The site

Timbuktu is an ancient Malian city set 20 kilometres north of the Niger River, begun as a seasonal camp and made permanent early in the 12th century. Its strategic position on the Saharan trade route turned it into a hub for salt, gold, and ivory, flourishing especially after Mansa Musa's visit around 1325. Absorbed into the Mali Empire, it drew scholars and traders as a renowned Islamic city and is today a World Heritage Site.

Field notes

civilizations

Mali Empire

types

City

occupied

1,100 CE — 1,600 CE

country

Mali

elevation

261 m above sea level