The chronology of the human colonization of the Canary Islands

We provide insights into the period during which the Canary Islands were colonized and specifically the ways in which people dispersed throughout the archipelago. Our research indicates that the Romans first arrived on the islands around the 1st century BCE. Berber populations permanently settled the islands between the 1st and 4th centuries CE, leading to a rapid and complete colonization of the archipelago. This study sheds light on the coastal dynamics of northwestern African societies during the Late Holocene, revealing how the islands were colonized, and contributing to our understanding of the migrations of African farming communities.