The Camel Caravans of the Ancient Sahara - World ...

In their heyday caravans consisted of thousands of camels travelling from North Africa, across the desert to the savannah region in the south ... TheCamelCaravansoftheAncientSahara ServerCostsFundraiser Runningawebsitewithmillionsofreaderseverymonthisexpensive.Notonlydowepayforourservers,butalsoforrelatedservicessuchasourcontentdeliverynetwork,GoogleWorkspace,email,andmuchmore.Wewouldmuchratherspendthismoneyonproducingmorefreehistorycontentfortheworld.Thankyouforyourhelp! $7712/$21000 ❤Donate Article byMarkCartwright publishedon12March2019 Listentothisarticle X Availableinotherlanguages:French,Portuguese ThecamelcaravanswhichcrossedthegreatdunesoftheSaharadesertbeganinantiquitybutreachedtheirgoldenperiodfromthe9thcenturyCEonwards.IntheirheydaycaravansconsistedofthousandsofcamelstravellingfromNorthAfrica,acrossthedeserttothesavannahregioninthesouthandbackagain,inahazardousjourneythatcouldtakeseveralmonths.Stoppingalongthewayatvitaloases,thecaravanswerelargelycontrolledbytheBerberswhoactedasmiddlemenintheexchangeofsuchdesiredcommoditiesassalt,gold,copper,hides,horses,slaves,andluxurygoods.Thetrans-Saharantradebroughtwithitideasinart,architecture,andreligion,transformingmanyaspectsofdailylifeinthetownsandcitiesofahithertoisolatedpartofAfrica. CamelCaravan,MoroccoFredDunn(CCBY-NC-SA) TheCamelAlthoughNorthAfricahadoncepossessedacamelidanimal,theCamelusthomazi,thishadbecomeextinctduringtheStoneAge.Thedromedarycamel(Camelusdromedarius),theonewithasinglehump,wasperhapsintroducedfromArabiaintoEgyptinthe9thcenturyBCEandintherestofNorthAfricanotbeforethe5thcenturyBCE(althoughtheprecisedatesaredisputedamongsthistorians).Camelsstilldidnotbecomecommon,though,untilthe4thcenturyCE.CaravansofhorsesanddonkeyshadcrossedpartsoftheSaharainantiquitybutitwasthehardycamelwhichallowedancientpeoplestocarrymoregoodsacrosstheinhospitableSaharaanddoitfaster,reducingbothcostsandrisks.TheEncyclopediaofAncientHistoryhasthefollowingsummaryregardingtheadvantagesofcamelsastransport: RemoveAds Advertisement Thevalueofthecamelisnotonlyconfinedtoitshighadaptationtoseveredesertconditionsanditsregulationofheatandwaterviaitssweatglands:itsabilityforlong-distancetravelofabout48kmperdayanditshighcarryingcapacity(240kg)makeita“shipofthedesert,”incomparisonwiththeloadcapacityofhorses,donkeys,andmulesatroughly60kg.Indeed,thecamel'slifespanof50yearssurpassesthatofthedonkey(30-40years)andthehorse(25-30years).(1281)Fromthe8thcenturyCE,theMoroccansweresuccessfullybreedingcamelsonahugescaleandtheyevencreatedacross-breedbetweenthedromedarycamelandthetwo-humpedBactriancamelofAsia(Camelusbactrianus).Theresultoftheseexperimentsproducedtwovariantsofdromedaries:asleek,fast-runningcamelusefulformessengerservicesandaheavier,slowercamelthatcouldcarrymoreweightthanthepuredromedary.TheCaravansinAntiquityLongbeforethegreattrans-Saharancaravansofthemedievalperiod,therewasamorelocalisedtradebetweennomadicdesertpeoplesandthetribesofthesavannahregionsouthoftheSahara,oftencalledtheSudanregion.RocksaltfromtheSaharaitself,whichwasbadlyneededinthesalt-impoverishedsavannah,wasexchangedforcereals(e.g.rice,sorghum,andmillet),whichcouldnotbegrowninthedesert. RemoveAds Advertisement