Template talk:Timbuktu graphical timeline

Suggestion

Should we think about extending the timeline to include the prehistoric period and the initial period of settlement at Timbuktu? Multiple seasons of field research have successfully documented a large Iron Age Urban Complex? Douglaspostpark (talk) 15:39, 29 April 2012 (UTC)

Also, I know that adding such a large prehistoric section to the Timbuktu article may come as a bit of a surprise (and perhaps even a bit of a shock) since Timbuktu is not thought to have a pre-Medieval past, but just like other West African Medieval cities, Timbuktu does also have an earlier phase. It was first settled by semi-nomadic groups from the Azawad around 500 BC. In actuality, this is not a new discovery, but was first investigated in 1984 as a National Geographic Funded Expedition. The first excavations at Timbuktu were later conducted in 1997, but in the central areas of the city and did not get past the 18th century AD due to excavation trench instability. Under a research permit from the Direction National du Patrimone Culturel (DNPC) in Bamako (a sub division of the Ministry of culture charged with overseeing the various cultural missions in Timbuktu) an extensive excavation and survey project conducted by the Timbuktu Cultural Mission and Yale University was then initiated between 2008 and 2010 that avoided the problems about digging in Timbuktu itself and instead targeted the landscape surrounding it. The above mentioned collaborative efforts between western and Malian researchers have now added an earlier phase to the region. — Preceding unsigned comment added by DesertHippo (talk • contribs) 00:21, 30 April 2012 (UTC)

Note I have created the page Template:Tombouze graphical timeline with the contents you created minus the period of 1100-2000, these two should be kept separate, this can be used on pages related to the Tombouze but not timbuktu as timbuktu itself was not founded until the 12th Century. – Phoenix B 1of3 (talk) 01:35, 30 April 2012 (UTC)

I have also redirected Tombouze to the prehistory section of the Timbuktu article of which you are working on, if a sufficient amount of is found you may consider converting the redirect into a proper article – Phoenix B 1of3 (talk) 02:45, 30 April 2012 (UTC)

Reverting date changes and increase in size

I've reduced the size of the timeline and revert changes to the dates:

1. The date of the Tuareg conquest of the Mali Empire was changed from 1433 to 1430. The earlier date is not supported by my sources. Al-Sadi (in Hunwick 2003 p31) wrote "Then came the Maghsharan Tuareg, who ruled for 40 years, beginning in 1433-34". This is accepted by Levtzion (1973, p81) who wrote: "In 1433/4 (A.H. 837) the last vestiges of Mali's sovereignty over Timbuktu were removed, and the town was taken over by Akillu Akamalwal, chief of the Tuareg."
2. An additional period of Tuareg control was added between 1787-1825. My sources do not support this. Although the Tuareg threatened the town, the Arma were more or less still in control. The rivalry between the Arma and the Tuareg at the end of the 18th century was described by Said (1983, pp206-209) and by Abitbol (1979, pp227-231). Said (1983, p209) wrote: "From Dhikr al-Wafayat we learn that Dara'is emerged as predominant around 1766, under the leadership of Bahaddu b. Babakr b. Alfa Mansur b. Mahammad b. 'Ali b. al-Mubarak al-Dara'i. This Ruma [Arma] notable had first reigned in 1163 A.H. (1750 A.D.) but now enjoyed the Tibshasha [pasha] fully for nine years, and hence much longer than any other Pasha, till his death in 1775. Subsequently, the Tibshasha remained vacant for 20 years, but it is clear that Bahaddu's sons, and especially Babakr, were implicitly recognized as chiefs of the Ruma, and theoretically of Timbuktu. Babakr was formally invested for one year in 1794 and, three decades later, the first European visitor, Caillié, gained the impression that his son 'Uthman was 'King of Timbuktu'."
3. The Toucouleur Empire was changed to start at 1861 rather than 1862. This appears to be incorrect. The defeat of the descendents of Ahmadu Lobbo by El Hadj Umar Tall took place in 1862 according to Said (1983,p217) and Hunwick & Boye (2008, p161 – Chronology table).

The timeline was changed to includes the Mali Federation which lasted for a month and 2 days in 1960 – a relatively short period in the 1000 year history of the town. I've kept this to a note.

References

• Abitbol, Michel (1979). Tombouctou et les Arma: de la conquête marocaine du Soudan nigérien en 1591 à l'hégémonie de l'empire Peulh du Macina en 1833 (in French). Paris: Maisonneuve & Larose. ISBN 2-7068-0770-9.
• Hunwick, John O. (2003). Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sadi's Tarikh al-Sudan down to 1613 and other contemporary documents. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-1-4237-3418-5. First published in 1999 as ISBN 90-04-11207-3.
• Hunwick, John O.; Boye, Alida Jay; Hunwick, Joseph (2008). The Hidden Treasures of Timbuktu: Historic city of Islamic Africa. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-51421-4.
• Levtzion, Nehemia (1973). Ancient Ghana and Mali. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-8419-0431-6. Link requires subscription to Aluka.
• Saad, Elias N. (1983). Social History of Timbuktu: The Role of Muslim Scholars and Notables 1400–1900. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-24603-2.

Aa77zz (talk) 14:36, 14 August 2012 (UTC)