The Gold-Salt Trade

The trans-Saharan gold-salt trade was one of the most important commercial networks in the medieval world. For centuries, West African gold moved north across the Sahara to the Mediterranean, while Saharan salt — essential for preserving food and maintaining health — moved south into the gold-producing regions. This exchange created enormous wealth and powered the rise of the great Sahelian empires: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

The trade was made possible by the camel, introduced to the Sahara around the 3rd century CE, which could carry heavy loads across the desert's 1,000-mile expanse. Camel caravans of hundreds or even thousands of animals followed established routes between oasis cities like Sijilmasa in the north and Timbuktu and Djenné in the south. The Sahel — the semi-arid band south of the Sahara — served as the meeting zone where northern and southern goods were exchanged.

The trade was not limited to gold and salt. Textiles, horses, copper, dates, slaves, leather goods, and books all moved along these routes. Islam traveled them as well — Muslim merchants and scholars brought their faith to West Africa, where it was adopted by ruling elites and gradually spread among the broader population. The wealth generated by this trade made Mansa Musa of Mali the richest person in history and Timbuktu one of the medieval world's great centers of learning.