Early History
Perhaps the earliest explorers of the region were Arab. Indeed, Arabs knew of the Mascarenes, naming Mauritius "Dina Machrek" (Isle of the East), Rodrigues Dina Harobi (Abandoned Isle) and Réunion Dina Moghraib (Western Isle). This is testified by the planisphere of Cantino, made at Sagres. They also knew of Comoros or Madagascar.
Read more about this topic: Culture Of The Indian Ocean Islands
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or history:
“the cluttered eyes
of early mysterious night.”
—Imamu Amiri Baraka (b. 1934)
“There are two great unknown forces to-day, electricity and woman, but men can reckon much better on electricity than they can on woman.”
—Josephine K. Henry, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 15, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)