The Islamic North African empires of the medieval period had an insatiable demand for gold because it was needed not only for making precious manufactured goods (e.g. jewellery, vessels, embroidered clothing and illuminated manuscripts) but also to mint coinage to pay armies.
What was the most important item of trade across the Sahara?
Gold, sought from the western and central Sudan, was the main commodity of the trans-Saharan trade. The traffic in gold was spurred by the demand for and supply of coinage.
Where did gold originally come from?
Gold is found in rock ores that date back to the Precambrian era, which is 4.6 billion to 541 million years ago. It was a period when asteroids bombarded Earth. Upon impact, these asteroids deposited high concentrations of gold deep into the crust.
Why was salt traded for gold in ancient times?
This may seem astonishing as salt is a cheap commodity in today’s society. It may be added that salt is easily available today which was not the case in ancient times. In the past, salt was difficult to obtain in certain parts of the world. This means that areas producing salt had a valuable trade item, one that they could exchange for gold.
Why was the salt trade important to the Berbers?
The salt trade was valuable to food preservation. ( WildDago / Adobe) Around the 5th century AD, the use of camels allowed Berber-speaking peoples to cross the Sahara Desert. By the 8th century AD, trade was flowing between the Saharan and sub-Saharan regions of West Africa, as caravans traveled between the two on an annual basis.
What was the impact of the salt trade?
Still, the impact of the salt trade in the region is undeniable. For the most part, it was not the salt or its mines that the West African powers sought to control, but rather the trade routes . Gaining control of these routes meant that tariffs could be levied on the caravans that traveled along them.
Where was the salt trade in the Sahara?
Saharan salt trade routes circa 1400 with the modern territory of Niger highlighted. Lastly, it may be said that although salt has long lost its status as a highly prized trade commodity, salt mining is still carried out in the Sahara and continues to be a way of life for some of the desert’s inhabitants.
