Aoudaghost Trading City

Timeline

1. c. 750–850Aoudaghost · MauritaniaThe Sanhaja established an oasis settlement here, controlling the southern end of the trade route roughly fifty stages south from Sijilmasa, becoming the forward station where North African merchants acquired Sudanese gold, with an economic base in both irrigated agriculture and pastoralism.
2. c. 850–1050Aoudaghost · MauritaniaThe city at first operated its markets independently and then became a vassal of the Ghana Empire; according to Arab chronicles it expanded its power with large-scale camel cavalry, collected tribute from the kings of the Sudan, and gave equal weight to the salt trade and the gold trade.
3. 1054–1200Aoudaghost · MauritaniaAfter it was captured by Almoravid Muslim armies the focus of international trade shifted north; geographers such as al-Idrisi recorded the shrinkage of its population and trade, and the rerouting of the salt route together with climatic drought further weakened the oasis economy, until the city was ultimately replaced by other trading towns.