VIIᵉ siècle – XVᵉ siècle
Western Sahel
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Ghana, represented archaeologically by the site of Kumbi Saleh, was a major political and commercial power in the western Sahel. The excerpt associates it with domination over the Niger countries and with a trade system connected to Wargla, while archaeological excavations reveal occupation from the eighth to the fifteenth centuries, a substantial mosque, and indisputable links with Awdaghust. The royal capital described by al-Bakri has not yet been identified at the site.
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Le récit
Ghana appears in the eleventh-century commercial geography as the power commanding the countries of the Niger. Its network was more closely linked to Wargla than in earlier periods, and it formed one of two major systems competing in the search for gold. This position placed Ghana within a broad circuit connecting the Niger Bend, Saharan markets, and the north.
The archaeological site identified here as Kumbi Saleh demonstrates a long period of occupation. Settlement layers extend from the eighth to the fifteenth centuries and reach more than seven metres in thickness. A very important mosque has been progressively uncovered and preserved, providing evidence for substantial urban and religious investment at the site.
Kumbi Saleh has yielded relatively few objects imported from the north, yet its links with Awdaghust are described as indisputable. This contrast is significant: commercial integration did not necessarily produce identical archaeological assemblages at every site. The excerpt therefore treats Ghana as a powerful node in a regional system while cautioning against equating the excavated settlement automatically with the royal capital described by al-Bakri.
The royal capital mentioned in the written account has not been found. That unresolved identification limits the precision with which political authority, urban layout, and commercial activity can be mapped. Even so, the combination of long occupation, mosque architecture, and links with Awdaghust makes Kumbi Saleh a central archaeological reference for the history of Ghana.
VIIᵉ siècle – XVᵉ siècle
Western Sahel
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Ghana, represented archaeologically by the site of Kumbi Saleh, was a major political and commercial power in the western Sahel. The excerpt associates it with domination over the Niger countries and with a trade system connected to Wargla, while archaeological excavations reveal occupation from the eighth to the fifteenth centuries, a substantial mosque, and indisputable links with Awdaghust. The royal capital described by al-Bakri has not yet been identified at the site.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
Ghana appears in the eleventh-century commercial geography as the power commanding the countries of the Niger. Its network was more closely linked to Wargla than in earlier periods, and it formed one of two major systems competing in the search for gold. This position placed Ghana within a broad circuit connecting the Niger Bend, Saharan markets, and the north.
The archaeological site identified here as Kumbi Saleh demonstrates a long period of occupation. Settlement layers extend from the eighth to the fifteenth centuries and reach more than seven metres in thickness. A very important mosque has been progressively uncovered and preserved, providing evidence for substantial urban and religious investment at the site.
Kumbi Saleh has yielded relatively few objects imported from the north, yet its links with Awdaghust are described as indisputable. This contrast is significant: commercial integration did not necessarily produce identical archaeological assemblages at every site. The excerpt therefore treats Ghana as a powerful node in a regional system while cautioning against equating the excavated settlement automatically with the royal capital described by al-Bakri.
The royal capital mentioned in the written account has not been found. That unresolved identification limits the precision with which political authority, urban layout, and commercial activity can be mapped. Even so, the combination of long occupation, mosque architecture, and links with Awdaghust makes Kumbi Saleh a central archaeological reference for the history of Ghana.
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