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Ivory trade in Ghana, 1690. Elephant ivory has been exported from Africa and Asia for millennia with records going back to the 14th century BCE.Transport of the heavy commodity was always difficult, and with the establishment of the early-modern slave trades from East and West Africa, freshly captured slaves were used to carry the heavy tusks to the ports where both the tusks and their ...
African maritime trade involved a wide range of goods that were highly valued in international markets. From the East African coast, gold, ivory, and slaves were prominent exports. In return, African traders received textiles, ceramics, spices, and other luxury goods from Arabia, India, and beyond.
In East Africa, the Indian Ocean trade network was pivotal in linking the African coast with the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia. Coastal cities like Kilwa , Mombasa , and Zanzibar emerged as key points of exchange, thriving on the trade of gold, ivory, and slaves.
Ivory from Africa was widely sought after outside the continent by the 14th century due in part to the poorer quality of Asian ivory. [31] While Asian ivory is brittle, more difficult to polish, and tends to yellow with exposure to air, African ivory often comes in larger pieces, a more sought after cream colour, and is easier to carve.
Founded c. 800 BCE, Carthage became one terminus for West African gold, ivory, and slaves. West Africa received salt, cloth, beads, and metal goods. Shillington proceeds to identify this trade route as the source for West African iron smelting. [17] Trade continued into Roman times.
External trade began around the 7th century, primarily exporting gold and ivory. [108]: 14 Around 900, motivated by the ivory trade, some Zhizo moved south to settle the Limpopo-Shashe Basin. Their capital and most populated settlement was Schroda, and via the coastal Swahili city-state Chibuene they engaged in the Indian Ocean trade.
An expansive African ivory trade flourished in the 15th through 19th century, but they continued to be a source for popular luxury items well into the 20th century. Elephant ivory was used for ...
The national and international trade in natural ivory of threatened species such as African and Asian elephants is illegal. [13] The word ivory ultimately derives from the ancient Egyptian âb, âbu ('elephant'), through the Latin ebor-or ebur. [14]