Trans-Saharan Trade

Trans-Saharan trade shows how the right transport asset and staging points make an otherwise impossible lane workable. Large camel caravans grew from the 8th century with the rise of Islamic states in North Africa, and towns such as Timbuktu, conquered by Songhai in 1468, became hubs where goods were stored, traded, and sorted for the next leg. Salt was reportedly traded almost weight for weight with gold. The trade declined after Portuguese ships reached West African gold and Morocco took Timbuktu in 1591. Trade lanes still shift the same way when a cheaper or faster mode appears.

• Cross-DockingInbound freight moved straight to outbound trucks
• TransloadingMoving goods from a container to a trailer
• ConsolidatorCombines many shippers' parcels for lower rates

• Silk Road2nd century BCE to 15th century · Overland trade routes link China with the Mediterranean
• Champagne Fairs12th to 13th century · Six yearly fairs become Europe's merchant meeting point

1. The Camel Caravans of the Ancient Sahara worldhistory.org
2. Timbuktu britannica.com
3. Trans-Saharan trade en.wikipedia.org