Trans-Saharan Slave Trade Transported Millions Of Enslaved Africans Across The Sahara

Trans‑Saharan Slave Trade

The Trans‑Saharan slave trade began around the mid‑7th century following the Treaty of Baqt in 652 CE, which established formal relations between Arab rulers in Egypt and the Nubian kingdom of Makuria.

Over more than a millennium, millions of enslaved Africans were transported across the Sahara Desert to markets in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Scholarly estimates suggest that between 6 and 10 million people were moved through these routes, with many dying during the long and dangerous journey.

Arab and Berber merchants operated most of the caravan routes, and enslaved people were sold for domestic service, concubinage, military service, and other labor. Key waystations for caravans included oases such as Ghadames and Fezzan. The trade was part of wider Saharan and Mediterranean commerce, connecting sub‑Saharan Africa with northern regions.

Approximate date: July 1, 652 CE | Scholarly estimate of enslaved people: 6–10 million