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Where It's At
When Timbuktu was founded over 1000 years ago, its
site near the Niger River was lush and fertile. Now,
the rapid desertification of the northern Sahel has
left Timbuktu in the heart of the Sahara. Timbuktu
sits on the southern edge of this vast desert. Gold, ivory
and slaves were transported through the town and it continues
to be an important trading post on the salt trade route. Historically,
it has three of the oldest mosques in West Africa and there
are also museums and other significant buildings well worth
a visit. The Grande Marche covered market is a good
place to pick up various local goods, including leatherwork.
History
The greatest appeal of this fascinating city is its mysterious
past. During the fourteenth century the legend of Timbuktu
as a rich cultural centre spread through the world. The beginning
of the legend can be traced to 1324 when the Emperor of Mali
made his pilgrimage to Mecca via Cairo. In Cairo the
merchants and traders were impressed by the amount of gold
carried by the emperor who claimed that the gold was from
Timbuktu. Furthermore, in 1354 the great Muslim explorer Ibn
Bakuta wrote of his visit to Timbuktu and told of the
wealth and gold of the region. Thus Timbuktu became known
as an African El Dorado, a city made of gold. In the
1700s and early 1800s, many explorers attempted to reach Timbuktu
but none returned. Many unsuccessful and successful explorers
were forced to drink camel urine, their own urine, or even
blood to attempt to survive the barren Sahara Desert. Known
wells would be dry or would not provide enough water upon
an expedition's arrival so opportunities to hydrate were very
scarce.
Nomads and Mad Men
The first European acknowledged to have reached Timbuktu was
Scottish explorer Gordon Laing. He left Tripoli in
1825 and travelled for a year and a month to reach Timbuktu.
On the way, he was attacked by the ruling Tuareg nomads
and was shot, cut by swords, and broke his arm. He recovered
from the vicious attack and made his way to Timbuktu and arrived
in August 1826. He was unimpressed with Timbuktu, which had
become simply a salt trading outpost filled with mud-walled
homes in the middle of a barren desert. Laing remained in
Timbuktu for just over one month. Two days after leaving the
town, Laing was murdered.
In the late 1800s, France took control of the Mali region
and decided to take Timbuktu away from the control of the
violent Tuareg who controlled trade in the area. The French
military was sent to occupy Timbuktu in 1894. Under the command
of Major Joseph Joffre (later famous World War I General)
Timbuktu was occupied and became the site of a French fort.
Communication between Timbuktu and France was difficult, making
Timbuktu an unhappy place for a soldier to be stationed. Nonetheless,
the area around Timbuktu was well protected from the Tuareg
so other nomad groups were able to live without fear of the
hostile Tuareg.
In 1960, Timbuktu became part of the independent country of
Mali and in 1988 was designated a United Nations World Heritage
Site. Efforts are underway to preserve and protect the city,
especially its centuries-old mosques.
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