Animal Traffic in the Sahara

Recent archaeological evidence reveals that camels, horses, donkeys, and mules played a pivotal role in Trans-Saharan trade from at least the 1st millennium BC. Excavations in the Sahara, particularly at Jarma and Aghram Nadharif, alongside sites like Berenice, Leptiminus, and Carthage, demonstrate the widespread use of these animals for transport and traction. Faunal remains, combined with visual evidence such as reliefs and ostraca from Bu Njem, indicate that camels were used contemporaneously with donkeys and mules/horses in pre-Islamic caravan trade, further supported by the size of Mediterranean amphorae found in Garamantian Fazzān. This research significantly enhances our understanding of ancient North African trade networks and the logistical foundations of Saharan connectivity.

Mattingly, D. J., Sterry, M., Fothergill, B. ., Cuénod, A., Duckworth, C., & Leitch, V. (2021). Animal Traffic in the Sahara. L’Homme et l’Animal Au Maghreb, de La Préhistoire Au Moyen Âge, 175–192. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.pup.62647