Gold-Salt Trade System

Timeline

1. c. 800–1100Bambuk–Taghaza · SaharaWest African goldfields produced gold powder and nuggets, while North African caravans brought Taghaza and Taoudenni salt bricks south, exchanging salt for gold and forming stable exchange ratios and customs systems.
2. c. 1121–1130Gao–Kano–Fez trade route · WorldIn the 1120s, gold-salt goods were distributed through markets such as Gao and Kano, with local rulers sharing in profits through customs duties and escort rights; part of the gold was shipped north to be minted in Morocco and al-Andalus.
3. c. 1250–1400Timbuktu · MaliThe Mali Empire controlled the main goldfield routes; when Mansa Musa made the pilgrimage to Mecca he carried vast quantities of gold, bringing the West African gold-salt trade to its medieval peak and affecting Mediterranean gold prices.