Gold from Mali and other West African states was traded north to the Mediterranean, in exchange for luxury goods and, ultimately, salt from the desert . The merchants for these routes were often Berbers, who had extensive knowledge of how to navigate through the desert.
When was the gold and salt trade?
The Trans-Saharan Gold Trade ( 7th–14th Century ) Around the fifth century, thanks to the availability of the camel, Berber-speaking people began crossing the Sahara Desert.
Why was the gold salt trade important?
What was a major effect of the gold-salt trade in Africa? The gold-salt trade in Africa made Ghana a powerful empire because they controlled the trade routes and taxed traders . Control of gold-salt trade routes helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai to become large and powerful West African kingdoms.
What was the trade of salt for gold called?
The communication in this gold-for-salt was carried out using drums. Silent trade might be used because of an inability to speak the other traders’ language, or to protect the secrets of where the valuable gold and salt came from. Silent bartering has been used since ancient times, such as the ancient Ghana Empire.
Why did Ghana trade gold for salt?
Ghana itself was rich in gold. People wanted gold for its beauty, but they needed salt in their diets to survive . Salt, which could be used to preserve food, also made bland food tasty. These qualities made salt very valuable.
Is salt more valuable than gold?
Recorded history also soundly refutes the myth that salt was more valuable than gold . YouTube historian Lindybeige cites Venetian trade documents from the height of the salt trade in 1590 that establish the value of 1 ton of salt as 33 gold ducats.
Is salt worth its weight in gold?
The most common exchange was salt for gold dust that came from the mines of southern West Africa. Indeed, salt was such a precious commodity that it was quite literally worth its weight in gold in some parts of West Africa .
Who started the gold and salt trade?
The answer came from the nomads of the desert, the Berber people , who had long been crossing this route. With time, the Berbers would connect these two different spheres of Africa. However, they did not arrive as mere middlemen. The Berbers had access to some of the great salt deposits of the ancient world.
Why was salt so valuable in ancient times?
Salt was essential in preserving foods such as meat, fish, and vegetables. Without it, one’s diet would pretty much be limited to just bread and whatever could be caught or picked that particular day. So for settled peoples, it was very widely used and necessary. Salt had to be mined like any other mineral .
Why is Ghana called the land of gold?
It was the first of the great West African trading empires. Its wealth grew out of its place on a major trade route. ... Arab traders crossed the Sahara to Ghana , which they called the “Land of Gold.” The king collected taxes from merchants who came through his empire.
How did the gold and salt trade develop?
Why did the gold-salt trade develop between West Africa and North Africa? ... The trade began due to a surplus of each product per area . Gold was plentiful in West Africa so traders sent the item to North Africa so they too could have the valuable mineral. In return, North Africans gave salt to West Africa.
Where does gold come from?
Where is gold found? In its natural form, it is found deep in the layers of the earth where it is transported by water, molten lava and volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. Geologists have found gold in rocks as old as 4.5 billion years ago.
Who first used salt?
The Egyptians were the first to realize the preservation possibilities of salt. Sodium draws the bacteria-causing moisture out of foods, drying them and making it possible to store meat without refrigeration for extended periods of time.
Why were the soldiers of Ghana so formidable?
With the discovery of iron, the people of Ghana were able to make strong farming tools and weapons such as spearheads and blades. Other armies in the region had tools and weapons made of wood and bone, which proved less effective in battle.
Why were some kings of Ghana so wealthy?
5. Why were some kings Ghana so wealthy? Kings of Ghana grew rich from the gold-salt trade . They taxed gold producers and every load of goods that entered or left Ghana.
Where was gold found in West Africa?
The primary goldfields of the Birimian being explored in West Africa involve the Proterozoic rocks situated in the southern portion of the West African Craton. To date, the most productive gold-bearing zone within the Birimian greenstone belts has been the Ashanti belt in Ghana .
