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centralized states to form, and the
introduction of the camel, which
preceded Islam, brought about a
gradual revolution in trade; for the
first time, the extensive gold, ivory,
and salt resources of the region
could be sent north and east to
population centers in North Africa,
the Middle East, and Europe, in
exchange for manufactured goods.
Trade made the Ghana empire
rich, making it famous in Africa as
the “Land of Gold.” Not only did it
have a monopoly over its well-
concealed gold mines, but it is also
said to have possessed sophisticated
methods of administration and
taxation, also large armies, being
among the first, apart from Egypt
and Sudan, to build stone
settlements with street layouts,
walls, and buildings.
Ghana’s importance faded
towards the end of the 11th century
when its power was crushed, after a
long struggle, by the Moroccan
Almoravids, who justified the war as
an act of conversion through
military arms (lesser jihad), when it
was in fact a bid for control of the
coveted trans-Saharan trade routes.
In 1076, the Almoravids captured
the capital, bringing to an end the
Ghana empire while converting
many to Islam. Almoravid rule did
not last for long and in 1087 power
was returned to much weakened
Soninke rule, which fell prey, in
around 1140, to the rabidly anti-
Muslim Sosso people, who also
annexed the neighboring
Mandinka
state of Kangaba, from which the
new Mali empire would arise.
A Concise History of Africa
OPPOSITE:
Traditional paddleboats are
still used in Ghana today.
ABOVE:
The Larabanga Mosque is a
historic mosque, built in the Sudanese
architectural style, in the village of
Larabanga, Ghana. It is the oldest
mosque in the country and one of the
oldest in West Africa.
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