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EPISODE · Jun 24, 2026 · 5 MIN

The Timbuktu Book Trade: How Manuscripts Moved Across the Sahara

from Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge — Fexingo History · host Fexingo

Long before the Saadian invasion, Timbuktu was a hub for a vast trans-Saharan book trade. This episode follows manuscripts as they traveled from Cairo, Fez, and the Maghreb to the libraries of Sankore, Djinguereber, and private collectors. We explore the role of dyula merchants, the value of a single manuscript (sometimes worth a fortune in gold or salt), and the scribes who copied works by hand. Learn how books shaped Timbuktu's intellectual life, how prices were set, and how the trade connected West Africa to the wider Islamic world. We also touch on the threats to this heritage today and the ongoing efforts to digitize and preserve the remaining manuscripts. #Timbuktu #ManuscriptTrade #SaharanTrade #BookHistory #Dyula #Sankore #Djinguereber #IslamicManuscripts #TransSaharan #Copyists #Digitization #AhmedBabaInstitute #FondoKati #MammaHaidara #WestAfrica #15thCentury #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

What this episode covers

Long before the Saadian invasion, Timbuktu was a hub for a vast trans-Saharan book trade. This episode follows manuscripts as they traveled from Cairo, Fez, and the Maghreb to the libraries of Sankore, Djinguereber, and private collectors. We explore the role of dyula merchants, the value of a single manuscript (sometimes worth a fortune in gold or salt), and the scribes who copied works by hand. Learn how books shaped Timbuktu's intellectual life, how prices were set, and how the trade connected West Africa to the wider Islamic world. We also touch on the threats to this heritage today and the ongoing efforts to digitize and preserve the remaining manuscripts. #Timbuktu #ManuscriptTrade #SaharanTrade #BookHistory #Dyula #Sankore #Djinguereber #IslamicManuscripts #TransSaharan #Copyists #Digitization #AhmedBabaInstitute #FondoKati #MammaHaidara #WestAfrica #15thCentury #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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The Timbuktu Book Trade: How Manuscripts Moved Across the Sahara

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This episode is 5 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 24, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Long before the Saadian invasion, Timbuktu was a hub for a vast trans-Saharan book trade. This episode follows manuscripts as they traveled from Cairo, Fez, and the Maghreb to the libraries of Sankore, Djinguereber, and private collectors. We...

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