century and a half, from the late 18th to the early colonial period. During the French occupation, it was Ahmad Bul‘araf who distinguished himself. Bibliophile and entrepreneur of the book market, he owned a workshop for copying manuscripts that overrun the libraries of the city as testified by the huge number of documents bearing his signature. He was himself quite a prolific scholar.
The manuscript culture in Timbuktu does not only belong to the past, if we consider that one of the most important scholars of the present, Shaykh Hammu, continues to produce works in manuscript format.
Timbuktu is a significant starting-point for reflecting on Africa’s written traditions. In fact, it does not represent an isolated case in the continent. Other West African regions, as well as other areas such as Ethiopia, the East African coasts from Somalia to northern Mozambique, as well as in the Cape since Dutch rule, were characterized written cultures that were in the Arabic script. Only comprehensive research on this inadequately charted heritage will give us fuller understanding of many aspects yet unknown of Africa’s past.”
Authored by Mauro Nobili (Ph.D. in African Studies at the University of Naples “L’Orientale”  and Post-Doctoral fellow at the Tombouctou Manuscripts Project – University of Cape Town), Susana Molins-Lliteras (Ph.D. candidate in Historical Studies and researcher at the Tombouctou Manuscripts Project – University of Cape Town) & Shamil Jeppie (A/Prof., Director Tombouctou Manuscripts Project –University of Cape Town).
Source: Tombouctou Manuscript Project