The Guanches inhabited Tenerife from the 3rd century BCE until 1496, when Castilian conquest came to an end.
The term "Guanche" comes from "Guan Achinet," meaning "man of Tenerife." It strictly designates the indigenous inhabitants of this island, to be distinguished from populations of the other islands in the archipelago. Their origins are linked to Berber peoples of North Africa, with settlement estimated between the 1st millennium BCE and the beginning of our era, though this dating remains debated.
Guanche society was structured into nine kingdoms called menceyatos, each led by a mencey. Collective life was organized notably around tagoros, assemblies where decisions were made and justice administered. Their worldview rested on a marked spiritual dimension, with Achamán as the supreme deity, while Guayota embodied a malevolent force associated with Teide, called Echeyde in their cosmology.