The mythical Island of Antillia, lying directly due west of Portugal in this map from 1455.
The desire to reach fabulous, magical, mythical islands was one of the prime motivations behind many of the westward migrations of populations from central Asia across Europe. There appears to have been a sense that true enlightenment, true consciousness, true LIGHT could only be experienced at these extremities of the known world – and that the continental centers were just a cesspit of territory wars, rivalries and spiritual stagnation.
In truth, there were islands of sorts to be found in the middle of the continents – harsh inaccessible places that could remain relatively immune from outside influences and harassment. The high Alps of Switzerland were one such internal island – difficult to settle, but once occupied and tamed, easy to defend. Protected behind the massive stone walls of the Alps, an ancient consciousness has flourished to this day, often barely observed.
But the supposed western islands still beckoned. Britain and Ireland – both being large enough to support large scale civilizations – were invaded and occupied many times over the millennia, the invaders being scrupulously documented in the annals of the times. In due course the islands that we now know as the Canaries, the Azores, the Faroes and many others were discovered, but found wanting.
One of the most enigmatic mythical islands was Antillia – a large island with a bountiful civilization centered on seven wondrous cities – said to lie to the west of Spain and Portugal. Columbus had expected to make Antillia his half-way stop on this travels to China and Japan. As the age of exploration progressed; Jamaica, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Cuba were all known as Antillia at one point or another. No seven wondrous cities of gold were ever found; and their supposed existence was pushed further west and south into the Amazonian jungles or high Andes of the newly discovered south American continent.
Antillia itself was believed to have its own mythical island lying to its west – known variously as Royllo, Roillo or Ymana.
Echoes of this mythological island still live on – the modern islands of the West Indies, stretching from Cuba in a long south-easterly arc to Trinidad are to this day known as the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
The even more enigmatic island of Royllo, lying to the west of Antillia
Lucernarium 