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Medieval West Africa and Europe: Trade and Commodities

Wed, 04/26/2017 - 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Lecture by Dr. Sarah Guérin, Assistant Professor of the History of Art, University of Pennsylvania

What is valuable enough to trade for pure gold? This central question will bring us to question the construction of values within the trans-Saharan trade of the thirteenth and early-fourteenth century. By concentrating on archaeological materials and recent scientific analysis of works from West Africa, the balance of trade with the legendary gold caravans will be examined.

This lecture is presented in conjunction with the exhibition of medieval ivories from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, currently on view in the John and Ethel MacKinnon gallery of European art, and is sponsored by a JSMA Academic Support Grant.