World History 173: The Foundation of Empires
Artifacts
Depiction of Mansa Musa from the Catalan Atlas (1375)
"This black Lord is called Musse Melly and is the sovereign of the land of the negroes of Gineva [Ghana]. This king is the richest and noblest of all these lands due to the abundance of gold that is extracted from his lands." [Notice the size of the gold piece he is holding]
Click on the image or link to enlarge the image
Click Here for more information about the Catalan Atlas
Old Towns Of Djenne
Inhabited since 250 B.C., Djenné became a market centre and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold [and salt] trade. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was one of the centres for the propagation of Islam.
Click on the image to enlarge
Click HERE for more information on Djenne.
Equestrian, Middle Niger Civilization (12th–14th century)
Some scholars suggest the riders’ finery and the horses’ elaborate bells and bridles represent ceremonial dress rather than battle-ready gear. Others associate these representations, in which man and horse are defined by strong vertical and horizontal lines, with the legendary forces allied with the ancient Malian empire. In that context, the quiver slung diagonally across this rider’s back was emblematic of royal power.
Click on the image to enlarge it.
Click HERE for more details about the piece
Earrings, pendant, and ring.
Earrings, pendant, and ring. Probably manufactured in Western Sudan, and excavated at Durbi Takusheyi, Nigeria.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Deeper Dives
Deeper Dives
- Gold Road Interactive MapThe Gold Road Interactive Map highlights the people, places, and items related to the medieval Sudanic empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai.
- The Medieval Podcast: Medieval Africa at the Aga Khan Museum (22:00)The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada has unveiled a new exhibition: Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange Across Medieval Saharan Africa. Danièle took in the exhibition and spoke with Michael Chagnon, the Curator of the museum. They talk about medieval Africa, its connections with the wider world, and what you can see at the Aga Khan Museum.
Mali Empire
**Items marked with a key icon 
require your GBS ID (number only) and password for home access**
Items marked with 
are primary sources. Items marked with 
are scholarly resources.
General Overviews
- The Empire of Mali
**Librarian Recommended** Everyone in your group can benefit from reading the parts of this that relate to their area(s) of research (Each individual doesn't need to read the whole document) - The Empires of the Western Sudan: Mali Empire
Includes links to a chronology & an awesome map
Society, Founding & Expansion of the Empire
- Sundiata Keita
Sundiata Keita was the first ruler of the Mali Empire in the 13th century C.E. He laid the foundation for a powerful and wealthy African empire and proclaimed the first charter of human rights, the Manden Charter. - Mansa Musa, one of the wealthiest people who ever lived (3:54)
Mansa Musa, the 14th century African king of the Mali Empire, is said to have amassed a fortune that possibly made him one of the wealthiest people who ever lived. Jessica Smith tells the story of how Mansa Musa literally put his empire – and himself – on the map. - Mansa Musa's visit to Cairo
This description of the visit to Cairo in 1324 by the King of Mali, Mansa Musa, was written by Al-Umari, who visited Cairo several years after the Mansa Musa’s visit.
Politics & Government
- Socio political structure of the ancient Mali EmpireSource: FCT Education Secretariat, 2018.
- The Mali Empire: An African Story of Gold and GreatnessFree Market business website with some thoughtful analysis of the Mali Empire and its political and economic structure.
Be sure to focus on the description of how the empire functioned rather than the policy recommendations for today* - The Manden CharterIncludes analysis, videos of griots, and the text of the charter (as written down in 1991).
- The Trans-Saharan Gold Trade (7th–14th Century)Describes Sundiata Keita's relations with the Malinke and the Soninke (see section on the Gold Trade and the Mali Empire)
Economy / Trade
- Medieval West Africa Map
Illustrates sources of different resources and trade routes of the Mali Empire.
Religion & Philosophy
- Travels of Ibn Battuta: Journey to Mali: 1350 - 1351The Mali Empire was an Islamic society, but there was a lot of cultural variation within the empire as one traveled away from the cities. Ibn Battuta described practices he found alarming, such as men and women socializing.
Technology & the Arts
- Ancient Manuscripts from the Desert Libraries of Timbuktu
Manuscripts & descriptions of their content
Decline & Legacy
- Sulayman, MansaMansa Musa's successor and the last powerful ruler of the Mali Empire.
- Masons of Djenné - City of Mud (5:10)
Djenné masons speak of the history of city, its founding myth, its architecture and the role of the masons in maintaining this architectural legacy. The masons also speak about the importance for the community of the annual ceremony of re-plastering the Great Mosque. - Mali's Traditional African ArchitectureIncludes gorgeous photographs
4000 West Lake Avenue Glenview, Illinois 60026 | Email:GBS LibGuides Administrator | Reference Desk: 847 486 4574