Coinage and Ancient Commercial Transactions Methods in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Reading in the Islamic Influences
Keywords:
Bilad Sudan, Colonial coins, Kilwa coins, Commodity monies, Metallic Coins, CowryAbstract
Abstract
Objective: The study aims to investigate coinage activity and other types of historic commercial transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa: What causes impacted the appearance of currencies in some African communities, and how did they do so, for example, during Islam advent and colonization era.
Methodology: The current study documented several types of coins in Africa, whether commodity currencies or metals, using a Historical-Anthropological technique. Cowry, clothing, beads, salt, and ivory are just a few examples. This research also acknowledged a beneficial and deep Islamic influence on African coinage; this is owing to Islam’s widespread trans-Saharan commercial activity, which exposed African communities to many Oriental civilizations and gave birth to numerous political systems across the continent.
Research findings: This study, on the other hand, found that European colonization had a detrimental impact on the natural coinage process and trade activities in Africa, because Colonial coins were imposed on Africans to fulfill Imperial purposes and to destroy other kinds of money and trade activities.
Contributions: In this light, the current article contributes by stimulating more research into Islamic coinage as an expression of Islamic civilization in Africa. It will also highlight politically motivated agenda to combat Africa’s ambitious strife to not only become self-independent politically but also economically by freeing themselves from the chains of the so called France CFA and other Western monetary systems inflicted on Africa by controlling African in the shackles of colonialism.
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