Science & Technology

The empires of Ghana and Mail utilized technological and scientific knowledge to benefit their societies. Since the climate in the area dictated long dry periods interrupted only by short wet spells, both empires learned to manipulate resources. By understanding the ecology of the region, especially the savanna, the empires could predict when the weather was going to change. This allowed cultivators to track growing seasons and ensure successful harvests.


Along with this understanding of climate, the empires’ ability to develop relevant technology allowed them to flourish. Iron ores riddled the West African region. The availability of this natural resource allowed Ghanaian and Malian artisans to forge numerous metal items. A plethora of skilled blacksmith arose in the region and developed advanced iron weapons, which allowed the empires’ to conquer surrounding territories. The introduction of camels and horses to the region also promoted growth and success for the empires. With the introduction of camels, trade was established in the region and merchants could carry heavier loads on the trans-Saharan trade routes. Deserts dominated the region and travelling was a very difficult and dangerous task. While the hazards remained, camels were adapted to the harsh conditions of the savannas and made trade easier. These animals also strengthened armies by providing a cavalry. Without this access to camels and horses, the West African empires would not have thrived.

Economy

Ghana’s Golden Empire:


Location, Location, Location

The reign of the Ghanaian Empire is steeped with riches and luxuries. The empire’s location in West Africa was an essential aspect of their economic success. To the north of the empire lay the city of Taghaza, a prominent exporter of salt. To the south of Ghana lay the region of Wangana, which housed a plethora of gold mines. This central location allowed the rulers of Ghana to control the majority of gold transport, along with other goods passing along the trans-Saharan camel caravans.

Overflowing with Gold

Ghana’s abundance of gold became legendary. With access to the Wangana’s gold supply and imposed tariffs on goods, Ghana found itself overwhelmed with gold. To insure the continued value of gold, a portion of the empire’s wealth was retired from circulation. It also became a general rule that the Ghanaian king was the only person allowed to use gold in nugget form, while ordinary citizens utilized gold dust as currency. Accounts claim that a Ghanaian king once owned a 30 lb golden nugget. By today’s standards, this would amount to $12,600! While ordinary citizens did not enjoy the excessive wealth of the rulers, they did commonly adorn gold jewelry and cloths made from golden threads.

Ghana’s Lifeline: Trade

Trade was Ghana’s ticket to power and legendary wealth. Along with the trade of gold and salt, Ghana had a variety of other valuable goods. Different parts of the empire had unique goods to trade with other Ghanaian cities and outside buyers. The empire’s abundance of artisans allowed Ghana to produce an array of jewelry, iron tools, weapons, leather, Chigguyiya and metal instruments. While farming only constituted a minority of the regions trade, it did help stabilize the economy. With fertile lands, cultivators successfully grew millet, sorghum and cotton. Iron ores were abundant in the region and allowed Ghanian's artisans to create a variety of metal items, including advanced weapons. Ghana traded with regions far from their West African base. Ceramics and silk travelled from China and dispersed through West Africa due to Ghana’s trade connections. Other outside traders included Arabs, Berbers, India, and Egypt.
A major source of income for Ghana came from the tariffs placed on all these goods leaving and entering the empire. For example, rulers charged one dinar of gold to bring a donkey-load of salt into the capital city of Kolimbi. To take a donkey-load of salt out of the city required an additional two dinars. (A dinar is equivalent to about 72 grains of barley). Goods like copper, were taxed five withs of an ounce of gold/per camel-donkey load. general merchandise cost merchants one ounce of gold per load. Though the tariffs were expensive, merchants agreed to pay because they wanted the privilege of trading with Ghana. The Ghanaian empire also guaranteed security for the merchants since they greatly contributed to the empire’s economy.

The Price of Jealousy

The wealth and power of the Ghanaian Empire drew jealously from surrounding regions. The Ghanaian Empire withstood invasions from Berber, Arab and Almoravid foes. Inevitably, the constant plundering took an adverse toll of the faltering empire. Eventually, the wealthy empire lost control over the transport of gold. With this severing of the empire's lifeline, Ghana fell and successor states began to flourish.

Mali’s Rise to Riches:


Ghana’s Successor

After the fall of Ghana, the once vassal state of Mali filled the empty position of trade guru. With analogous financial systems, Ghana and Mali enjoyed similar prosperity from 1200-1500. The empire’s location, like Ghana, also greatly influenced the empire’s success. Mali now commanded the trans- Saharan trade routes and the hub of merchants moved into local cities. Like Ghana, a major income for the Malian government stemmed from the numerous tariffs placed on merchants. This profit helped the empire’s economy swell.

