Ghana
Top
A medieval African kingdom in what is now eastern Senegal, southwest Mali, and southern Mauritania. It was founded probably in the 6th century A.D. and prospered because of its location astride the trans-Saharan caravan routes. The kingdom declined after the 11th century.
Ghana (gä'nə), ancient empire, W Africa, in the savanna region of what is now E Senegal, SW Mali, and S Mauritania. The empire was founded c.6th cent. by Soninke peoples and lay astride the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Its capital was Kumbi Salih (in present-day SE Mauritania). It prospered from trade-particularly in salt and gold-and tribute. Internal divisions and an Almoravid invasion (1076) contributed to Ghana's decline, and by the 13th cent. it had disintegrated. Modern Ghana takes its name from the former empire.
Bibliography
See N. Levtzion, Ancient Ghana and Mali 1973).
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Mentioned in
.gh
(abbreviation)
Cedi, New Cedi
(in banking)
Twi
(variety of the Akan language)
Nkrumah, Kwame
(History)
» More