The Mande Script: Timbuktu's Hidden Writing System
The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
Long before European contact, West African scholars developed their own writing systems. This episode explores the Mande script, a little-known syllabary used in the Mali Empire and beyond. Lucas and Luna dive into the origins of this script, its connection to the Soninke people, and its role in recording history, law, and commerce. They discuss the discovery of manuscripts in the Mande script, the challenges of decipherment, and its suppression under colonialism. Along the way, they touch on related scripts like N'Ko, invented in 1949, and the broader tradition of West African literacy. Specific names include the Mandingue languages, the city of Djenné, and the Timbuktu manuscripts. This episode offers a fresh perspective on the intellectual legacy of the Mali Empire. #MandeScript #MaliEmpire #Timbuktu #WestAfricanHistory #WritingSystems #Syllabary #Mandingue #Soninke #NKoScript #Djenn #TimbuktuManuscripts #AfricanLiteracy #DecolonizingHistory #OralTradition #FexingoHistory #History #Africa #AncientScripts #MansaMusa #SundiataKeita Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
