Networks of Exchange (1200-1450) Glossary

Navigational instrument used to determine latitude by measuring the angle of celestial bodies.

Roadside inn providing shelter and security for Silk Road merchants and their animals.

Traditional sailing vessel with lateen sails used in Indian Ocean trade.

A merchant group settled far from its homeland, facilitating trade through cultural and linguistic connections.

The exchange of West African gold for Saharan salt, the foundation of trans-Saharan commerce.

Maritime trade system linking East Africa, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and China.

Swahili city-state in present-day Tanzania that controlled gold trade from the interior.

A shared language adopted for communication between speakers of different native languages.

High-value, lightweight items like silk, spices, and gems that were cost-effective to transport overland.

Seasonal winds in the Indian Ocean that reverse direction, enabling predictable maritime trade voyages.

Period of Mongol-imposed peace that secured Silk Road trade routes across Eurasia.

Overland trade routes connecting East Asia to the Mediterranean via Central Asia.

Bantu-Arabic hybrid language and culture of East African coastal trading cities.

West African city at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade, renowned for commerce and Islamic scholarship.

Caravan routes crossing the Sahara connecting West Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean.