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← The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo History
The Mali Empire's Silent Barter: Trade Without Words artwork

The Mali Empire's Silent Barter: Trade Without Words

The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo History
S1 E3407:03
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Show notes

In West Africa's medieval gold trade, merchants conducted business without ever seeing each other. This episode explores silent barter (dumb barter), the ritualized exchange system used between Mande-speaking traders and Wangara gold miners. We trace its origins, its meticulous rules described by al-Bakri and al-Umari, and how it enabled the Mali Empire's wealth without a shared language. Lucas and Luna consider why this system persisted for centuries, what it reveals about trust in pre-modern economies, and how it connected the Sahel to the Mediterranean world. #SilentBarter #Wangara #GoldTrade #WestAfrica #MaliEmpire #AlBakri #AlUmari #MedievalTrade #DumbBarter #Mande #Sahel #TransSaharanTrade #EconomicHistory #GoldMines #Trust #History #FexingoHistory #TradeWithoutWords #MansaMusa #SundiataKeita Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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