The hidden treasures of Timbuktu - Elizabeth Cox

The hidden treasures of Timbuktu - Elizabeth Cox with tags timbuktu, sahara desert, mali empire, songhai empire, askia mohammed, ancient empires, libraries of timbuktu, books of timbuktu, lost libraries, ahmed baba, ahmed baba timbuktu, trade, calligraphy, ancient scribes, ancient scrolls, geometric design, morocco, arabic manuscripts, desertification, war, religion, history, abdel kader haidara, bamako, civil war, trading post, education, animation, elizabeth cox, aim creative studios, ted, ted-ed, ted ed, teded, ted education

Dig into the ancient manuscripts, scrolls, and books of Timbuktu— and find out why they’ve been hidden for centuries.

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On the edge of the vast Sahara desert, citizens snuck out of the city of Timbuktu and took to the wilderness. They buried chests in the desert sand, hid them in caves, and sealed them in secret rooms. Inside these chests was a treasure more valuable than gold: the city’s ancient books. Why were they hiding these priceless manuscripts? Elizabeth Cox digs into the literary tradition of Timbuktu.

Lesson by Elizabeth Cox, directed by AIM Creative Studios.

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