Which products were traded through Mauritania’s trans-Saharan caravan routes?

The trans-Saharan caravan routes that passed through Mauritania served as vital conduits for trade between empires in Morocco and West Africa.1

These routes facilitated the exchange of the following goods:

• From the Sahara: Salt was a primary commodity transported through the region.2
• From the Mediterranean: Luxury products, including fine cloth, brocades, and paper, were traded southward.2
• In exchange: Gold was the principal commodity sent northward from West Africa.2

Cities such as Chinguetti, Oualata, Ouadane, and Tichit functioned as essential caravansaries and urban trading centers that sustained this trans-Saharan commerce.12