Vicente CASTRO MARTÍNEZ

Original title: Kumbi Ṣāliḥ. Un ejemplo de ciudad gemela. Auge y caída

Published in Returning to Eden

Keywords: African values, Bilād as-Sudān, Ghana and Almoravids, Islam, Kumbi Ṣāliḥ.

The concept of twin city which, many times, is considered specifically African but, however, has its origin in the rise of Islam in territories such as Iraq and Egypt. The aim of this article is nothing but reflexing about this concept using the example of the ancient city of Kumbi Ṣāliḥ. Along the following lines there will be exposed some ideas as the origin of the city, its rise related to its condition of capital of the Kingdom of Ghana, the relation between Islamic and traditional African values and the causes of the decline that ends with the abandon of this place at the beginning of the 13th century. In addition, there will be used some sorts of resources such as archaeological discoveries, written records, and other piece of historical works. Finally, this essay has the proposal of using these resources in a complementary way.