Koumbi Saleh

Kumbi Saleh (Arabic كومبي صالح, DMG Kumbi Salih ) also Koumbi Saleh; was probably the capital of the black African empire of Ghana. The archaeological site is located in southeastern Mauritania.

Location

The settlement mound located at the junction of the West African Sahara in the south Sudan subsequent zone about 20 kilometers north of the Mali border. The access road branches off in Timbedgha from the main road between Ayoun el Atrous and Néma and leads 70 km to the south. Kumbi Saleh is located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Néma.

History

An empire Gana is first mentioned around 800 in Arabic sources. The two chronicles of Timbuktu, reflect the oral traditions of the 17th century, the capital of Ghana mention under two different names Madinat Ghana " Ghana Town " ( Ta'rikh al - Sudan) and Qunbi ( Ta'rikh al - Fattash ). From Arab geographers such as al- Bakri, the Ghana capital is described differently, therefore it is also conceivable that they lay over time in different places between the South East region of present-day Mauritania and the region of Timbuktu in Tendirma.

In the 11th century they should have, according to estimates by R. Mauny home to 20,000 inhabitants. Divided into two large district, the northern district was inhabited with twelve mosques mainly by Muslim traders from North Africa. Here was the commercial center of the city, while in the southern undiscovered part, known as al - ghaba ( "The Forest " ), the royal palace should have been lying. Between the two ten kilometers away neighborhoods to residential area extended.

In the early 13th century, the king Soumaoro Kanté Sosso is the Tekrur region have used the city as a base for his army. The city was later abandoned. From 1914 several excavation campaigns were held under the French line.