ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Gold, sought from the western and central Sudan, was the main commodity of the trans-Saharan trade. The traffic in gold was spurred by the demand for and supply of coinage. The rise of the Soninke empire of Ghana appears to be related to the beginnings of the trans-Saharan gold trade in the fifth century.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most common exchange was salt for gold dust that came from the mines of southern West Africa. Indeed, salt was such a precious commodity that it was quite literally worth its weight in gold in some parts of West Africa.

Detailed explanation-3: -The main items traded were gold and salt. The gold mines of West Africa provided great wealth to West African Empires such as Ghana and Mali. Other items that were commonly traded included ivory, kola nuts, cloth, slaves, metal goods, and beads.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Sahara Desert was a thriving crossroads of exchange for West Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe in the medieval period. Fueling this exchange was West African gold, prized for its purity and used for minting currencies and adorning luxury objects such as jewelry, textiles, and religious objects.

Detailed explanation-5: -The main items traded were gold and salt. The gold mines of West Africa made empires such as Ghana and Mali very wealthy. Other commonly traded items included ivory, cloth, slaves, metal goods, and beads. Major cities developed as trade centers.