Raye's History House

Look at the above photo.

What do you feel?

Awe? Serenity? Fear?

The Sahara Desert has tantalized minds, been a transcendent destination, and/or a tomb for the countless people who have stood in its wake and asked, “What do those golden horizons hold for me?”

The Beginning of the Trans-Saharan Gold Trade

The Saharan Desert is big.

3.5 million square miles big, in fact.

For comparison, the United States without Alaska is only 3.1 million miles squared.

Trade across the Sahara began before the 200s BC, but picked up after the Berber people of North Africa began using camels to help them cross the inhospitable climate.

This advancement coincided with the rise of the Arab states, who became the main purchasers of sub-Saharan merchandise until about the 16th century when Europe began to take over.

The Kingdom of Ghana, which would bloom into one of the richest empires of its time and eventually control the world’s biggest gold trade, was founded around the 5th century. Ghana would get its gold from the Bamboo mines, which were kept secret from the Arabs so they could not bypass the Ghanian Empire.

The Development of the Trade

Gold was the most significant commodity traded across the Sahara in terms of demand and money-making potential. The Mediterranean economies wanted gold and sub-Saharan Africans were happy to sell it to them.

By the 8th century, annual trade caravans were following specific routes across the desert. Most of these caravans were funded by wealthy Arab merchants.

Islamic involvement in the trade greatly influenced the societies of the three consecutive gold empires: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Islamic traders preferred to do business with other Muslims so many rulers converted to ensure trade connections weren’t disrupted. Most of the empire’s subjects remained pagans, leading to religious tolerance throughout much of West Africa.

Islam encourages education, so West Africa became a global center for scholarship. Sub-Saharan Africa lacked a written language, so academics and government officials began using Arabic to record information. Literacy spread and cities such as Timbuktu (in modern Mali) and Kano (modern Nigeria) because important religious and educational hubs. Gao, Jenne, and Timbuktu also housed extensive libraries.

Trading cities such as Oualata (Mauritania), Timbuktu, Kano and Ngazargamu (Nigeria) sprang up to accommodate merchants. These cities provided lodging for traders and their animals. Markets sold saddles, grain, animal skins, and dried meat and services to prepare traders and camels for their Saharan journey.

The main gold zones used throughout the height of the trans-Saharan gold trade were the Upper Senegal River and the forests of the Gold Coast. Wealthy and stable states grew up around these mines, including Gajaaga in the north and Bono-Mansu in the south.

What Was it Like to Cross the Sahara

Crossing the Sahara was dangerous, even when riding camels stocked with supplies.

Traders usually took about four months to prepare for a crossing to gain the proper provisions and to fatten their camels. Two camels per person were standard: one to ride and one to carry your items.

Once you ventured out on your journey, you would typically hire a guide who was well-versed in the dangers of the desert landscapes. And, dangers were a plenty.

Travelers risked hazards, such as:

• Dehydration – If you didn’t bring enough water with you, the only option you had was to drink the fetid water found dispersed throughout the sands. This water often caused intestinal pains and could lead to death. Sometimes, especially in hotter years, the stomachs of camels or addax antelopes were removed and traders were forced to drink from them.
• Desert Mafia – Yes, there was a desert mafia. Similar to the issue Central Americans face when crossing the Sonoran or Chihuahuan desert to reach the US, there were people in the Sahara who were looking to rob those who traverse the landscape. Sometimes these people would also kill the travelers after they stole from them.
• Snake Bites – The Sahara is home to vipers, cobras, and adders, and sidewinders. All of these snakes are poisonous.
• Getting Lost – Guides stressed the importance of staying near the caravan and for good reason. Sand dunes obstructed the view, and escorts were hesitant to wait for or search for lost people because of the potential dangers.
• Sticky Fingers – Although the desert mafia was an issue, most stolen commodities were taken by fellow travelers. These people were around each other for long periods of time and it was easy to knick a few items from someone when they were sleeping.

A trans-Saharan crossing took about two months to complete, and many people perished along the way.

The Richest Man In the World: Mansa Musa

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mali during the height of the gold trade. Sometimes considered the richest man of pre-modern time, Mansa Musa is legendary for the amount of gold he had in his possession.

In 1324, Mansa Musa began his pilgrimage to Mecca as all Muslims are expected to make in their lives if they are able. He travelled this 2700 mile-long journey with his 8000-man caravan from Mali to present day Saudi Arabia.

But, the story of Mansa Musa that is so popular today took place in Cairo, Egypt where he threw gold out to the people who were standing alongside the road. Mansa Musa and his entourage gave out or spent so much gold in the city that they crashed the Egyptian market. The economy would take years to recover from such a shock.

The Decline of the Trade

The trans-Saran gold trade began to putter out as European countries became primary world powers. The main commerce networks moved to the Atlantic Ocean and its coast, and slavery and the introduction of firearms in West Africa began to greatly disrupt its kingdoms and empires.

In the 16th century, the last great trade empire, Songhai, collapsed. Scholars moved north to Mauritania and to other parts of the Sahel, which became a center of Islamic learning in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Trans-Saharan trade continued throughout the 19th and early 20th century, albeit at a severely reduced pace. The invention of other types of travel made Saharan camel caravans obsolete.

Bonus Facts:

• Modern Ghana took its name from the Kingdom of Ghana.
• Arabs got their famous ‘Arab’ horses from Senegambia.

• In 220BC, Carthaginian general, Hannibal, used African elephants traded across the Sahara to cross the Alps.
• Trans-Saharan traders would set up camp and sleep in the middle of the day when the sun was the hottest.

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