During the 18th and 19th centuries, the dominant historical school was that derived from Leopold von Ranke and other historians who followed his teachings. These historians argued that without a verifiable history gleaned from written sources and written historical fact, no history existed. As African history was, at the time, maintained through oral folklore, language, and culture, it was often argued by Europeans that Africa was a continent without history. Therefore, the true origins of African culture, political identity and language were unknown to Europeans. In light of the socially acceptable racism of the time, which portrayed non-white ethnic groups as inferior to whites, it was difficult to explain the development of sophisticated levels of culture and social structure in Africa and other areas without white intervention. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s historical theories served as the basis for the idea that ethnic groups deemed unable to manufacture such advanced civilized traits had either been conquered by more advanced civilizations or had imitated them. This was backed up by anthropological research at the time, which supplemented the lack of what was then the main acceptable historical source, the written document.

With the arrival of colonial empires from Europe in Africa during the 19th century, many were at a loss to explain the advanced traits of the native populations. The European explorers came across what they recognised as “vestiges” of civilization, and struggled at times against African military strength and organisation. Frobenius’s theory stated that “historical contact with emigrant ‘whites’ of Mediterranean origin” were responsible for these traits in the native African population. He stated that such a civilization must have disappeared long ago, to allow for the dilution of their civilization to the levels that were encountered during the period.

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One of the mysteries of the islands are the presence of  pyramids located at Guimar on the island of Tenerife. In addition the native people of the the islands, known as the Guanches, were a primitive people, who did not use boats, but whose ancestors appear to have built great structures.

When Europeans first arrived in the Canary Islands they described the Guanches as being very tall and muscular. Mummies found on the islands reveal them to have been fair-featured with blond or red-hair, with males standing over six foot tall and women approaching six feet in height. They resembled many Northern Europeans today but for a generally greater and more robust stature.