The trans-Saharan trade

No one knows exactly when the trans-saharan trade first began. It may well have begun 2000 years ago. The trans-saharan trade involved two regions North Africa and Western Sudan.

Western Sudan is at present part of west Africa. The northern traders were the Berbers of North Africa. In the 7th century AD the Muslim Arabs conquered North Africa. The Arabs were great traders who were quick to see the potential of the trans-Saharan trade. The trade reached its peak during the period between the 8th and the 16th centuries AD.

For trade to take place, there must be a need between two people who have something the other doesn’t have, and wants. These two region therefore provided the opportunity for trade because each had it unique goods that were in demand. The trade items from North Africa into Western Sudan were,
Cotton and fabrics

• Glassware
• iron tools and weapons
• horses
• beads
• salt

Salt has always been an important item in the ancient world, even though we take it for granted today. It was used as a kind of currency, making it very valuable. In fact the word salary comes from the latin word salarium, which means salt-money. From Western Sudan to North Africa went the following goods.

• gold
• ostrich feathers
• gum and kola nuts
• hides and skins
• slaves

The goods were traded by barter trade, which is exchanging goods for other goods. Another item that acted as currency was cowrie shells. Travel across the desert was not easy. The Sahara is vast. It is difficult to find one’s way across it even today. Traders could not move singly or even in small groups. They joined together to form caravans. As well as the traders and their animals and goods, caravans also included armed guards in case of attack by raiders who would target caravans. There were also experienced guides. The guides were often a community of desert dwellers. The carmel was the most useful animal in this cross desert trade. Camels can carry heavier loads than other pack animals. They can also travel quite long distances without water. Other animals used were donkeys and mules, while horses were used for riding. The caravans travelled from one oasis to another. At the desert oases they could get water for their animals as well as food and other provisions.

Water was carried in large bags made of animal skins. Food consisted mostly of dried meat, dried dates and unleaven bread. Caravans from Fez or Marrakesh in Morrocco usually passed through Taghaza. Here they took on quantities of salt from salt mines there. Caravans from Libya stopped at Bilma for the same purpose.

The gold which the peoples of western Sudan used to pay for North African goods came from the south, in the forest belt, from such places as present day Ghana. As a result of the trans-Saharan trade, many urban centres grew up on the fringes of the desert. The trade brought so much wealth that large empires grew up to organize and control it.

Empires like Old Ghana, Old Mali, Songhai, and Kanem-Bornu sprung up with the intent of controling this trade. The towns were not just trading centres. They also became centres of industry. There were craftsmen such as carpenters and leather workers who made saddles for horses, and other items of harness for the pack animals. Muslim Arabs also spread their religion through the trans-Saharan trade. These towns also became centres of islamic learning. From these towns, west Sudanese traders took goods further south into the forest belt.

The trans Saharan trade began to decline in the 16th century. This decline was caused by the arrival of European traders along the West African coast. A new type of trade developed it would later on be known as Slave trade.