Located in northern Mali, just south of the Sahara Desert, is one of history’s greatest mysteries: the lost city of Timbuktu. Tombouctou was first mentioned by Arabic writers in the early 900s, but it did not become well known until centuries later when European explorers reported their discoveries. At that time, many believed Timbuktu to […]
Located in northern Mali, just south of the Sahara Desert, is one of history’s greatest mysteries: the lost city of Timbuktu.
Tombouctou was first mentioned by Arabic writers in the early 900s, but it did not become well known until centuries later when European explorers reported their discoveries.
At that time, many believed Timbuktu to be a myth or an urban legend. Some even speculated that Tombouctou had been completely swallowed up into the desert.
However, archaeological excavations have shown that Timbuktu was indeed a major trade hub where scholars from around the world gathered to discuss religion, philosophy, literature, and science.
It has also proved that these intellectuals exchanged ideas with each other through frequent visits, correspondence, and formal meetings. These interactions helped foster intellectual growth and progress for all involved.
Sadly, most of this knowledge was either destroyed during the French colonial period (1672–1830) or stolen after the jihadists took over the city in 2013.
Fortunately though, we do still have some clues about what life in Timbuktu was like for its inhabitants. This includes information about how they lived, worked, and paid bills.
One of the most well known stories surrounding Timbuktu is that it served as one of the major trading centers for many different cultures during the Saharan trade routes. This was due to its position at the crossroads of vast areas of Africa, Asia, and Europe.
As you probably know, the Sahara spans large regions in Northern Africa and Southern Morocco, Western Algeria, Mauritania, Niger, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, and Cameroon. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Red Sea on the east.
Timbuktum refers to an area somewhere between Senegal and Burkina Faso where several important caravan routes meet. These include the West Coast Trail, the Trans-Saharan Highway, and the Songhay Trails. All three are popularly referred to as “Timakutian” routes.
The Mali-Songhai wars were two long conflicts that took place around Timbuktu from 1324 until 1591. They involved mostly Tuaregs (a Berber people) fighting either soldiers or mercenaries sent by various imperial powers (France, Spain, Portugal, Italy).
Some historians say that these empires used Timbuktu as a way to strengthen their influence over other tribes in the region while others believe they just wanted to plunder all of the city’s wealth.
Between the fifth and eleventh centuries, many scholars believe that Tuotghistut was at the center of one of the largest economies in Africa and perhaps even the wider world. This is due to its status as an important trading hub along major trans-African trade routes.
Tuataghest, or “the place where men come together,” served as home base for large groups of traders who left their homes seeking riches via the lucrative slave trade. These travelers often brought slaves with them for sale.
Slaves were valuable commodities because they could be trained to do almost anything workers needed done. They could work long hours without rest, and some could be commanded to perform complex tasks. Because of this, they were prized beyond money. Many powerful people from Europe and Asia had them as servants or colleagues.
The Arabs imported many types of slaves, including Africans themselves. But European merchants also bought plenty of African captives. It was easier to smuggle Europeans into Arab lands than it was to bring enslaved Africans to Iberian Spain or Rome, both of which experienced severe labor shortages during this time.
In fact, while most historians agree that there was no systematic Atlantic slavery before the fifteenth century, several think that the number of kidnapped Africans increased dramatically around the same period. Some sources suggest that up to 90 percent of all European slaves came from within the Old World.
After settling in Mali, Tuaregs were joined by many other tribes that now make up the country’s largest ethnic group. These new immigrants built empires through trade and cultural exchange. They established thriving urban centers like Djenné and Gao with large populations and rich economic activity.
Towards the end of the 13th century, one such city emerged as a major center of commerce along North Africa’s Mediterranean coast — a place called Timbuktu. It was here that merchants from across Northern Africa gathered to buy and sell goods.
These traders came not only from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt but also Syria, Cyprus, Turkey, Persia (modern-day Iran), Arabia, India, China, and even Europe! And while they may have been Arabs or Berbers, they did not necessarily speak either language.
Instead, they spoke local languages which had evolved into vernacular Arabic due to frequent contact with speakers of the former. This made it possible for them to interact easily and use common vocabulary when discussing business matters.
It is important to note that although most people living in northern Africa today are of Arab descent, this does not apply to all cultures within the area. For example, few Moroccans speak fluent Arabic anymore.
Furthermore, while there are still some significant differences between spoken Arabic and the dialects found across north Africa, these distinctions have become less pronounced over time.
After conquering most of North Africa for the French Empire, soldiers set their sights on one final destination: the ancient trading hub of Timbuktu, which at that time was under the control of France’s colonial power, Morocco.
