Gold ring from Sijilmasa
Type:
Jewelry
Date:
Ninth or tenth century
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Morocco
Medium:
Gold
Dimensions:
1.9 cm in diameter
Description:
At the northern edge of the Sahara, Sijilmasa was an important trade emporium on the route between Egypt (to the east) and the Empire of Ghana (to the south). This gold ring was discovered during excavations at Sijilmasa and it offers early evidence of the trans-Saharan gold trade and metalworking techniques among the Imazighen peoples of North Africa.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
5
Repository and Online Resources:
• Watch a video of Ronald A. Messier, from the Department of History at Middle Tennessee State University, discussing excavations at Sijilmasa.
Image Credits:
Abdallah Fili and Hafsa El Hassani
