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Trans-Saharan Camel Caravan

Type Object Region Sahara Time 1161–1170

The trans-Saharan camel caravan was a long-distance overland transport system linking the Maghreb with the Sahel–Sudanic zone of West Africa, carryin…

Timeline

  1. 1161–1165Taghaza salt mines · salt mine routesCaravans assembled at North African ports such as Fez and Sijilmasa, loading rock salt blocks at the Tademait and Taghaza salt mines, each camel carrying roughly 150 kilograms. Regimes in North Africa changed in the 1160s, but demand for the salt-for-gold exchange kept the routes active.
  2. 1166–1170Niger Bend trading towns · Niger BendUpon reaching river-bend settlements such as Timbuktu and Gao, caravans exchanged salt for gold, kola nuts, and slaves, and loaded West African cotton cloth and leather for the northward return. The return journey likewise depended on oasis wells and agreements with Tuareg tribes; a full round trip could take several months.

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