African Ivory Trade

Timeline

1. 1–699North and East African coasts · East AfricaIvory was known to be imported from East Africa in Roman and Byzantine times, with North African ports serving as gateways for ivory into the Mediterranean world, and local and foreign merchants participating in collection and transport.
2. 1011–1020Swahili ports of East Africa · TanzaniaIn the early 11th century East African ivory was shipped by sea from Swahili ports to destinations across the Indian Ocean, while West African ivory was carried north along trans-Saharan routes, making ivory a core category of African luxury exports.
3. 1100–1499Cairo–Venice trade chain · EgyptIn the High Middle Ages African ivory was worked into religious and courtly objects in Cairo, Venice, and elsewhere, and strong demand drove hunting and trade networks deeper inland.
4. 1800African continent · AfricaEuropean demand in the colonial period caused elephant numbers to plummet; since the 20th century the international community has banned illegal ivory trade through conventions, and traditional commerce in ivory has shifted toward conservation and legal substitutes.