Along the way, he gained fame and wealth and met kings, sheiks, and holy men. He wrote a book called the Rihlah, or Travels, in which the following passage describes the unique trading tradition of Mogadishu.

… we sailed for fifteen days and came to Maqdashaw [Mogadishu], which is an enormous town. Its inhabitants are merchants … When a vessel reaches the port, it is met by sumbuqs, which are small boats, in each of which are a number of young men, carrying a covered dish containing food. He presents this to one of the merchants on the ship saying “This is my guest” … Each merchant on disembarking goes only to the house of the young man who is his host … the host then sells his goods for him and buys for him, and if anyone buys anything from him at too low a price, or sells to him in the absence of his host, the sale is regarded by them as invalid.

—Ibn Battuta, the Rihlah

Great Zimbabwe

To the south and inland from the coastal city-states, massive stone ruins sprawl across rocky hilltops near the great bend in the Limpopo River. The looming walls, large palace, and cone-shaped towers were once part of the powerful and prosperous capital of a great inland empire. Today, these impressive ruins are known as Great Zimbabwe.

An Inland Trading Center

The word zimbabwe comes from a Bantu-based word that means “stone houses.” In fact, Great Zimbabwe was built by a succession of Bantu-speaking peoples who settled in the region between 900 and 1500. These newcomers brought iron, mining methods, and improved farming skills. Early settlers raised cattle and built stone enclosures to protect their livestock. In time, these settlers improved their building methods and erected large walls and palaces.

Analyze Maps

In 1325, a Moroccan named Ibn Battuta began one of the greatest trips of medieval times, visiting Asia, parts of Europe, and the Middle East. In which general direction did Ibn Battuta travel from the Caspian Sea to Delhi?

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