Basic 5 · History · The People of Ghana
Some Ancient Towns in Ghana
In this topic you will describe some ancient towns in Ghana and explain why they became important.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Name and locate some ancient towns in Ghana
- Describe the importance of each town
- Explain the factors that made towns grow
What you already know
- Life then and now
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- My Country Ghana
- Sub-strand
- The People of Ghana
- Indicator
- B5.2.1.1.2 – Describe some ancient towns in Ghana
Introduction
Long before Accra and Kumasi became big cities, there were important towns such as Begho, Bono Manso and Salaga. Traders, craftsmen and rulers lived there, and people came from far away to buy and sell.
1. Begho
Begho was a large trading town in the north-west of the forest, near present-day Hani in the Bono Region. It grew between about the 11th and 18th centuries. Mande traders from the north came to Begho to buy gold and kola nuts, and the town was divided into different quarters for traders, craftsmen and local people. Archaeologists have found pottery, iron tools, brass objects and spindle whorls for spinning cotton there.
2. Bono Manso
Bono Manso was the capital of the Bono kingdom, near present-day Techiman. The Bono state is believed to be one of the earliest Akan states, founded around the 13th century. Bono Manso became rich from the gold trade and was a meeting point for traders from the north and the forest. Many Akan customs, such as the use of gold weights and the stool as a symbol of authority, are linked with Bono.
3. Salaga
Salaga, in the present-day Savannah Region, was a great market town of the Gonja people. Traders came from Hausaland, Mossi country and the forest. Kola nuts from Asante were exchanged there for salt, cloth, livestock and leather goods. Sadly, Salaga later became one of the largest slave markets in the interior. A slave market site and old wells still remind people of this history.
4. Other Ancient Towns
| Town | Region today | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Begho | Bono | gold and kola trade; craft centre |
| Bono Manso | Bono East | capital of the Bono kingdom |
| Salaga | Savannah | kola market; later a slave market |
| Larabanga | Savannah | site of a very old mosque in Sudanese style |
| Elmina | Central | coastal trading town; Portuguese castle built in 1482 |
| Yendi | Northern | capital of the Dagbon kingdom |
5. Why These Towns Grew
- They were on important trade routes.
- They were near gold, kola or salt.
- They were the seats of kings and chiefs.
- They had water and fertile land nearby.
New words
- ancient town
- A town that existed long ago.
- capital
- The town where a ruler lives and governs.
- trade route
- A path used by traders.
- kola nut
- A nut chewed as a stimulant and traded widely.
- quarter
- A section of a town.
- Sudanese style
- A building style using mud with wooden poles.
Summary
- Begho was a gold and kola trading town near Hani.
- Bono Manso was the capital of the early Bono kingdom.
- Salaga was a great market for kola, and later for slaves.
- Towns grew on trade routes and near resources.
Class activity: Town Fact Files
- Each group researches one ancient town.
- Make a fact file with location, people and importance.
- Present it with a map.
You need: Clay pot, Calabash, Printed photographs of ancient Ghanaian settlements, Ghana map
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which town was the capital of the Bono kingdom?
- A. Bono Manso
- B. Elmina
- C. Accra
- D. Tamale
Show answer
Answer: Bono MansoNear Techiman.2. Begho was famous for trading in…
- A. gold and kola
- B. cocoa and timber
- C. oil and gas
- D. fish and salt only
Show answer
Answer: gold and kolaMande traders came to buy them.3. Salaga is in which region today?
- A. Savannah
- B. Volta
- C. Central
- D. Ashanti
Show answer
Answer: SavannahIt was a Gonja town.4. Elmina Castle was built by the Portuguese.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueIn 1482.5. All ancient towns were on the coast.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseMany were inland on trade routes.6. The capital of the Dagbon kingdom is ______.
Show answer
Answer: YendiIn the Northern Region.7. State two reasons why ancient towns grew.
Show answer
Answer: They were on trade routes and near resources such as gold (or seats of kings).Any two.8. Why is Salaga an important place to remember in Ghana's history?
Show answer
Answer: It was a great kola market and later a large slave market; it reminds us of the suffering of the slave trade.Both sides of its history.
Homework
- Find out about an old town or village near your home. Write how it began.