Along with the salt-gold trade, Mali benefited from farming and abundant skilled artisans. The region’s fertile soils allowed cultivators to grow a variety of crops. These crops included sorghum, rice, taro, yams, beans and onions. Mali became the richest farming region in West Africa. The availability of animals, such as poultry and cattle, also helped sustain the Malian economy. While the farmers toiled in their fields, Malian artisans crafted everything from gold jewelry to weapons. With the variety of goods available for trade, and the seemingly never-ending supply of gold from the south, Mali basked in the wealth and power passed down from Ghana.

The "Gift of the Niger"

The Niger river was an essential part of Malian trade and everyday life. Like the Egyptians tie to the Nile River, the Niger provided Mail with a means of trade, travel, and fertile soil. The river's bounties allowed Mali is thrive.

• The trans-Saharan trade route: Began to the north of Ghana in the capital of Sidjimassa and snaked south to the region of Taghaza. After passing through this salt-rich area, the route streched across the desert to Ghana and to the gold-bering regions to the south of the empire.

Politics and Military

“[The king] sits in a pavilion around which stand his horses caparisoned in cloth of gold, behind him stand ten pages holding shields and gold-mounted swords; and on his right hand are the sons of the princes of his empire, splendidly clad and with gold plaited into their hair. The governor of the city is seated on the ground in front of the king, and all around him are his viziers in the same position. The gate of the chamber is guarded by dogs of an excellent breed, who never leave the king’s seat; they wear collars of gold and silver" (McKissack 21).

•The Dogon are an ethnic group located mainly in the districts of Bandiagara and Douentza in Mali, West Africa. This area is composed of three distinct topographical regions: the plain, the cliffs, and the plateau •There are three principal cults among the Dogon; the Awa, Lebe and Binu. The Awa is a cult of the dead, whose purpose is to reorder the spiritual forces disturbed by the death of Nommo, a mythological ancestor of great importance to the Dogon. Members of the Awa cult dance with ornate carved and painted masks during both funeral and death anniversary ceremonies. There are 78 different types of ritual masks among the Dogon and their iconographic messages go beyond the aesthetic, into the realm of religion and philosophy. The primary purpose of Awa dance ceremonies is to lead souls of the deceased to their final resting place in the family altars and to consecrate their passage to the ranks of the ancestors. •The cult of Lebe, the Earth God, is primarily concerned with the agricultural cycle and its chief priest is called a Hogon. All Dogon villages have a Lebe shrine whose altars have bits of earth incorporated into them to encourage the continued fertility of the land. According to Dogon beliefs, the god Lebe visits the Hogons every night in the form of a serpent and licks their skins in order to purify them and infuse them with life force. The Hogons are responsible for guarding the purity of the soil and therefore officiate at many agricultural ceremonies. •The cult of Binu is a totemic practice and it has complex associations with the Dogon’s sacred places used for ancestor worship, spirit communication and agricultural sacrifices.

Additional Military and Political Organization Information:

At the apex of the Ghanaian empire, the kingdom stretched over an area about the same size as Texas. There is evidence that millions of people inhabited this region. Since the size of the kingdom was so vast, a large military was required to maintain and defend it. The king held the commander-in-chief position and soldiers were considered elites. The regular Ghanaian army was composed of several thousands of soldier that were charged with protecting borders and stopping small invasions. If a larger threat threatened the empire, the professional army coalesced with reserve forces and troops from subsequent chiefs. All men in the Ghanaian empire obtained extensive military training, including members of royalty. According to E. Jefferson Murphy's book History of African Civilizations, there is evidence of police-like forces. This group of men lived in special army compounds and tried to keep peace and order. The "police" wore tunics and headdresses adorned with feathers. The ranking of the officer was shown by the number of feathers and the color of his tunic. Along with the general army and police officers, a group of Royal bodyguards were hand picked to guard the king and his family.

In judicial matters, the king's word was absolute. He was allowed to issue pardons, draft peace treaties and other analogous tasks. According to al-Bakri, there are several areas that instructed "Trial by Wood." This is how he described it:

"When a man is accused of denying a debt or having shed blood or some other crime, a headman takes a thin piece of wood, which is sour and bitter to taste, and pours upon it some water which he then gives to the defendant to drink. If the man vomits, his innocence is recognized and he is congratulated. If he does not vomit and the drink remains in his stomach, the accusation is accepted as justified" (McKassack 33-4).

