The Saharan Trade

"Trade in the Western Sahara, along the routes across Adrar, increased again in the fifteenth century with the growing importance of the salt mine of Idjil. Following a rather vague reference to this mine by Ca da Mosto in 1455, its trade was describer in detail by V. Fernandes half a century later. Walata, along with the desert towns of Tichitt and Wadan, participated in the salt trade of Idjil. Wadan was then the principal town of Adrar, and the only town with a wall. Part of Mali's gold, according to Ca da Mosto, was sent to Hoden (Wadan) from where it was distributed to Oran, Hunayn, Fes, Marrakush, Safi, and Massa, to be sold to the Italian merchants.
When the Portuguese reached the Saharan coast in the middle of the fifteenth century they established their factory in Arguin, close to the flourishing trading towns of Adrar. For a short time the Portuguese even tried to establish  an entrepôt in Wadan (Adrar). Because of the hardships of the desert and the hostility of the population the Portuguese abandoned Adrar but continued their involvement in the Saharan trade from Arguin. Gold brought from Sudan was divides into three parts: one was sold to the Portuguese to buy European manufactured goods; with another part of the gold they bought camels from the Arabs to carry the salt. This salt of Idjil the traders of the Sudan bought from the Sanhaja with the third part of their gold."

LEVTZION, N. (1980). Ancient Ghana and Mali. Africana Publishing Company, New York.

Walata (Oualata)
Wadan (Ouadane)

[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]