TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES ACROSS SAHARA Early Saharan Cultures: Early hunting culture joins with cattle breeders (West African) Horse herders & charioteers displace cattle breeders Camel riders follow charioteers; camel is introduced from Arabia…used to traverse Sahara Diffusion of camel riding is from south to north! Camels allow southern highlands to connect with people of northern Sahara

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES ACROSS SAHARA Trade across the Sahara: Initially trade across Sahara develops slowly: Lots of salt available in Sahara desert…traded for kola nuts and palm oil (sub-Sahara) Berbers revolt against Arabian control…establish vital trade network city states – Sijilmasa and Tahert Gold dust traded for salt…

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES ACROSS SAHARA Patterns of trade across the Sahara: Berbers Out – copper & manufactured goods In – Gold Nomads Out – salt In – Gold from Niger and other West African River areas

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES ACROSS SAHARA The kingdom of Ghana was one of the early sub-Saharan beneficiaries of this new trans-Saharan trade! Origins are obscure… per Al-Bakri, 2 towns Muslim merchant town Capital of an animist king and his court After 1076, Ghana is permanently weakened by Almoravids (Morocco)

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Challenging geography… Large area with varied environmental zones: Sahel Tropical Savanna Tropical Rain forests Steppe Desert Temperate Highlands

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Development of Cultural Unity Great traditions (ruling elite culture) vs. small traditions (common persons culture) SSA…vast territory of many small traditions (origins unclear) Diversity – 2000 languages, food production systems (ecology), etc. Difficulty of communication and trade between different groups No foreign power conquers Africa

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Development of Cultural Unity (cont.) Despite diversity, African cultures display certain common features – some refer to as Africanity Kingship – ritually isolated and oversee societies arranged by age groups and kinship groups Use of hoe/digging stick Use of rhythm in music Dancing and mask wearing in rituals

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Development of Cultural Unity (cont.) Why common cultural traits: Descendants from people who occupy southern Sahara during wet period and migrate south to the Sahel, where cultural traditions develop!

TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Advent of Iron and the Bantu Migrations SSA agriculture had its origins north of the equator Iron working also inherited from north Linguistic evidence suggests migration of iron work (technology) was a result of the Bantu migrations Bantu – homeland was on border of Nigeria/Cameroon; spread out toward the east and south…take language and culture with them