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Timbuktu's Lost Cotton Industry: The Textile Economy of the Sahel
In this episode of Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge, Lucas and Luna explore the city's once-thriving cotton and textile industry. Drawing on the Tarikh al-Sudan and surviving fragments, they trace how Timbuktu became a hub for weaving, dyeing, and trading fine cloth across the Sahara. Lucas explains the role of the Wangara merchants in supplying raw cotton, the specialized techniques of indigo dyeing known as shibiri, and how Timbuktu's textiles were prized in markets from Kano to Fez. They also discuss the social standing of weavers, the impact of the Saadian…
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