The Berber populations nearer the Mediterranean coast were probably Caucasoids. There is little doubt that they came from the Middle East, and they have occupied the region since the Neolithic or even earlier. Experienced sailors like other Neolithic peoples, they colonized the Canary Islands. When the Spaniards conquered these islands in the fifteenth century, they found a distinct population with some blond-haired and blue-eyed people -traits that are still evident among some Berbers in Morocco. They spoke Guanche, an Afroasiatic Berber language. By the time the Spanish arrived, they had lost the ability to sail. Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Genes, Peoples and Languages, Penguin, 2001, p. 122 Like all other Berbers, the Riffians include standard Mediterraneans in their tribal populations. Among … Continue reading What did the original Berbers look like? – Part 3