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Batı Afrika’nın Bilinen İlk Devleti; Gana (Gâne) İmparatorluğu

Year 2023, Volume: 11 Issue: Afrika, 46 - 58, 30.09.2023
https://doi.org/10.18506/anemon.1307095

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı Batı Afrika’nın bilinen ilk devleti Gana İmparatorluğu’nun MS III. yüzyıldaki kuruluşundan XIII. yüzyıl başlarındaki yıkılışına kadarki geçmişini siyasi, ekonomik ve kültürel yönleriyle incelemektir. Gana adının ne anlama geldiği ve kökenine dair değerlendirmelerde bulunularak imparatorluğun kuruluşu anlatılmıştır. Gana’nın kuruluş devrine ilişkin yazılı bir bilgi olmaması nedeniyle ilk dönemleri Wagadu efsanesi üzerinden incelenmiştir. Miladi VIII. yüzyıldan itibaren yazılı kaynaklarda adından bahsedilen Gana İmparatorluğu’nun Arapça eserlerde ne şekilde anıldığı ve gelişim gösterdiği analiz edilmiştir. Endülüslü coğrafyacı Bekrî’de geçen tarihi kayıtlara ve arkeolojik çalışmaların sağladığı verilere dayanarak imparatorluk başkenti Kumbi Saleh’in nasıl inşa edildiği, gelişimi ve büyüklüğü anlatılmıştır. İmparatorluğun ticari yaşamına değinilerek başkent Kumbi Saleh’in Batı Sahra ticaretindeki konumu ve önemi vurgulanmıştır. Altının ve tuzun el değiştirme süreci incelenerek imparatorluk ekonomisine katkısı değerlendirilmiştir. İmparatorluğun nasıl yönetildiğine kısaca değinilerek Kraliyet mahkemesinin tasviri yapılmıştır. Gana’ya hâkim olan dini inanış ve ölü gömme adetleri Bekri’de geçen bilgiler üzerinden ele alınmıştır. Son olarak İmparatorluğun askeri gücüne vurgu yapılarak yıkılış süreci ve yerinde kurulan devletlerden bahsedilmiştir.

References

  • ‘Abd Al-Rahman İbn 'Abd Allah Sa'di. (2003). Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sa’dîs Ta'rikh Al-Sudan Down to 1613 and Other Contemporary Documents. John O. Hunwick (Tran. and ed.). Boston:Brill Press.
  • Abou Obeid el-Bekri. (1857). Description de l'Afrique Septentrionale. (William MacGuckin Slane Çev.). Alger: Publié par Imprimerie du gouvernement.
  • Al Hajj Mahmut Kati. (2011). Ta’rîkh al fattâsh The Timbuktu Chronicles 1493-1599. Christopher Wise (Ed.). New Jersey: Africa Word Press.
  • Barth, H. (1857). Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa, being a journal of Expedition Undertaken Under the Auspices of H.B.M.’s Government in the Years 1849-1855, IV, London:Longman, Brown, Geeen, Longmans, & Roberts Press.
  • Ceran, İ. (2012). Fas Tarihi, Ankara: TTK Yayınları.
  • Clarke J. H. (February 1960). Old Ghana. Negro History Bulletin. 23(5). Association for the Study of African American Life and History. 116-117.
  • Conrad, D. (2005). Empires of Medieval West Africa Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Fact on File Inc. Press.
  • Davidson, B. (1985). A History of West Africa 1000-1800, Harlow: Longman Group Limited.
  • Delafosse, M. (1931). The Negroes of Africa History And Culture. F. Fligelman (Ed.), Washington: Associated Publishers.
  • el-Alevî, A. (1996). Gâne. DİA. 13. İstanbul: TDV Yayınları. 346-348.
  • Fage, J. D. (1957) Ancient Ghana: A Review of the Evidence. Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 3, (2). Legon: Historical Society of Ghana Press. 3-24.
  • Hârizmî. (2009). Kitâbu Sûreti'l-Arz, Hans von Mzik (Tahkik). Lübnan: Dâru ve Mektebetü Byblion Press.
  • Holl, A. (1985). Background to the Ghana Empire: Archaeological Investigations on the Transition to Statehood in the Dhar Tichitt Region (Mauritania). Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. 4 (Issue 2). 73-115.
  • İbn Havkal. (2017). 10. Asırda İslam Dünyası, (R. Şeşen Çev.) İstanbul: Yeditepe Yayınları.
  • July, R. W. (1970) A History of the African People, New York: Charles Scrıbner’s Sons Press.
  • Levtzion, N. (1973). Ancıent Ghana and Mali. London:Methuen&Co LTD Press.
  • Levtzion, N. (2011). Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West Africa. Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers.
  • Maquet J. (1972). Civilization of Black Africa, Newyork: Oxford University Press.
  • Masonen,. P., (2005). Ghana Empire: Historiography of Origins. Encyclopedia of African History. 1, K. Shillington (Ed.), , New York:Fitzroy Dearborn Press, 561-63.
  • Mauny, R. A. (Jul., 1954). The Question of Ghana, Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, 24(3). Cambridge University Press, 200-213.
  • Mesudî. (2014). Murûc Ez-Zehep (Altın Bozkırlar), (A. Batur Çev.) İstanbul:Selenge Yayınları.
  • Page, W. F. & Davis, R. H. (Ed.). (2005). Encyclopedia of African History and Culture. 2, Newyork: Facts on File, 85-87.
  • Senkomago, S. (2005), Ghana, Empire of: History of. Encyclopedia of African History. 1. K. Shillington (Ed.), New York: Fitzroy Dearborn Press. 563-64
  • Yiğit, İ. (2020). Murabıtlar. DİA, 31, Ankara: TDV Yayınları.

