During early trans-Saharan trade, people used cattle to carry their goods. During this time trade was mostly based on salt. The Berber nomads were trading salt for food grown in areas that they didn’t live in. The cattle that they were using to trade were not like the ones we know today; they were accustomed to the desert conditions and therefore very useful for the Trans-Saharan traders. Shillington states that it is possible that they traders also used horses for travel. Because they traders were relying on cattle, the trans-Saharan trade existed on a relatively small scale. Consequently, the trade was severely limited.
According to Shillington, the introduction of camels revolutionized the trans-saharan trade. It greatly increased scale …show more content…
The main groups were the Sahaja groups in the West of the desert and the Tuareg in the central and Southern Sahara. According to Shillington, it is one of these groups who introduced the use of the veil (over the lower part of the face). Shillington hypothesizes that this was probably for the traders to protect themselves against the harsh desert winds. He adds that the salt that these Berber nomads were trading were dug up by “black negroids” in the desert oases. Also, as the trade expanded, the demand for gold, ostrich feathers, and ivory increased. These demands came from states north and south of the desert. South of the desert, demand was coming from Western Sudanic …show more content…
Shillington notes that Ghana today and Ghana two separate entities. Ghana today was merely name after Ghana then because of its greatness. Shillington highlights that geographically, the ancient kingdom of Ghana and Ghana today are not even in close proximity. The people of ancient Ghana were Soninke-speaking people. Soninke is a bantu language. The kingdom, before it was, was a group of small chiefdoms that came together. The beginnings of Ghana seems to have been caused by several factors. One of them is that the neolithic ancestors of ancient Ghana were fishermen who were experienced in forming and living in large communities. Another is that they had the upper hand when it came to Iron weapon technology. Consequently, they were able to seize farming and grazing lands from their weaker neighbors. Another centripetal force for the kingdom of Ghana was the fact that the Berber nomads were making aggressive advances as they were looking for new grazing lands. The Soninke people came together in joint effort to fight off the Berber nomad. Shillington explains that the main and most important factor in the beginnings of Ghana was its fortuitous location. It was located in an area that was frequented by traders from both the north and the south. Due to their location, they often came across precious goods such as salt and gold. Their “middlemen” position in the trans-saharan trade was really what prompted the
According to Shillington, the introduction of camels revolutionized the trans-saharan trade. It greatly increased scale …show more content…
The main groups were the Sahaja groups in the West of the desert and the Tuareg in the central and Southern Sahara. According to Shillington, it is one of these groups who introduced the use of the veil (over the lower part of the face). Shillington hypothesizes that this was probably for the traders to protect themselves against the harsh desert winds. He adds that the salt that these Berber nomads were trading were dug up by “black negroids” in the desert oases. Also, as the trade expanded, the demand for gold, ostrich feathers, and ivory increased. These demands came from states north and south of the desert. South of the desert, demand was coming from Western Sudanic …show more content…
Shillington notes that Ghana today and Ghana two separate entities. Ghana today was merely name after Ghana then because of its greatness. Shillington highlights that geographically, the ancient kingdom of Ghana and Ghana today are not even in close proximity. The people of ancient Ghana were Soninke-speaking people. Soninke is a bantu language. The kingdom, before it was, was a group of small chiefdoms that came together. The beginnings of Ghana seems to have been caused by several factors. One of them is that the neolithic ancestors of ancient Ghana were fishermen who were experienced in forming and living in large communities. Another is that they had the upper hand when it came to Iron weapon technology. Consequently, they were able to seize farming and grazing lands from their weaker neighbors. Another centripetal force for the kingdom of Ghana was the fact that the Berber nomads were making aggressive advances as they were looking for new grazing lands. The Soninke people came together in joint effort to fight off the Berber nomad. Shillington explains that the main and most important factor in the beginnings of Ghana was its fortuitous location. It was located in an area that was frequented by traders from both the north and the south. Due to their location, they often came across precious goods such as salt and gold. Their “middlemen” position in the trans-saharan trade was really what prompted the