Iberian-Guanche inscriptions

Iberian-Guanche inscriptions
Many rock-writing inscriptions have been recorded from the Canary Islands. A majority probably corresponds to a language common to all islands, Guanche. This name was originally referred only to Tenerife aborigines and language , but later extended to all Canary Islands's first inhabitants and language.
Alphabets
The main alphabet rock scripts have been found in all islands: it is a modified ancient Lybic-Berber alphabet, similar to that studied by Chabot from ancient North Africa ("Numidic"). It has been used to propose translations, based on phonetic equivalence and semantics that are rejected by other authors including Pichler. The methodology has been based on the old inscriptions meanings of the Usko-Mediterranean languages (name proposed by Arnaiz-Villena et al. (Fig. 1; Usko-Mediterranean Languages; Usko-Mediterranean Peoples): Basque, Caucasian, Berber, Etruscan, Minoan, Hittite, Sumerian, Egyptian, and other languages. However, other very particular lot of rock inscriptions has been found in the two easternmost islands, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote: the so-called "Latin" inscriptions . However, these inscriptions on rocks are written in Iberian alphabet (VI century BC - III century AD) from the Mediterranean part of the Iberian Peninsula, and not Iberian characters from the South of Iberia Iberian-Guanche inscriptions. They have been compiled by Pichler . It is also striking that they are found only in two of the Canary Islands. This Iberian-Guanche rock alphabet may come from:
1. North Africa. There is no documented findings of this type of writing in the African continent ). Arnaiz-Villena et al. proposed that they are, in general, religious or funerary inscriptions related to the Mediterranean Old Mother (Ama) and Door (Ata) religion (). Although this religion was probably of Mediterranean origin, it is documented throughout all Europe at least <ref nameonce/>. Fig. 3 shows an Iberian-Guanche inscription from Lanzarote <ref nameuno/> <ref namenueve/> together with its proposed translation into Spanish by using a remaining Usko-Mediterranean language, Basque (<ref namenueve/> <ref namediez/>, Usko-Mediterranean Languages). Their phonetic translation (<ref namesiete/><ref nameocho/>) and religious/funerary semantics stemming from Mother and Door religion (<ref namenueve/><ref namediez/><ref nameonce/>). The full methodology may be consulted on <ref namediez/> and retrieved from Usko-Mediterranean Languages. Fig. 4 shows some of the translations proposed <ref namenueve/> to Pichler collected inscriptions <ref nameseis/> from Fuerteventura.
Conclusion
Iberian language rock inscriptions from Iberian Peninsula's Levant (and not south) are found in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura Canary Islands (Spain). These inscriptions were probably done by Iberian fishermen or by Guanche people taught by Iberians. According to Gomez-Moreno and Arnaiz-Villena/Alonso-Garcia, and Gimbutas, transliterations and translations have been put forward in a phonetic/semantic and thematic (religious/funerary) context. This is put forward by Arnaiz-Villena et al. and some followers. The theory that Basque and ancient Iberian languages are either the same language, or very similar has been put forward by many authors since the XVI century, according to Arnaiz-Villena et al.
Iberian and Basque languages were first related by Esteban de Garibay (Royal Chronicler of Phillip II of Spain) and the Basque Andres Poza in the 16th Century. Also, Humboldt, Hubner and Schuchardt and many other scholars maintained the same thesis until the end of the Spanish Civil War (1939): during the 2nd half of the 20th Century Koldo Mitxelena and Antonio Tovar left Basque as an unrelated,isolated language in the World. Many Spanish scholars maintain this relatively recent view. Ruhlen,Bengston,and others (including Arnaiz-Villena group) find Basque relationships with other extant and extict languages. See discussion for references.
 
< Prev   Next >