Timbuktu.... Timbuktu is a city in the West African nation of Mali north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The rapid economic growth in the 13th and 14th centuries due to trade in salt, gold, ivory and other things, positioned the legendary city as one of the greatest academic and commercial centers in the world. The city’s golden age in the 15th and 16th centuries proved fertile ground for scholarship of religions, arts, math and sciences for its 100,000 inhabitants and the world. During the cities golden age, books became the most valuable commodity above all other trade goods. Timbuktu housed more than 700,000 manuscripts, forming a priceless written record of African history. Timbuktu is also known as the “City of 333 Saints” because 333 saints were laid to rest in the city. These were celebrated scholars and teachers who were revered for their exceptional wisdom, scholarship and generosity. Many pilgrims traveled to Timbuktu to honor these icons.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 01:47:56 +0000
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