Social Organization

Social Organization of Ghana:

All the information known about Ghana’s social organization was obtained from ancient accounts. This lack of concrete information makes it difficult to distinguish the hierarchical system of the empire. Despite this inability to explain the organization of the society completely, historians have developed a working theory. In general, there were two distinct classes, excluding kings, nobles and slaves. The first group was wealthy citizens, and the other group included ordinary citizens. Even though they are considered two separate classes, the only major difference was the slight increase in political power and housing available. Wealthier people constructed houses made from wood and stone, while lesser people built houses from wood and clay.

Outline of Social Hierarchy

Kings:
In the ancient empires, kings, or “Ghanas”, ruled supremely. The word Ghana actually translates into "war chief." This suggests that the first kings of Ghana were successful war chiefs from the empire's past. Eventually, kings gained a reputation for being semi-divine and harboring supernatural powers. Stricter social organization developed as Ghana expanded. The initial form of established government appeared. The kings still held supreme power, but he now ruled over subsequent states with their own lesser rulers.

Military:
The Ghanaian military members obtained elite status. These soldiers enjoyed social and political prosperity.

Middlemen:
The numerous merchants in the region were labeled as middlemen. While the middlemen did not enjoy the same wealth and power of the higher classes, the majority sustained some wealth. The abundance of gold in the region allowed ordinary citizens to prosper.

Slaves:
There is evidence that some Ghanaians owned slaves, however there is no indication about how they were treated.

Social Organization of Mali:

Kings:
The social organization of Mail is more straightforward. Like Ghana, the king was the supreme rulers. Originally, a man named Sunjatta Keita was the first king of Mali. He formed an army and fought a war against the oppressive Sumanguru Kante. This suggests that like many ancient civilizations, successful warriors became kings. Since Mali covered an expansive territory, warriors in general played a vital role in the society and enjoyed elite status.

Subsequent Rulers:
Mali's size made it impossible for one person to govern the whole empire. Subsequent provinces or hubs of commercial importance developed their own governors or ruling class. The governors tended to be elders from the area or someone considered a war hero.

Religious leaders and Military:
As stated above, the warriors of Mail were considered elite due to their political importance. Along with warriors, religious leaders ruled held great importance in the society. Islam became established in the region and with kings, such as Mansa Musa, making pilgrimages to Mecca, religious leaders found their niche in society.

Commoners:
Commoners were directly under the religious leaders and military personnel. Commoners were defined as anyone not in the other categories.

Slaves

Art & Culture

Art Forms:

The art of ancient Mali and Ghana is characterized by a variety of different forms. The traditional art form was practical and sybolized aspects of everyday life such as religion, health and successful agriculture.

A carved wooden figure of a man, that affixed to the top of a ceremonial staff. It was carved by the Akan people of ancient Ghana.

Jewelry:

• Due to the abundance of gold in the regions, citizens of both Mali and Ghana enjoyed golden jewelry. Wealthy Fulani Women from Dogon wore 19 carat gold earrings that were so heavy that the top of each ear was bound with red wool or silk. Although not as abundant or malleable as gold, bronze and copper was also utilized to make jewelery.

Made in the lost wax process, this ancient bronze bracelet was excavated in Mali, West Africa. It is Djenne in origin and between 700 and 1000 years old.

Architecture:

Mali has distinctive architecture with a variety of building shapes and construction materials. For example, the Dogon people built mosques from sun-dried mud with beams and branches of trees protruding from them. This design helped with annual maintenance after the summer rains.

Culture:

Ghana and Mali both have distinct and diverse cultures. The constant and extensive trade between the West African empires and other neighboring regions allowed for cultural exhange and mixing.

Griots:

A major aspect of ancient African culture was the tradition of story telling. Griots, or Ghanaian storytellers, passed down ancient cultural anecdotes and rituals. These stories survived through generations of Ghanaians. Along with story-telling, griots were learned historians and could account any major event from Ghana's history. A famous African myth passed down by griots is the epic story of Sunjata. The character Sunjata is believed to be named for Sundiata, the founder of the Malian empire.

For more information on the story visit this link:
Sunjata - Myth Encyclopedia

Language:

While a variety of languages were spoken in the regions due to extensive trade, Mande was the prominent. Mande was the original language of Soninkes. After Islam took a stronger hold on the region Arabic writing became common.

Music:

Like most African kingdoms, Ghana and Mali produced a variety of music. The music centered around dramatic drum beats and chanting. The music of these great empires are believed to have influenced more modern African based music.

Religion

Trade was not only a vital part of the empires’ economies, but it also provided a means for the spread of religious beliefs. Ghanaians first encountered Islam during the ninth century. Although Islam did not have an established priesthood, a group of “the learned” referred to, as the “ulama” were educated extensively on the religion. These members of the ulama encountered various merchants and travelers on the trans-Saharan trade routes. The knowledge of Islam eventually found its way to Ghana by the numerous people passing through the major cities. At first, the Ghanaian King and most of the empire’s citizens did not convert to this new religion; however, the king allowed followers of Islam to contract mosques and freely practice their religion. While Islam’s roots began to take hold in the region, most Ghanaians still practiced old religious traditions. These old religious beliefs stem from a Soninke legend:

“The Legend of Ouagadou-Bida” (wa-ga-doo-bee-dah)

“According to tradition, Ouagadou-Bida was a large snake that lived in a dark cave. This cave was located in the Scared Grove, which was in the empire’s royal capital. This holy serpent was the protecting spirit of the Sisse clan of the Ghanaian rulers. Sine the king was the protector of the empire, Ouagadou-Bida became the protecting spirit of the entire kingdom. This is why the Ghanaians called their land the kingdom of Ouagadou. Ghanaians believed that the legend of this great snake represented the rise and decline of the empire. To worship the spirit properly, the most beautiful girl of Koumbi was sacrificed in the Scared Grove. The legend states that the priests of Ghana chose to sacrifice a beautiful girl named Sia. The lovely Sia, it turned out, was engaged to be married to a mighty warrior named Amadou Sefedokote. Not surprisingly, Amadou was most upset by the outcome of Koumbi;s annual beauty contest. On the day of the sacrifice, he crept into the Scared Grove and hid behind a tree. When the serpent spirit came out of the cave, Amadou leaped forward and sliced off its head. Ouagadou-Bida was no ordinary serpent. It promptly grew a new head to replace the one that had been severed, or cut off. Fortunately, Amadou was not only strong and silent; he had a lot of fight in him. He hacked off the serpent’s heads just as fast as the spirit could replace them. The serpent’s heads severed heads whistled through the air and landed in regions such as Bambuk and Bure, which immediately became gold-bearing regions. Finally, after Amadou had cut off the seventh head, Ouagadou-Bida collapsed and died. Amadou mounted a great white steed, snatched up Sia, and galloped off while all the people of Koumbi cursed him and wept. The people of Koumbi knew that without their protective spirit…the kingdom of Ghana was doomed. Sure enough, a terrible period of drought followed. Grains would not grow in the fields. Flocks of animals died with Ouagadou-Bida. Such was the end of the Ghanaian Empire, according to legend.” (Chu and Skinner 44-5).

After Islam was introduced and accepted by more Ghanaians, more Muslim and Jewish traders from Egypt and other parts of North Africa settled in the capital of Koumbi Salah.

Djenne, Mali, is an ancient hub for several trans-Saharan caravan routes. The Great Mosque is constructed of mud—a dramatic example of the city's standard building method.

In 1076, the Almoravid, a Muslim group, conquered Ghana. They sought both to make Islam the sole faith of the population and to control the lucrative trans-Saharan trade routes. While the Almoravids failed in both areas, the Ghanaian Empire ended with their conquest.

Welcome to our informative blog on Ghana/Mali

Located in the Western region of Africa, Ancient Ghana, which is now encircled by Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso, was the first of three powerful centralized states to emerge in the savanna. Ghana flourished from the 8th to the 11th century. The empire's success if greatly attributed to its control of the Trans-Saharan trade of salt and gold.

The origin of Ghana is uncertain although by the first century A.D. a number of farming clans of the Soninke began to settle in the region. By 750 A.D., the Soninke came together under the leadership of Dinga Cisse, perhaps in response to nomadic attacks. Dinga Cisse is considered the first ruler of unified Ghana. He established a capital at Kumbi Saleh which sat along one of the emerging Trans-Saharan trade routes.