Routeswouldshiftoverthecenturieslikethesanddunesofthedesertasempiresrose&fell.TheGreekhistorianHerodotus,writinginthe5thcenturyBCE(Histories,Bk4.181-5),notedacamelcaravanroutewhichwentfromThebesinEgypttoNiger(althoughMemphisismorelikelytohavebeenthestartingpoint).TheRomanwriterPlinytheElder(23-79CE)notedinhisNaturalHistory(5.35-8)thatthecaravansweremanagedbytheGaramantes,probablyancientBerbers,wholivedsouthofLibya.TheGaramantes,incontrolofthedate-palmedoasesatFezzan,actedasmiddlemenbetweenthepeoplesofNorthAfricaandsub-SaharanAfrica.Thisarrangementwouldcontinuethroughoutthehistoryoftrans-Saharancommercebecausethosewhocontrolledthedesert,whoknewthesecretsofmeetingitsformidablechallenges,alsocontrolledthetrade.RomanTripolitania(modernLibya)wassuppliedwithgold,ivory,ebony,cedarwood,andexoticbeastsdestinedforthecircuses,whileoliveoilandluxurygoodslikefineceramics,glassware,andclothweresentsouthintheexchange.Furthereast,therewerealsocamelcaravanslinkingDarfurinnorthwestSudantoAssiutontheNileatleastfromthe1stcenturyCE.KnownastheDarbal-Arbein('Roadof40Days')itbroughtivoryandelephantsfromAfrica'sinteriorandthrivedintoLateAntiquity. LoveHistory? Signupforourfreeweeklyemailnewsletter! Trans-SaharanTradeRoutesThereallylargecamelcaravansthattravelledtheminimum1000kilometres(620miles)tocrosstheentireSaharadesertreallytookofffromthe8thcenturyCEwiththeriseofIslamicNorthAfricanstatesandsuchempiresastheGhanaEmpireoftheSudanregion(6th-13thcenturyCE).RouteswouldshiftoverthecenturieslikethesanddunesofthedesertasempiresroseandfelleithersideoftheSaharaandasnewresourceswerediscoveredthatcouldbeexploitedinthetradethatneverceased. Trans-SaharanTradeRoutesAa77zz(PublicDomain) ThefirstrouteseemstohavebeenbetweenWadiDraa(southernMorocco)andtheGhanaEmpire(southernMali)inthemid-8thcenturyCEandpassedthroughanareaoftheSaharacontrolledbytheSanhajaBerbers.Within50yearstwomoremajorrouteshadbeenestablishedwhichpassedthroughSaharanterritorycontrolledbytheTuareg,anoffshootoftheSanhaja.ThesewerefromwesternAlgeriatotheSonghaikingdomonthebendoftheNigerRiverandfromLibyatoLakeChad(arouteblessedbymanysmalloasesandaverylargeone,Kawar).Inthemid-11thcenturyCE,amajorroutewentbetweentheAlmoravidtownsofSijilmasanorthoftheSaharaandAwdaghostinthesouth.Inthenextcentury,withtheriseoftheAlmohadsinNorthAfrica,WalatawouldreplaceAwdaghostatthesouthernendoftheroute.Walatawasfurthertotheeastandsoinabetterpositiontoactasacollectingpointfollowingthediscoveryofnewgoldfields.GaoandTimbuktuontheNigerRiverwerealsonowattractingenoughtradetobeanenddestinationforcaravanssettingofffromwhatistodayTunisiaandsouthernAlgeria.ThegreatNorthAfricancitiesofMarrakesh,Fez,Tunis,andCairowereallimportantstartingordestinationpointsforthetrans-Saharancaravans. RemoveAds Advertisement Atypicalcaravancouldhave500camelsbutsomeoftheannualoneshadupto12,000camels.Fromaround1450CEPortugueseshipsweresailingdowntheAtlanticcoastofAfricaandofferinganalternativetothetrans-Saharancaravanroutes.From1471CE,theseshipswereaccessingtheaptly-namedGoldCoastinthesouthofWestAfrica.However,theriseoftheSonghaiEmpire(1460-c.1591CE)ensuredthattherewasstillahugemarketandsupplyofgoodsforSaharantraderstoexploitinthesavannahregion.NavigatingtheSaharaAtypicalcaravancouldhave500camelsbutsomeoftheannualoneshadupto12,000camelsinthem.Thesegreatcaravansusuallytravelledinthebestseasonfortravel,winter.Toavoidtheheatofthemiddaysun,caravanstypicallysetoffatdawntothecallofhornsandkettledrums,thenrestedintheshadeoftentsduringthemiddleoftheday,andmovedonagaininthelateafternoon,continuinguntilwellafterdark.ThejourneyacrosstheSaharacouldtakeatleastfrom40to60days,anditwasonlymadepossiblebystoppingatoasesalongtheway,butevenwiththesewaterstops,thejourneywasbrutalandhazardous.Thattherewereestablishedroutes,andthatArabmedievalwritersweresoparticularinmappingthem,isstrongevidencethatanyimproviseddeviation,thetakingofshortcutsorthemissingofthenextoasesthroughpoornavigationorasandstorm,wasverylikelytobringdisaster.Otherdangersincludedbandits,venomoussnakes,scorpions,andthesupernaturaldemonsdesertpeopleoftenbelievedhauntedcertainpartsoftheSahara. RemoveAds