![]() ![]() Islam had already spread into northern Africa by the mid-seventh century A.D., only a few decades after the Prophet Muhammad moved with his followers from Mecca to Medina in the neighbouring Arabian Peninsula. The spread of Islam across North Africa and into West Africa via traders during the 9th century They would also import things like glass, ceramics, and precious stones from North Africa. Malians would also need salt in their food, since they wouldn't normally have much in their diet. Salt was mainly used to preserve foods, like meat, but also corpses, etc. Since salt was abundant in the North of Mali, but scarce in the South, they would have to import it. The main item they would import was salt which they would use it for many things. The trade in gold helped Mali stay very wealthy. Worldwide, African gold was famous and many countries wanted it, and would trade for it. It was also used by the wealthy as decoration, worn on articles of clothing, and it was prized by many people. Gold was bountiful in West Africa, and was used as a form of currency. Salt (pictured below) was often brought from Europe and North Africa in exchange for Gold (pictured above), or other commodities such as slaves or ivory. Other items that were commonly traded included ivory, kola nuts, cloth, metal goods, beads, and also human beings in the slave trade. ![]() The gold mines of West Africa provided great wealth to West African Empires such as Ghana and Mali. Much gold was traded through the Sahara desert to the countries on the North African coast. In the ancient empire of Mali, the most important industry was the gold industry, while the other trade was the trade in salt. Goods including salt brought from Europe and North Africa into Mali where they were exchanged for gold, slaves, ivory and ostrich feathers Tuareg camel caravans still travel on the traditional Saharan routes, carrying salt from the desert interior to communities on the desert edges. Today most cross-desert transport is through an extensive tarmac road network in addition to transport by air and sea. Large caravan processions were safer because they offered protection from bandits. Runners were sent ahead to oases to ship out water when the caravan was still days away. Caravans included on average a thousand camels, sometimes reaching as many as 12 000 animals. The Silk Roads were already in use in the late Bronze Age, though intensive use of cross-desert roads was triggered by the domestication of the camel. Despite all this, trans-Saharan trade along caravan routes linking oases persisted from very early times. Hazards such as excessive heat, stifling sandstorms, death by starvation, thirst, and attacks by raiders added to the possibility of getting lost. Travel by camel caravan was slow, strenuous, and dangerous. Some of these caravans will start walking from 4 am until sunset to trade goods with others. They can also survive large changes in body temperature allowing them to withstand the heat of the day and the cold of night in the desert.Ī camel caravan moving through the Sahara desert. Camels are uniquely adapted to survive long periods without water. Without the camel, trade across the Sahara would have been impossible. The camel was the most important part of the caravan. Camels were the main mode of transportation and were used to carry goods and people. Traders moved their goods across the Sahara in large groups called caravans. "The Great Mosque in Djenne, the largest Mud- Brick Building in the World”. Finally, the lesson will explain why Timbuktu was not only a centre of trade, but also a centre of learning and why it is now considered a World Heritage site. The influence of Islam on Musa’s leadership will be highlighted by concentrating on his pilgrimage to Mecca and the construction of the Great Mosque. The second part of this lesson will focus on the Kingdom of Mali at the height of its power under the leadership of Mansa Musa. This lesson will concentrate on trade across the Sahara Desert, focusing on why Timbuktu became the centre of trade, what kind of goods were exchanged, the spread of Islam from North Africa into West Africa, the importance of camels as a means of transportation, and the enormous scale of the trade route. In the 12th century, slaves and goods such as salt, gold, and ivory were among the prime commodities traded. Often used as a popular term to describe a distant and mystical place, the city of Timbuktu was historically significant as an area of vibrant trade. Timbuktu, French Tombouctou, is a city in the western African country of Mali. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |