Learn more about Mansa Musa below

  • Djinguereber Mosque

    Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali, 1907 (photo: Mark Abel, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

  • Mansa Musa

    Musa depicted holding an Imperial Golden Globe in the 1375 Catalan Atlas (a medieval world map)

  • The Mali Empire

    The Mali Empire at the time of Mansa Musa's death

  • Djinguereber Mosque

    Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali, 1907 (photo: herr_hartmann, CC BY-NC 2.0)

  • A man praying inside the mosque

    Timbuktu, December 05, 2013 - Malians pray inside Djingarey Berre Mosque, one of three UNESCO World Heritage mosques of Timbuktu, North of Mali. (Photo MINUSMA/Marco Dormino)

  • One of the entrances to the Djinguereber Mosque

    Timbuktu, December 05, 2013 - Imam Kader Alpha Oumar opens a door to enter Djingarey Berre Mosque, one of three UNESCO World Heritage mosques of Timbuktu, North of Mali. (Photo MINUSMA/Marco Dormino)

  • Interior of the Djinguereber Mosque

    Timbuktu, December 05, 2013 - Imam Kader Alpha Oumar walks inside Djingarey Berre Mosque, one of three UNESCO World Heritage mosques of Timbuktu, North of Mali. (Photo MINUSMA/Marco Dormino)

  • Modern day Makkah (Mecca) Saudi Arabia

    Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA 2.0

  • Ahmed Baba Institute of Higher Islamic Studies and Research

    Timbuktu, December 05, 2013 - Deputy Director Abdoulaye Cisse walks at the Institut des Hautes Etudes et de Recherche Islamiques Ahmed Baba in Timbuktu, North of Mali. 4203 manuscripts were destroyed by jihadists during the occupation. Many were hidden and saved at the Institute or by owners. (Photo MINUSMA/Marco Dormino)

  • Equestrian figure

    Inland Niger Delta artist - Djenné, Mopti Region, Mali

    Equestrian figure, 13th to 15th century C.E., Ceramic

    (National Museum of African Art, museum purchase, 86-12-2 photo: https://africa.si.edu)

The Mali Empire had an abundance of copper, salt, ivory, nuts and gold, and made its riches through trading these resources. It is estimated that more than half of the gold that was circulating around the world at this time originated from Mali.

Where did the money come from?

Copper was used to trade or to make jewellery and sculptures. There were some phenomenal pieces of artwork using copper and bronze made in West Africa during Mansa Musa's time.

Salt was used to preserve dried meat and to give added taste to food. Although salt was rare in places like Sudan, in parts of Mali it was so common that slabs of rock were used to build homes!

Ivory was used to make knife handles, combs and other intricate items - it is a relatively soft material and can therefore be easily carved. Ivory was transported from West Africa to North Africa and the Middle East.

West Africans were able to transport gold by using camels. African gold was used to mint coins in North Islamic states and even spread to Europe.

Pronunciation Guide

The origins of Hajj

The Hajj pilgrimage dates back to around 2,000 BC when Ishmael (son of the prophet Abraham) and Hagar (the prophet Abraham wife) were stranded in the desert. Hagar ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa looking for water as both she and Ishmael were severely dehydrated. Muslims believe that the angel Gabriel came down to earth and created a spring of fresh water (the well of Zam Zam). Abraham was ordered by Allah (God) to build a monument at the site of the spring and thus he built the Kabbah. In 630 AD the prophet Muhammad led a group of Muslims there in the first official Hajj. Muslims retrace the path that he and his companions travelled to this day. The key ritual is circling the Kabbah (see image) seven times whilst praying to Allah for forgiveness. Mansa Musa completing this pilgrimage is arguably the main reason we know about him today.

Muslims still complete the Hajj pilgrimage to this day in the same way that Mansa Musa would have done and the Prophet Muhammad before him.

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