Advertisement Trans-SaharanCamelCaravanHolgerReineccius(CCBY-SA) Thebiggestproblem,ofcourse,waswater.Apersonneedsaminimumofonelitreofwateradayinthedesertunderoptimumconditionsbutthiswouldbarelyachievesurvival.Thetypicalconsumptionis4.5litresaday.Fortunately,camelsneednotdrinkanythingatallforseveraldays,althoughwhentheydoreachawatersourcetheydrinkprodigiously.Thechieflimitonacaravan,then,washowmuchwateritcouldcarryandhowquicklyitcouldgettothenextwatersourcealongtheroute.Aswellascameldriversandslavestodothebasicmenialtasks,thecaravanmighthavecertainofficialssuchasascribetorecordtransactions,specialistguidesforparticularareasoftheroute,messengers,andanimamtoleaddailyprayers.Mostimportantofallwasthecaravanleader,calledthekhabir,whoexercisedtotalauthorityenroute.Aswithmostpositionsofpower,sotoocamegraveresponsibilities,andthekhabirwasliableforanylossesandaccidents(unlesshecoulddemonstratehewasnottoblameforthem).ThehistorianH.J.Fisherdescribesthemanyqualitiesagoodkhabirneeded:Heknewthedesertroutesandwateringplaces,andhewasabletofindhiswaybythestarsatnight,orifneedbebythescentandtouchofthesandandvegetation.Hehadtounderstandtheproperrulesofdeserthygiene,remediesagainstscorpionsandsnakes,howtohealsicknessandmendfractures.Hehadtoknowthevariouschiefsoftownsandtribeswithwhichthecaravanhadtodealalongtheway,andinthisrespectaresponsiblekhabirmightconsolidatehispositionbystrategicmarriagesinseverallocalities,orintoseveraltribes.(quotedinFage,267)Besidesthestarsandthesmellofthesandandvegetation,adesertBerber,astoday,usedmanyotherindicatorsofdirectionsuchastheheightofthesunandmoon,thelayoftheland,mountainsonthehorizon,theshadowsofthedunes,winddirection,thesprayofsandblownfromthepeaksofdunes,ancienterodedgullies,thedistributionofrocksandpebbles,thepresenceofmirages,andthepositionofcameldung,whichispointedinshapewiththepointalwaysinthedirectionofthenextwatersource. RemoveAds Advertisement Carryingoneselfacrossthedesert,then,wascertainlyachallenge,guidingcamelsloadeddownwithslabsofrocksaltwasdifficultenough,too,butifslaveswerebeingtransported,itbecameavoyageofattritionforeveryone,asone11th-centuryCEwriternotedinhisdescriptionoftheproblemsofacaravanleadermid-journey:Hewasexhaustedwithhisslavemenandwomen.Thiswomanhadgrownthin,thisonewashungry,thisonewassick,thisonehadrunaway,thisonewasafflictedbytheguineaworm.Whentheyencampedtheyhadmuchtooccupyhim.(quotedinFage,639)Herodotusdescribedcaravansstoppingevery10daysataknownoasis,thelifelinesofthedesert.Someoftheseoasescouldbemerewellsandafewhousesbutothers,likeAwdila,theFezzangroup,andtheKufragroup(allinLibya),weregreatspreadsofluxuriantgreenery,asightindeedforsoredeserttraveller'seyes.Herethereweredatepalms,lemontrees,andfigtrees,aswellaswheatandvinescultivatedusingirrigationcanals.Ontheotherhand,manyoasesovertimesimplydisappearedundertheshiftingsandsortheirwatersdriedupandtheywereabandonedtothenextsandstorm.Stoppingforresupplyatanoasisdidnotcomeforfreeeitherasthetribesthatcontrolledthemexactedataxonthepassageofgoodsthroughtheirterritory.Inordertoensurenooutsidersmuscledinonthelucrativemanagementofthecaravans,Saharanpeopleswouldoftencoverthesmallerdesertwellswithsandtohidethem. WesternSahara,CatalanAtlasGallicaDigitalLibrary(PublicDomain) Therewereattemptstomakethejourneylessinhospitablebyincreasingnature'smeagreofferingsalongtheway.Abdal-Rahman,thegovernorofMaghrib(r.747-755CE),orderedaseriesofwellstobedugonaroutefromsouthernMoroccototheSudanregion.Waterwasdrawnupfromsuchwellsusingcamel-hairedropesandleatherbuckets,pulledbyacamelwalkingawayfromthewellinastraightline.TradedGoodsWhatexactlywasworthallthebotheroftransportingoverlargedistancesverymuchdependedontheparticularrichelitesinthenorthandsouthofthedesert,somethingwhichchangednotonlybecauseoftastesandfashionbutalsotheriseandfallofstatesandtheiraccesstogoodswhichcouldbeexchanged.Saltwasthemajorcommoditygoingsouthwhichwasexchangedforgold,ivory,hides,andslaves(acquiredfromAfricantribesconqueredbythesub-Saharanempires).GoodsweregatheredupfromacrosstheentireWestAfricanregionandchannelledalongtheNigerandSenegalRiverstotrading'ports'likeTimbuktu.AstheSudanregionsawnewandricherempiresriseliketheMaliEmpire(1240-1645CE)andSonghaiEmpire,soawealthyelitesoughtevermoreexoticandexpensivegoodsfromNorthAfricaandthewiderMediterranean.Besidessalt,thecaravanstransportedsouthwardsglazedpottery(luxuryvases,cups,oillamps,andincenseburners),preciousandsemi-preciousstones(especiallygarnetandamazonite),cowrieshellsandcopperwiretobeusedascurrencies,copperingots,horses,manufacturedgoods,finecloth,beads,coral,dates,raisins,andglassware(cups,goblets,andperfumebottles).AstheSudanempiresspreadtheirinfluenceandnewpowersrosesuchasHausaland,sothisbroughtinnewgoodstothetrans-Saharantradelikekolanuts(amildstimulant),ostrichfeathers,perfumes,andtobacco.LegacyThemajorandmostimmediateconsequenceofthetrans-Saharantradewasthatitgavestatestremendouspowerintheirrespectiveregionsastheycametopossessgoodswhichwerehighlyvaluedbytheirownpopulationsandthoseofcompetitorstates.Thesegoodscouldbeconsumedtoenhancetheprestigeoftherulingclassortradedonortaxedwhichmaderulingelitesevenricherthanbeforeand,throughthepaymentofarmies,lefttheminanevenmoredominantpositionoversubjugatedtribesandsmallerstates.Moresubtly,therewasanotherkindofbaggagebesidesthetradegoodswhichcamewiththemerchantswhocrisscrossedtheSahara.Ideas,technology,andreligionallspread,too.Althoughtheextentofeitherdirection'sculturalinfluenceisdifficulttogaugeprecisely,wedoknowthatIslamwasintroducedintotheSudanregionvianortherntradersfromthe9thcenturyCE.MosquesandIslamictownplanningbegantobeseeninSudantowns.TheadoptionofprecisescalesusingaccurateglassweightswasadoptedinsomeSudancultures,almostcertainlyinresponsetotheneedtoaccuratelymeasuregolddust.However,somethingsdidnotseemtocatchon.Forexample,theimportofMediterraneanpotteryhadlittleeffectontheproductionoftraditionalSudanpotteryshapesanddesigns.So,too,betterkilnscapableofhigherfiringtemperatureshavebeenrevealedbyarchaeologyinthenorthbutwerenotadoptedintheSudan.Intheotherdirection,thetechniqueofmud-rubbletofillwallcavitiesmayhavebeenadoptedinthenorthfromSudanpractices.Thecaravans,albeitonamuchsmallerscalethanintheirheyday,arestillgoingtoday.SaharansaltfromTaoudenniisstilltransportedbyTuaregcamelcaravans,the90-kiloslabsnowultimatelydestinedfortherefineriesofBamakoinMali.Four-wheeldrivevehiclesandsatellitephonesmaybeofenormousvaluetomoderndeserttravellersbutthecamelstillremainsoneofthemostdependablewaystoreachandtransportgoodsintheremoterpartsoftheSahara. Didyoulikethisarticle? Bibliography RelatedContent Books CiteThisWork License EditorialReview Thisarticlehasbeenreviewedforaccuracy,reliabilityandadherencetoacademicstandardspriortopublication. RemoveAds Advertisement Bibliography Bagnall,R.TheEncyclopediaofAncientHistory.Wiley-Blackwell,2012 Curtin,P.AfricanHistory.Pearson,1995. DesmondClark,J.