Latest / The Songhai Empire: Africa's Powerful Forgotten Kingdom — Fexingo History / Songhai's Copper Cross: The Salt-Slave-Currency That Ruled the Sahel
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Songhai's politics and wars, but I want to zoom in on something that literally made the empire run: trade. And not just any trade—specifically the salt and copper that moved across the Sahara. Luna: I remember salt was huge—wasn't there a mine where slabs were traded ounce for ounce with gold? Lucas: Exactly—that's Taghaza. It's this desolate place in the middle of the Sahara, basically just salt and rock. The mines were so brutal that the Tarikh al-Sudan describes workers living in huts made of salt blocks because there was no other material. The salt itself was cut into slabs and loaded onto caravans heading south. Lucas: And what did they get in return? Gold, but also slaves, kola nuts, and other goods from the forest regions. But here's the key: Songhai didn't just passively sit on this trade. They actively controlled it, especially under Askia Muhammad. Luna: How did they control it? It's a huge desert. Lucas: They stationed officials—farari and koyam—at key oases and trade towns like Taghaza and Takedda. These weren't just tax collectors; they ensured the trade routes stayed open and that the empire got its cut. The currency in the north was often the copper cross from Takedda, which was minted in a specific shape and weight. Lucas: The copper from Takedda was so central that it became a standard currency across the Sahel. Leo Africanus, who visited the region in the early 1500s, noted that these copper crosses—called mitqal—were used for everyday purchases, while gold dust was reserved for big transactions. Luna: So they had a kind of dual currency system? That's fascinating. Lucas: Exactly. And the Wangara merchants—a specialized trading diaspora—were the ones who moved these goods across long distances. They were essentially the logistical backbone of the trans-Saharan trade, connecting Songhai to North Africa and beyond. Lucas: But there's a darker side too. Songhai was deeply involved in the slave trade. Slaves were used locally for agriculture and as porters, but also exported north across the Sahara. The Tarikh al-Sudan records that Askia Muhammad himself owned thousands of slaves, and the economy depended on their labor. Luna: That's a hard part to sit with. But it's real. Lucas: Yeah. And it's important to note that the Moroccan invasion of 1591 was partly motivated by wanting to control these trade routes. Ahmad al-Mansur sent Judar Pasha across the Sahara specifically to seize the salt mines and the gold trade. After Tondibi, the Songhai economy collapsed because they lost control of these resources. Lucas: One more thing about the copper: Takedda's mines were so productive that the copper crosses were accepted as currency as far away as the Hausa city-states and even the Akan goldfields. So you had a currency that tied together a vast region without any central bank or government—just trust in the metal's value. Luna: It's almost like the bitcoin of the 16th century. Lucas: Ha, yeah, in a way. But way more practical. You could melt them down for tools or jewelry too. Lucas: You know, thinking about this makes me appreciate how much of history is driven by the things we take for granted—salt, copper, even cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean. And that's partly why we don't run ads on this show. We want to keep our focus on these stories without breaking for commercials. Luna: Yeah, and it's a choice that listeners really seem to appreciate. If anyone wants to support that independence, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Exactly. No pressure—just if you enjoy the deep dives and want to keep them ad-free. So anyway, back to the copper—by the 17th century, after the empire fractured, the trade routes shifted. The Saadian Moroccans couldn't hold Taghaza, and new mines opened elsewhere. But the legacy of Songhai's economic system lasted. Luna: What happened to the copper crosses? Did they just disappear? Lucas: They actually continued in use in some areas into the 19th century, especially in the Hausa states. The shape changed over time, but the idea of a standardized metal currency persisted. So in a way, Songhai's economic innovations outlived the empire itself. Lucas: And that's the thing about trade—it connects people across centuries. The salt from Taghaza that fed Songhai's cities, the copper from Takedda that bought goods from distant lands—these aren't just artifacts. They're the threads that wove together the Sahel. Luna: I never thought of salt and copper as having such a story. Thanks for bringing it to life.