Which commodity was the largest source of trade for West Africa along the trans-Saharan trade route?(1 point)
Responses
ivory
ivory
porcelain
porcelain
salt
salt
silk
salt
The largest source of trade for West Africa along the trans-Saharan trade route was salt.
The largest source of trade for West Africa along the trans-Saharan trade route was salt. To arrive at this answer, let's break down the options one by one:
1. Ivory: While ivory was indeed traded in West Africa, it was not the largest source of trade along the trans-Saharan trade route.
2. Porcelain: Porcelain is a type of ceramic ware that was produced in China and was indeed traded along the Silk Road and other trade routes. However, it was not a significant commodity in the trans-Saharan trade.
3. Salt: This is the correct answer. Salt was a highly prized commodity in West Africa and played a crucial role in trade along the trans-Saharan trade route. West African traders exchanged gold, ivory, and other goods for salt, which was sourced from mines in the Sahara Desert.
4. Silk: Silk was a highly valuable commodity in ancient China and was traded extensively along the Silk Road. However, the trans-Saharan trade route was focused on connecting West Africa with North Africa and Europe, and silk was not a significant part of this trade route.
Therefore, the correct answer is salt.