Swahili+Trade



Many Swahili people relied on trading for money, and it is also their job to trade. Some cities were known for a certain thing for example, Zanzibar was known for its spice, the clove. Since over 30 large cities were involved in the Swahili trade, some cities were in charge of certain things for example Mogadishu controlled most of the gold trade. Some cities even began to prosper from trading like Kilwa; it prospered from trading with the Asians. The Swahili people were smart traders because they always made a profit by trading the item for a higher price than they got it from. Traders gathered goods from China such as rice, jade and silk. Peppers, spices, and grains were traded from India, these would then be sent to other civilizations in Africa. Other exports included leopard skins and rhinoceros horns. Gold and food products were common in trade, but ivory was very valuable in other countries; it was almost as valuable as gold! The Swahili were believed to have started trading and migrating since 500A.D.!

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