Teach Africa
Timbuktu
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HISTORY
The Tuareg people founded Timbuktu in the 11th century at the site of an
ancestral well. During the rainy season, the Tuaregs roamed the desert up to
Arawan in search of grazing lands for their animals. During the dry season,
however, they returned to the Niger River where the animals grazed on a
grass called “burgu.” When they camped by the river they got sick from
mosquitoes and stagnant water. Because of these unfavorable conditions,
they decided to settle few miles away from the river where they dug a well.
When it started raining in the desert, the Turareg left their heavy goods with
an old Tuareg women called Tin Abutut who stayed at the well. In the Tuareg
language, Tin Abutut means “the lady with the big naval”. With the passing
of time, the name Tin Abutut became Timbuktu. It became a natural meeting
place for Songhai, Wangara, Fulani, Tuaregs, and Arabs.
No word in English connotes remoteness more
than Timbuktu. Located in western Africa in
the nation of Mali, Timbuktu was built near the
Niger River, at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
It was called the crossroad where "the camel
met the canoe". This became a perfect meeting
point for the Trans-Saharan traders and those
West African traders using the Niger River to
transport goods.
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ECONOMY
The salt that was mined in the Sahara desert and the gold that was found in
the southern coast lands of West Africa became the foundation for economic
prosperity. Without refrigeration, salt was needed to preserve foods and was
as valuable as gold, pound for pound. It was cut into slabs and carried by
camel train to the cities of North Africa and Southern Europe. Timbuktu was
an important trade center and the people there had a reputation for fairness, knowledge and wisdom.
Slabs of salt carved from underground
mines west of Timbuktu
The gold-salt trade provided the economic foundation needed for cul-
tural development. Soon scholars were brought to Timbuktu to educate the
children of the wealthy traders. Others soon followed.
GREAT UNIVERSITIES, LIBRARIES,
AND GLORIOUS MANUSCRIPTS—
THE HIGHEST SCHOLARSHIP
Students came from all over West Africa to learn at the feet of Timbuktu’s
masters of law, literature, and science. The city’s libraries were repositories
of the world’s learning, housing not only works by Arab and Islamic writers,
but also volumes from the classical Greek and Roman worlds and studies by
contemporary scholars.
The first buildings in Timbuktu were constructed by architects from
Djenne, just to the southwest of Timbuktu along the Niger River. The Sidi
Yahya Mosque is the earliest style and dates to the 12th century. The mosque
at Jingaray Ber was built by an Egyptian architect in 1325.
The astonishing manuscripts of Timbuktu amaze scholars even today.
Beautifully graphic, often decorated, these exquisite artifacts reveal great
craftsmanship as well as learning. Local African languages were used, written
Thousands of manuscripts survive and tell us
much about the life and values of the people
in Arabic script. Aside from scholarly works, the surviving manuscripts include
a wealth of correspondence between rulers, advisers and merchants on subjects such as taxation, commerce, and family life, providing a vivid insight
into the ordinary life and values of the day.
MATHAMETICS, SCIENCE,
ISLAM, LITERATURE
By the 12th century, Timbuktu was already a well-known center of learning,
with three universities and 180 Qur’anic schools. The population of Timbuktu
was 100,000, yet it held 25,000 university students. Students came from all
over Africa. They studied the sciences and the Qur’an, normally for about ten
years. Classes were held in the open courtyards of mosques and in private
homes. Graduates were awarded a turban representing the divine obligations and responsibilities of their faith. Knots were tied in the turban to show
Turban knots indicate scholarly achievement
academic achievement.
BENEVOLENT RULERS AND A
PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY
Mansa Musa, the emperor of Mali from 1307-1332, was impressed by the
learning centers of Timbuktu. He brought architects and scholars of the Islamic world to teach and study at Timbuktu. Although Timbuktu prided itself
on the rigor of its teaching for even the youngest of pupils, visiting traders or
travelers were encouraged to enroll while they stayed in the city. Even older
visitors could be assured that the city's scholastic community would educate
them. Indeed, the people of Timbuktu were reputed to be so philanthropic
that they would afford any visitor an education regardless of his means,
Camel traders became wealthy
maintaining that anyone who had endured the journey to their desert metropolis had earned a scholarship.
Likewise, those born in Timbuktu to humble families were also guaran-
teed their education. So great was the interest in education that even the
tailors of Timbuktu, among other craft guilds, founded their own centers of
learning where instructors oversaw both the workshop and its college.
Though Timbuktu was rich in gold and was conquered many times, it was
never plundered. The city lay on the periphery of the kingdoms that ruled it
and was left to its own devices by most of them. The community of Timbuktu
was forced through isolation to look inward. This introspective attitude influenced all aspects of Timbuktu's society and encouraged scholarly work. Its
quiet rise to high regard—against enormous odds of geography and climate—is
remarkable.
A NEW understanding OF
THE HISTORY OF AFRICA
The great library at Timbuktu
The manuscripts found at Timbuktu describe a highly advanced civilization,
with an understanding of astronomy, mathematics, geography, and science.
The documents on law and history tell us that they lived in a multi-ethnic
society and that governance was based on tolerance and peaceful conflict
resolution.
THE CIRCLE OF KNOWLEDGE
• The meeting of Muslim imams, scholars and professors was called the
Circle of Knowledge.
• It was here that the most important issues of the day were discussed.
• The caliphs, amirs, and sultans of the provinces would send crucial
questions to the Ulemas or scholars of Timbuktu.
• The scholar who received the questions would copy them and distribute to the members of the Circle of Knowledge.
• Each scholar would research the issue. They would then meet together
and share their answers.
• They wrote detailed manuscripts dealing with questions or issues and
then wrote a Fatwa (a legal ruling) for the authorities to follow.
The Circle of Knowledge was the foundation
for responsible governance
The University curriculum
had four degrees:
1. The primary degree
At this level the students memorized the Holy Qur'an, perfected their Arabic
and learned to communicate and write effectively. The students were also
introduced to science. This level was called Qur'anic school.
2. The secondary degree
After basic studies, the students were introduced to the different branches
Buildings were often made of mud and sticks
of knowledge. These included math, science, history, grammar, and Islamic
schools of thought. The students also spent time learning a trade and the
Islamic business code and ethics. The university trade shops offered classes
in business, carpentry, farming, fishing, construction, shoe making, tailoring,
and navigation.
3. The superior degree
The curriculum was highly specialized. The students did research and would
then present, argue and defend their position in front of professors and other
students. Most students at this stage would find a Shayk or master and study
under his guidance.
4. The Circle of Knowledge
Study and discussion continued once the scholar was admitted to the Circle
of Knowledge. Those who were admitted were held in high esteem and great
responsibilities to the society.
discussion questions
Medersa Sankore
How does malaria impact development in Africa today?
Why was salt critical to survival?
What role did nomads play in the evolution of Timbuktu?
Where is Timbuktu located?
How did geography contribute to the evolution of this historical city?
How do these things in Timbuktu remind you of things we do today?
How do we recognize academic achievement?
How do we pay for education?
What types of university degrees do we have?
What institutions do we have for resolving conflicts?
How does our society show respect for education?
Why was writing such an important part of the life of the city?
How does Timbuktu in 1325 compare to Europe at the same time?
Why is Timbuktu’s intellectual history so important to West Africa and the
international community today?
Scholars learned to use the astrolabe
for mathematical calculations