The First Known West African State: Ghana Empire

Year 2023, Volume: 11 Issue: Afrika, 46 - 58, 30.09.2023
https://doi.org/10.18506/anemon.1307095

Abstract

This study aims to examine the history of the Ghana Empire, which was the first known state of West Africa, from its establishment in the 3rd century AD to its collapse in the early 13th century, with its political, economic and cultural aspects. The foundation of the empire was explained by making evaluations about what the name Ghana means and its etymology. Due to the lack of written information about the establishment of Ghana, its early periods were studied through the Legend of Wagadu. It was analyzed how the Ghana Empire, whose name has been mentioned in written sources since the 8th century, is mentioned in Arabic works and how it has developed. It was described how the imperial capital Koumbi Saleh was built, its development and greatness based on the historical records and the data provided by the archaeological studies of the Andalusian geographer Al-Bakri. By referring to the commercial aspects of the empire, the location and importance of the capital Koumbi Saleh in the western Sahara trade were emphasized. The conversion process of gold and salt was examined and its contribution to the empire's economy was evaluated. The study also provides a description of the royal court by briefly referring to how the empire was governed. The religious belief that dominates Ghana and the customs of burying the dead were discussed based on the information in Al-Bakri’s works. In conclusion, the period of the dissolution of the Empire, and the states established on its location were reviewed with an emphasis on the military power of the empire.

References

  • ‘Abd Al-Rahman İbn 'Abd Allah Sa'di. (2003). Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sa’dîs Ta'rikh Al-Sudan Down to 1613 and Other Contemporary Documents. John O. Hunwick (Tran. and ed.). Boston:Brill Press.
  • Abou Obeid el-Bekri. (1857). Description de l'Afrique Septentrionale. (William MacGuckin Slane Çev.). Alger: Publié par Imprimerie du gouvernement.
  • Al Hajj Mahmut Kati. (2011). Ta’rîkh al fattâsh The Timbuktu Chronicles 1493-1599. Christopher Wise (Ed.). New Jersey: Africa Word Press.
  • Barth, H. (1857). Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa, being a journal of Expedition Undertaken Under the Auspices of H.B.M.’s Government in the Years 1849-1855, IV, London:Longman, Brown, Geeen, Longmans, & Roberts Press.
  • Ceran, İ. (2012). Fas Tarihi, Ankara: TTK Yayınları.
  • Clarke J. H. (February 1960). Old Ghana. Negro History Bulletin. 23(5). Association for the Study of African American Life and History. 116-117.
  • Conrad, D. (2005). Empires of Medieval West Africa Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. New York: Fact on File Inc. Press.
  • Davidson, B. (1985). A History of West Africa 1000-1800, Harlow: Longman Group Limited.
  • Delafosse, M. (1931). The Negroes of Africa History And Culture. F. Fligelman (Ed.), Washington: Associated Publishers.
  • el-Alevî, A. (1996). Gâne. DİA. 13. İstanbul: TDV Yayınları. 346-348.
  • Fage, J. D. (1957) Ancient Ghana: A Review of the Evidence. Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 3, (2). Legon: Historical Society of Ghana Press. 3-24.
  • Hârizmî. (2009). Kitâbu Sûreti'l-Arz, Hans von Mzik (Tahkik). Lübnan: Dâru ve Mektebetü Byblion Press.
  • Holl, A. (1985). Background to the Ghana Empire: Archaeological Investigations on the Transition to Statehood in the Dhar Tichitt Region (Mauritania). Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. 4 (Issue 2). 73-115.
  • İbn Havkal. (2017). 10. Asırda İslam Dünyası, (R. Şeşen Çev.) İstanbul: Yeditepe Yayınları.
  • July, R. W. (1970) A History of the African People, New York: Charles Scrıbner’s Sons Press.
  • Levtzion, N. (1973). Ancıent Ghana and Mali. London:Methuen&Co LTD Press.
  • Levtzion, N. (2011). Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West Africa. Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers.
  • Maquet J. (1972). Civilization of Black Africa, Newyork: Oxford University Press.
  • Masonen,. P., (2005). Ghana Empire: Historiography of Origins. Encyclopedia of African History. 1, K. Shillington (Ed.), , New York:Fitzroy Dearborn Press, 561-63.
  • Mauny, R. A. (Jul., 1954). The Question of Ghana, Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, 24(3). Cambridge University Press, 200-213.
  • Mesudî. (2014). Murûc Ez-Zehep (Altın Bozkırlar), (A. Batur Çev.) İstanbul:Selenge Yayınları.
  • Page, W. F. & Davis, R. H. (Ed.). (2005). Encyclopedia of African History and Culture. 2, Newyork: Facts on File, 85-87.
  • Senkomago, S. (2005), Ghana, Empire of: History of. Encyclopedia of African History. 1. K. Shillington (Ed.), New York: Fitzroy Dearborn Press. 563-64
  • Yiğit, İ. (2020). Murabıtlar. DİA, 31, Ankara: TDV Yayınları.
There are 24 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Middle East Studies
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Arif Demirer 0000-0001-7419-2891

Early Pub Date September 29, 2023
Publication Date September 30, 2023
Acceptance Date September 7, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 11 Issue: Afrika

Cite

APA Demirer, A. (2023). Batı Afrika’nın Bilinen İlk Devleti; Gana (Gâne) İmparatorluğu. Anemon Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 11(Afrika), 46-58. https://doi.org/10.18506/anemon.1307095

Anemon Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Creative Commons Atıf-GayriTicari 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı (CC BY NC) ile lisanslanmıştır.