Iziqithi ezilahlekileyo kudala zikhathaza amaphupha oomatiloshe. Kangangeenkulungwane, amabali ala mazwe abhangayo ayesasazwa nje ngamazwi, kwanakwizazinzulu ezixatyiswayo.
Kwiimephu zamandulo zolwandle, sifumana inkitha yeziqithi ezingasachazwanga: iAntilia, iSt. Brendan, IHy-Brasil, iFrisland, kunye neSiqithi esimangalisayo seZixeko ezisixhenxe. Ngamnye ubambe ibali elitsala umdla.
Ibali lisixelela ngobhishophu abasixhenxe bamaKatolika, ababekhokelwa nguBhishophu Omkhulu waseOporto, ababaleka uloyiso lwamaMoor eSpeyin nasePortugal ngo-AD 711. Besala ukuthobela aboyisi babo, bakhokela iqela elisingise ngasentshona behamba ngeenqanawa. Ibali lithi emva kohambo oluyingozi, bafika kwisiqithi esinamandla, esinabileyo apho bakha khona izixeko ezisixhenxe, bephawula ikhaya labo elitsha ngonaphakade.
Ukususela ekufunyanweni kwayo, iSiqithi seZixeko eziSixhenxe siye sagutyungelwa yimfihlelo. Kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo abaninzi baye bayigatya njengentsomi nje. Ukanti, ngenkulungwane ye-12, isazi ngejografi esaziwayo esingumArabhu uIdrisi waquka isiqithi esibizwa ngokuba yiBahelia kwiimaphu zakhe, esiqhayisa ngezixeko ezisixhenxe ezikhulu kwiAtlantiki.
Nangona kunjalo, iBahelia yanyamalala emehlweni, yahlala ingakhankanywa kude kube yinkulungwane ye-14 neye-15. Kungelo xesha apho iimephu zaseItali kunye neSpanish zazibonisa isiqithi esitsha seAtlantiki - iAntilles. Oku kuphindaphindwa kubambe izixeko ezisixhenxe ezinamagama awodwa afana neAzayi neAri. Ngowe-1474, uKumkani uAlfonso V wasePortugal wada wayalela uMphathi uF. Teles ukuba ahlole “iZixeko Ezisixhenxe nezinye iziqithi ezikwiAtlantiki, kumntla weGuinea!”
Umtsalane weZixeko eziSixhenxe kule minyaka awunakuphikiswa. Umatiloshe waseFlemish uFerdinand Dulmus wacela kukumkani wasePortugal ukuba afumane imvume yokubanga esi siqithi ngowe-1486, ukuba unokuyifumana. Ngokufanayo, unozakuzaku waseSpain eNgilani, uPedro Ahal, wabika ngo-1498 ukuba oomatiloshe baseBristol baqalise uhambo oluninzi olungaphumeleliyo lokukhangela iZixeko eziSixhenxe kunye neFrisland.
Unxibelelwano oludidayo lwavela phakathi kweSiqithi seZixeko eziSixhenxe kunye neAntillia. Iingcali zejografi zaseYurophu zazikholelwa ngokuqinileyo kubukho beAntillia. Iglowubhu edumileyo kaMartin Behaim yowe-1492 yayibeka kwindawo ebalaseleyo kulwandle lweAtlantiki, ide ithi inqanawa yaseSpeyin yafika ikhuselekile elunxwemeni ngowe-1414!
I-Antillia yaqhubeka ibonakala kwiimephu kwinkulungwane ye-15. Ngokucacileyo, kwileta ye-1480 eya kuKumkani u-Alfonso V, uChristopher Columbus ngokwakhe wayikhankanya ngamagama athi "isiqithi sase-Antillia, esaziwa nguwe". Ukumkani ude uncome uAntillia kuye "njengendawo elungileyo apho aya kumisa khona uhambo lwakhe kunye nomhlaba elunxwemeni".
Nangona uColumbus engazange alubeke unyawo e-Antillia, isiqithi se-phantom sathiya igama laso kwimimandla esandula ukufunyanwa nguye- iAntilles eziKhulu neziNcinane. ISiqithi seZixeko eziSixhenxe, isibane esiyimfihlakalo kangangeenkulungwane, siyaqhubeka nokukhanyisa iingqikelelo zethu, yintsalela yamandla angapheliyo okufun’ ukwazi komntu kunye nokutsala izinto ezingaziwayo.
