100 BCE till 1200 CE

West African Kingdoms

W. African Trade routes – pre-Atlantic System

Ghana – 4/5th century -1076-1200’s

Little is actually known about Ghana – sources are scarce

Monopoly over notoriously well-concealed gold mines. possed sophisticated methods of administration and

taxation, large armies Kumbi Saleh is capital Traders brought Islam with them – had a

separate community in the capital with its own mosques and schools.

Later kings used Muslims as scribes in government and administration.

Decline is due to drought in the 11th & 12th century New gold fields mined out of reach of Ghana 1054-1076 Almoravids from Morocco attack Ghana to

gain control over Ghana’s dominace of trans-Saharan gold trade .

“The king adorns himself like a woman wearing necklaces round his neck and bracelets on his forearms and he puts on a high cap decorated with gold and wrapped in a turban of fine cotton. He holds an audience in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses covered with gold-embroidered materials and on his right, are the sons of the vassal kings of his country, wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold.”

“The city of Ghana consists of two towns situated on a plain. One of these towns, which is inhavited by Muslims, is large and possesses twelve mosques in one of which they assemble for the Friday prayer.

“The king has a palace and a number of domned dwellings all surrounded with an enclosure like a city wall. Around the king’s town are domed buildings and groves and thickets where the sorceres of these people men in charge of the religious cult, live.

Spread of Islam in Africa

1235-1390’s-1490’s Founded in 1235 by Sundiata Focused on agriculture and control of trade

Like Ghana all gold nuggets belonged to the king, but gold dust could be traded

Gained control over the salt trade Improved agriculture on the Niger by planting rice,

beans, yams, onions, grain and cotton A class of professional traders emerged in Mali Cowries shells were established as a currency for

trading and taxation in the 14th century.

Greatest source of gold for the west for centuries

Mansa Musa – 14th century king goes on pilgrimage 100 camel loads of gold=300lbs each Value of gold is said to have dropped 20-30%

in Cairo 500 male slaves each carrying a 5lb gold staff 14,000 slave girls

Fine pottery, iron work, jewelry Music poetry and art Mosques and schools The Epic of Sundiata Visited by Ibn Battuta during Mansa Musa’s

reign “ He is a miserly king, not much giving is to be

expected from hmi. It happened that I stayed this period and did not seen him because of my sickness.”

Djingareyber Mosque & Jingarey Mosque - Timbuktu

Djenne, Mali – city founded in 800 ce

Conquered Mali Used the power of the empire to spread

Islam in the area Timbuktu is the center for learning and

education Defeated by invaders from Morocco

using guns.

www.artofancientafrica.com/

http://www.metmuseum.org

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter3.shtml