What is Silent trade?
'''Silent trade''', or barter, is when [[trader]]s (who do not speak each other's [[language]]) trade without talking to each other. This was used in many parts of ancient [[Africa]]. Silent bartering was used during 500 A.D to 1500 A.D.<ref>J. Innes Miller 1969. ''The spice trade of the Roman Empire''. Oxford: University Press, pp. 167f</ref> and probably had a much longer history.<ref>Grierson P.J.H. 1903. ''The silent trade: a contribution to the early history of human intercourse''. William Green. Reprint: Ulan Press 2012.</ref> To do a silent barter, one group of traders would go to a certain place, leaving whatever they are offering to trade. The other group of traders would then decide if they would like to accept the goods (usually [[salt]] or [[gold]]) that were left. If the goods met with approval, the second group would then take the goods, leave their own goods in return, and leave because the person accepted the offer. This system of trading was used mostly in ancient [[Ghana]]. The popular things they sold were gold and salt. Another system was face-to-face trading using hand signals. Gold mined south of the [[Sahel]] was traded, pound for pound, for salt mined in the [[desert]]. The salt from the desert was needed by the people of Sahel to flavor and preserve their food and gold has always had value for adornment (wearing). Because of this trade, cities grew and flourished and parts of West Africa became commercial centers. West Africa produced gold until about 1500 AD.<ref>Holt World History: ''The human journey'', p. 193.</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Trade]] [[Category:Non-verbal communication]] [[Category:Simple living]]