Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did the Guanches of the Canary Islands embalm their dead?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The Guanches, the aboriginal people of the Canary Islands, practiced a sophisticated form of embalming that shared similarities with ancient Egyptian techniques.1

Their process primarily involved the removal of the viscera (internal organs) from the body. Following this, the body cavity was filled with a mixture of salt and various vegetable powders to aid in preservation and dehydration.1