The search for the fortresses and sacred spaces of the ancient Canarians in Gran Canaria has been an enigma shrouded in erroneous transcriptions and contradictory historical sources. Although ancient chroniclers and modern historians agree on the existence of two, and only two, main sanctuaries, their exact location has remained a matter of debate. While tradition has pointed to Tirma and Tirajana, the complex geography and Eurocentric chronicles of the 15th century have obscured the truth, leaving a void that archaeology and linguistics attempt to fill.
Historically, it has been assumed that the main sanctuaries were Tirma and Tirajana, a duality confirmed by independent sources. However, the text of the Chronicle of Palencia, which names Tirma and Tirajana, and that of later historians such as Abreu Galindo and Marín de Cubas, who speak of Tirma and Umiaga, complicate the sacred map. Furthermore, the name Amagro appears to be a transcription error or an interpolation, which rules out a third possibility.
These texts, written by conquistadors and religious figures with a fundamentalist vision, not only mutilate the reality of the ancient Canarians, but, according to experts, also ignore crucial aspects such as the right of asylum for people and livestock in these sacred territories. Furthermore, the chronicles' description of the Tirajana area is not limited to its caldera, but primarily encompasses the coastal area and the Amurga massif, a territory that, according to Ahmed Sabir's theory, could be related to the term Almogaren, a space associated with the sacred.
The confusion even extends to cartography. An early map from 1375 by Abraham Cresques shows two mountains to the south and southwest of the island that, according to some researchers, could be the two sacred sanctuaries. However, their location does not coincide with the Tirma we know today. This leads to a new hypothesis: that the authentic Tirma of the Canarians could be the Tauro Mountain, a fact that could change the understanding of their sacred geography.
On the other hand, research into the remains and the local topography has led to the suggestion that Las Tabaibas Mountain, known to shepherds as "The Mountain," was the true sanctuary of Tirajana. This hypothesis, which must be confirmed by archaeological research, is based on the comparison of historical descriptions with the physical characteristics of the site. The knowledge that has come down to us of this people, deeply acculturated after the conquest, only covers a short period of time, making each new discovery crucial for reconstructing the history of a people whose voice, and whose language, were lost forever.