In June 1894, two battalions of heavily armed troops marched into what is now Mali. Over the next few weeks they seized nearly every building and structure in Timbuktu, including its famed libraries filled with gold-leafed manuscripts written in Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, and other languages.
Timber warehouses were burnt down and looted of all usable materials — some carried away as souvenirs, others recycled or resold. Many scholars believe much of this burned treasure still exists today.
The army also destroyed many monuments built during Timbuktus golden age when it flourished as an Islamic intellectual center between 1100 and 1300 CE. These include burial sites, shrines, and mausoleums constructed either out of sandstone or mud brick. Some have been found smashed and scattered across the desert floor.
After taking everything he could carry, the invading forces left Timbuktu in ruins. They banned anyone from returning until decades later, making the destruction complete. It would take another century before people started moving back here again.
Since then, very little has been done to restore the site. In fact, there are only three major projects underway right now.
In many ways, it is difficult to overstate just how important ancient Tuqṛist was as an intellectual center. Not only did they create one of the largest collections of literature in the world, but their writing system also became the standard for almost all other languages that exist today.
Tantalizing glimpses into life in Timbuktu have been uncovered through various archaeological finds. These include documents detailing daily activities, artistic creations, and knowledge about medicine, astronomy, and mathematics.
By analyzing these artifacts, we are able to get a better understanding of who lived in Timbuktu and what they valued. All of this information helps us understand not only more about Timbuktu, but also about early civilizations in general.
Given its importance, it is no surprise that Timbuktu has long enjoyed tremendous interest from both archaeologists and historians. Many researchers make frequent visits to the site to gather new insights into the culture.
However, recent events may pose a threat to the preservation and study of the city. Due to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protecting the site now becomes even more crucial. People traveling to visit the site will want to know whether or not it is safe to do so, which could hurt tourism and research opportunities at the site.
Fortunately, there are some things individual travelers can do to help ensure Timbuktu’s safety.
This newly discovered civilization flourished in what is now northern Mali between 500 and 1000 AD, making them one of the earlier known civilizations in Africa. They were also one of the earliest cultures to use copper as an alloy for weapons and tools.
Tomb paintings depict elaborate funeral processions led by large, beautifully adorned chariots that carried the deceased through the city and into the afterlife. These chariot burials are considered some of the most aesthetically pleasing burial practices in ancient history.
The people who lived during this time period left very little behind aside from their art and technology, but we can learn a lot about them from studying their artifacts.
Many scholars believe that the decline of this civilization was caused by shifts in rainfall patterns or warfare with neighboring tribes. Others suggest that they simply disappeared!
It’s important to note here that while no written records survive, historians have been able to piece together much information about these early Tuaregs via archeological findings.
Another major industry in ancient Mali was mining for and exporting large amounts of salt, an important commodity used for many purposes. As with other minerals such as gold or iron, salt is more common in some places than others, and its scarcity can be expensive.
Tomb paintings depict people carrying baskets full of salty soil that they spread across dry surfaces to create crystallized bars of table-quality salt. This bar quality salt was mostly consumed locally and never exported beyond West Africa, but it was still valuable enough to be commemorated and dedicated to well-known deities like Anupyretos and Hephaistios (Greek gods of fire and wisdom).
Archaeologists have found evidence of salt production dating back at least 2,500 years in several sites in northern Mali and Niger. Some estimates say there were up to 30,000 metric tons of salt produced per year during this period![1]
This amount would not surprise experts because the average person needs about one pound (0.5 kg) per month—or around 4,900 pounds (2,250kg) annually. That’s the size of a small truck!
The Romans are said to have mined huge quantities of salt near their capital city of Rome, so the Ancient Malians clearly had access to enough to export significant quantities.
But why did they do it?
Salt has been used since prehistoric times for culinary and ceremonial reasons.
In what is now northern Mali, just south of Lake Chad, lies one of history’s greatest mysteries. Hidden in the desert for centuries, this vast graveyard holds the remains of an unknown number of people who were buried with great wealth.
The area around the tomb was once home to many Tuaregs — nomadic tribes that have their own rich culture. Many scholars believe these Tuareg lived near the lake region as early as 2,000 years ago. They may also have had ties to Egypt at that time.
In fact, some historians say the word “Tombouctú” comes from Egyptian language. This makes sense, because ancient Egyptians practiced burial with incredible levels of ritual and symbolism. And like the early Muslims, they considered the afterlife to be very important.
But unlike most Muslim graveyards, which are built close to homes or mosques so that mourners can easily reach them, the tombs here are nearly inaccessible except by camel.
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