Which goods did Arab and Swahili caravans seek in Kenya’s interior during the 19th century?

During the 19th century, Arab and Swahili caravans penetrating the interior of what is now Kenya were primarily in search of ivory.12

While the ivory trade was the central driver for these expeditions, it was deeply interconnected with the slave trade. Caravans often relied on enslaved people to serve as porters for the heavy ivory tusks, and the trade networks established by these groups frequently involved the capture and sale of people, who were then utilized on coastal plantations or sold in markets such as Zanzibar. The pursuit of these goods led to the establishment of various trade routes extending from the coast toward regions including Kilimanjaro, Lake Victoria, and Mount Kenya.34512