It was copper, not Gold, that was considered the most important metal in most African societies, according to an authoritative study by Eugenia Herbert.
Which area or polity do you reckon Bornu for example was getting its gold from? Since account's from the 1500s (Leo Africanus) 1600s (Evliya Celebi) & 1700s (Ben Alli) give us the idea that they had a gold supply which they used to craft different objects & produce gold dust.
Hard to say, there arent many sources of gold in the lake chad region, so it may have been obtained through re-export from the Hausalands, whose traders were active in the Volta region since the 15th century.
Which area or polity do you reckon Bornu for example was getting its gold from? Since account's from the 1500s (Leo Africanus) 1600s (Evliya Celebi) & 1700s (Ben Alli) give us the idea that they had a gold supply which they used to craft different objects & produce gold dust.
Hard to say, there arent many sources of gold in the lake chad region, so it may have been obtained through re-export from the Hausalands, whose traders were active in the Volta region since the 15th century.