철 기술 전파로 본 사하라 무역로의 역할과 지중해와 서아프리카 수단 지역 문명의 교류

Abstract

Although recorded data and archaeological excavations are not sufficient, the West African Sudanese region had early contacts with the Mediterranean, North African, and Sahara deserts through Greek, Latin, Arabic historical records and ancient Saharan rock art. In addition, access to camels made it possible for the Sahara trade routes to develop and for the three civilizations to develop exchange. The iron technology that was introduced into the Mediterranean and North Africa appears to have been transmitted through the Trans- Saharan trade routes to the Western Sudan. The Phoenicians brought iron knowledge to North Africa, especially to today’s Tunisia and Libya, passing through Carthage the “passage of knowledge” crossing over the Sahara Desert to the Western Sudan.Those who brought iron technology to the Western Sudan region were the Garamantes and Berbers who traveled through the Trans-Saharan Trade Route. They were able to deliver iron technology since the Trans-Saharan trade routes connected the Mediterranean, North Africa and Western Sudan regions. These areas were not isolated but were connected and carrying out exchanges. Hence, this paper refutes the argument that claims ‘Africa has no history’ or ‘African history is excluded from the center of world history.’ It also seeks to identify from the Afrocentrism perspective that the North African and Western Sudan civilization were not on the periphery of the Mediterranean civilization and they should be duly evaluated as an African civilization and even as a part of world civilization.