Caravans of gold fragments in time : art culture and exchange across medieval Saharan Africa Caravans of Gold Fragments in Time draws on the latest archaeological discoveries and art historical research to construct a compelling look at medieval trans Saharan exchange and its legacy. Contributors from diverse disciplines present case studies that form a rich portrayal of a distant time. Topics include descriptions of key medieval cities around the Sahara; networks of exchange that contributed to the circulation of gold copper and ivory and their associated art forms; and medieval glass bead production in West Africas forest region. Featuring a wealth of color images this fascinating book demonstrates how the rootedness of place culture and tradition is closely tied to the circulation of people objects and ideas. These fragments in time offer irrefutable evidence of the key role that Africa played in medieval history and promote a new understanding of the past and the present Caravans of gold fragments in time Kathleen Bickford Berzock Sijilmasas role in the African gold trade Ron Messier and Abdallah Fili Medieval glass bead production and exchange Adidemi Babatunde Babalola