1 6 th ▁century ▁and ▁surv ived ▁after ▁the ▁Gu an ches ▁were ▁entirely ▁assim il ated . ▁When ▁this ▁means ▁of ▁communication ▁was ▁threatened ▁with ▁ext inction ▁at ▁the ▁dawn ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁the ▁local ▁government ▁required ▁all ▁children ▁to ▁learn ▁it ▁in ▁school . ▁Mar cial ▁Mor era , ▁a ▁lingu ist ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁La ▁Lag una ▁has ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁sil bo ▁may ▁help ▁understand ▁how ▁languages ▁are ▁formed . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mountains ▁of ▁La ▁G om era , ▁its ▁original ▁inhabitants ▁wor sh ipped ▁their ▁god , ▁whom ▁they ▁called ▁O ra han ; ▁the ▁sum mit ▁and ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁served ▁as ▁their ▁grand ▁san ctu ary . ▁Indeed , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁n atives ▁took ▁refuge ▁in ▁this ▁sacred ▁territory ▁in ▁ 1 4 8 9 , ▁as ▁they ▁faced ▁im min ent ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ani ards , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁here ▁that ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁La ▁G om era ▁was ▁drawn ▁to ▁a ▁close . ▁Modern - day ▁arch ae olog ists ▁have ▁found ▁several ▁cer emon ial ▁stone ▁constru ctions ▁here ▁that ▁appear ▁to ▁represent ▁sacrific ial ▁alt ar ▁stones , ▁sl ate ▁h ollow s , ▁or ▁cav ities . ▁It ▁was ▁here ▁that ▁the ▁Gu an ches ▁built ▁py res ▁upon ▁which ▁to ▁make ▁offer ings ▁of ▁go ats ▁and ▁sheep ▁to ▁their ▁god . ▁This ▁same ▁god , ▁O ra han , ▁was ▁known ▁on