(ed).TheCambridgeHistoryofAfrica,Volume1.CambridgeUniversityPress,2001. Fage,J.D.(ed).TheCambridgeHistoryofAfrica,Vol.2.CambridgeUniversityPress,2001. Hrbek,I.(ed).UNESCOGeneralHistoryofAfrica,Vol.III,AbridgedEdition.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1992. Ki-Zerbo,J.(ed).UNESCOGeneralHistoryofAfrica,Vol.IV,AbridgedEdition.UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1998. McEvedy,C.ThePenguinAtlasofAfricanHistory.PenguinBooks,1996. Oliver,R.(ed).TheCambridgeHistoryofAfrica,Vol.3.CambridgeUniversityPress,2001. Oliver,R.A.CambridgeEncyclopediaofAfrica.CambridgeUniversityPress,1981. Strassler,R.B.TheLandmarkHerodotus.AnchorBooks,2009. deVilliers,M.Timbuktu.WalkerBooks,2007. Translations Wewantpeopleallovertheworldtolearnabouthistory.Helpusandtranslatethisarticleintoanotherlanguage!Sofar,wehavetranslateditto:French,Portuguese AbouttheAuthor MarkCartwright MarkisahistorywriterbasedinItaly.Hisspecialinterestsincludepottery,architecture,worldmythologyanddiscoveringtheideasthatallcivilizationsshareincommon.HeholdsanMAinPoliticalPhilosophyandisthePublishingDirectoratWHE. RelatedContent Filters: All  Definitions155 Articles67 Images50 Videos12 Collections7 TeachingMaterials6 Quizzes2 Definition MansaMusaI MansaMusaIwastheruleroftheMaliEmpireinWestAfricafrom... Definition SundiataKeita SundiataKeita(akaSunjaataorSundjata,r.1230-1255CE)was... Definition MaliEmpire TheMaliEmpire(1240-1645)ofWestAfricawasfoundedbySundiata... Definition Timbuktu Timbuktu(Timbuctoo)isacityinMali,WestAfricawhichwasan... Definition GhanaEmpire TheGhanaEmpireflourishedinWestAfricafromatleastthe6th... Definition SonghaiEmpire TheSonghaiEmpire(akaSonghay,c.1460-c.1591)replacedthe... 12345678910Next›Last» FreefortheWorld,SupportedbyYou WorldHistoryEncyclopediaisanon-profitorganization.Foronly$5permonthyoucanbecomeamemberandsupportourmissiontoengagepeoplewithculturalheritageandtoimprovehistoryeducationworldwide. BecomeaMember  Donate RecommendedBooks Timbuktu:TheSahara'sFabledCityofGold WrittenbydeVilliers,Marq&Hirtle,Sheila,publishedbyWalkerBooks(2007) $5.75 UNESCOGeneralHistoryofAfrica,Vol.III,AbridgedEdition:Africa... WrittenbyElFasi,M.,publishedbyUniversityofCaliforniaPress(1992) $33.95 $64.84 Mylittleoasis:LinedandnumberedNotebook,Coverandintérordecor... WrittenbyEdition,LilgodSpark,publishedbyIndependentlypublished(2020) $6.97 ExperiencethemysteriousSaharaDesertTravelJournal WrittenbyPublishing,Namakwa,publishedbyIndependentlypublished(2019) $6.99   CiteThisWork APAStyle Cartwright,M.(2019,March12).TheCamelCaravansoftheAncientSahara. WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.Retrievedfromhttps://www.worldhistory.org/article/1344/the-camel-caravans-of-the-ancient-sahara/ ChicagoStyle Cartwright,Mark."TheCamelCaravansoftheAncientSahara." WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.LastmodifiedMarch12,2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1344/the-camel-caravans-of-the-ancient-sahara/. MLAStyle Cartwright,Mark."TheCamelCaravansoftheAncientSahara." WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.WorldHistoryEncyclopedia,12Mar2019.Web.08Mar2022. 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