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What was sold northward through the Sahara?
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by markellion: [QB] Ok this is actually off topic but W.E.B Dubois mentioned Idrisi above. It might sound suspicious that I'm saying all these works are mistranslated but there is a website about literature on the land of Zanj and I swear most of it is mistranslated in a very racist way. Gaining an accurate picture of this history will require gaining accurate translations. I'm interested in learning more about iron exports from places in Africa. I'm pretty sure the bellow is greatly distorted text he goes form talking about iron coming from Sofala and then saying Indian iron is the best iron in the world and no one can deny it! Al Idrisi (1150) (Kitab Ruyar) written in Sicily http://sites.google.com/site/historyofeastafrica/al-idrisi [QUOTE][b]The Zanj have no ships in which they can voyage, but boats land in their country from Oman, as do others that are going to Zabaj (or Djawaga) (Endonezya).[/b] These foreigners sell their goods there, and buy the produce of the country. The inhabitants of Zabaj (or Djawaga) call at Zanj in both large and small ships (zawariq wa marakib kubar) and trade their merchandise with them, as they understand each other's language. The Zendj have at the bottom of their hearts a great respect for the Arabs. For this reason, when they see an Arab, whether a traveler or merchants they prostrate themselves before him. They say in their language: Welcome son of Yemen. The visitors to this country steal their children, enticing them away by means of giving them fruit. They carry the children from place to place and finally take possession of them and carry them off to their own country. Because the people of Zangibar or numerous and are short on food. The ruler from the island of Qais (or Keish) in the sea of Oman (opposite Muscat, the port that became important after the decline of Siraf) had 505 ships with which he used to raid the Zanj coast for slaves and he makes many captives.... ....This section embraces the description of the remainder of the country of Sofala You first find two towns or better two big villages, in-between there are villages and camps that resemble those of the Arabs. Those big villages are called Djantama and Dandama (Chindi and Quilimane?) They are situated at the sea shore and rather small. The inhabitants are poor, miserable, and without resources to support them except iron, of this metal there are numerous mines in the mountains of Sofala. People of the Zabag (or Zanedj or Raneh) come hither for iron, which they carry to the continent and islands of India where they sell it for good money, because it is an object of big trade and it has a huge market in India. For although there is good quality iron in the islands and in the mines of that country, it does not equal the iron of Sofala for its quality and its malleability. [b]The Indians are masters in the arts of working it. They prepare and mix the substances so that through fusion one gets the soft steel normally called: India steel.[/b] They have factories that make the best swords in the world. This is how in iron Sind, Serenbid and Yemen rival among each other in quality through local circumstances, as well as the art of manufacturing, the pouring of the steel, the smelting, and the beauty of the polished surface. [b]But nothing cuts better then this iron from India. Everybody knows that and nobody can deny it.[/b] [/QUOTE] [/QB][/QUOTE]
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