overlap and propose a potential link between one of the inscriptions and a Christian scene, which opens up new interpretative avenues concerning the cultural interaction between the Guanches and Europeans.
Furthermore, the article underscores the spatial connections between the inscriptions, the lookouts and traditional routes, while also revealing a cultural connection of writing with engravings of Libyan-Berber imagery.
The examination of the inscriptions also yields significant revelations, including the identification of grammatical morphemes and a dialectical occurrence known as the spirantization of the initial “t”, a phenomenon earlier documented in Guanche toponymy by philologist Jonay Acosta, who is also affiliated with this chair.
This phonetic trait, reportedly occurring later, along with the possible correlation of an inscription with Christian themes, implies the continued usage of Libyan-Berber script in Tenerife up until the time of the Conquest.
The findings of this study were shared on December 18 during the final conference of the series “Berber Footprints in the Canary Islands”, organised by the Cultural Chair of Berber Studies and the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country of Tenerife.
