Ancient documents discovered in Timbuktu, Africa

This is a video of a Tuareg music presentation in January 2007. Filmed in Mali, north of Timbuktu.

From About African History:

Preserving Timbuktu‘s Written Past

The emergence of thousands of ancient written documents in Timbuktu as a direct result of the recent funding and creation of new libraries is causing “a stir among academics and researchers, who say they represent some of the earliest examples of written history in sub-Saharan Africa and are a window into a golden age of scholarship in west Africa” according to a Guardian news report.

It certainly changes the fact that oral tradition is the only source in the region.

Related articles

• How Timbuktu’s treasure was smuggled to safety (bbc.co.uk)
• Lessons from Timbuktu (phys.org)
• Crowdfunding for Timbuktu’s Manuscripts (arablit.wordpress.com)
• The Sidi Yahia Mosque In Timbuktu Destruction Underestimated (spyghana.com)
• Librarians in Exile group launches appeal to save Timbuktu manuscripts (guardian.co.uk)