Timbuktu's Astronomical Legacy: The Sky of the Sahel

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the astronomical sciences of medieval Timbuktu, a city known for its scholars and manuscripts. They discuss the work of Ahmad al-Wangari, whose astrolabe-making skills were celebrated across the Sahara, and the influence of earlier Islamic astronomers like al-Battani and al-Zarqali. The episode highlights the practical uses of astronomy in the Sahel—for timekeeping, navigation, and the Islamic calendar—and reveals how Timbuktu's scholars engaged with the wider Islamic world's scientific heritage. Drawing on the Tarikh al-Sudan and surviving manuscripts, Lucas explains how astronomy was taught in the madrasas, the role of observatories, and the challenges of observing the sky from the desert. The conversation also touches on the decline of astronomical study after the Saadian invasion and the legacy preserved in Timbuktu's libraries today. This episode offers a fresh perspective on a lesser-known aspect of Timbuktu's scholarly golden age. #Timbuktu #HistoryOfAstronomy #AhmadAlWangari #Sankore #TarikhAlSudan #IslamicScience #Astrolabe #Sahel #MaliEmpire #SonghaiEmpire #MedievalAfrica #AlBattani #AlZarqali #TimbuktuManuscripts #DesertAstronomy #FexingoHistory #History #Africa Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo