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French-language map showing the major trans-Saharan trade routes (1862) Trans-Saharan trade is trade between sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa that requires travel across the Sahara. Though this trade began in prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the early 17th century CE.
Trans-Saharan trade routes, from Marrakesh to the Awlil salt mines on the west, to Darb Al Arbain on the east . The trans-Saharan trade routes were among the most significant trade networks in pre-colonial Africa. These routes connected West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean, facilitating the exchange of gold, salt, ivory, and slaves.
For example, the Tuareg and others who are indigenous to Libya facilitated, taxed and partly organized the trade from the south along the trans-Saharan trade routes. Various nomadic peoples played critical roles as guards, guides, and camel drivers. As a result, they were granted autonomy and treated as allies by governments of North Africa. [21]
The Darb el-Arbain trade route, passing through Kharga in the south and Asyut in the north, was used from as early as the Old Kingdom of Egypt for the transport and trade of gold, ivory, spices, wheat, animals and plants. [20]
They traded domesticated beef (rather than meat from game animals), iron, and ivory and gold. [10] The city of Great Zimbabwe, founded around 1100, was the centre of the Shona kingdom until around 1400. [11] Much trade in the forest kingdoms was done at the local level, typically by ordinary Yoruba people at local markets.
Mali's most famous ruler, Mansa Musa, traveled across the Trans-Saharan trade routes on his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1325. [3] Because Islam became so prominent in North and West Africa, many of the trade routes and caravan networks were controlled by Muslim nations. [1] In the 14th century, prominent trade and travel routes had been firmly ...
Kanem arose by engaging in the trans-Saharan trade. It exchanged slaves captured by raiding the south for horses from North Africa, which in turn aided in the acquisition of slaves. By the late 11th century, the Islamic Sayfawa (Saifawa) dynasty was founded by Humai (Hummay) ibn Salamna .
The Sahelian kingdoms stood between the Trans-Saharan trade with the Maghreb and gold fields to the south. The oasis city of Oualata served as a trading post and customs station for Trans-Saharan caravans, though some North African traders went on to the larger cities of Timbuktu and Gao along the Niger River. [18]