Treasures of Timbuktu

What was considered more valuable than gold and hidden by the citizens of Timbuktu?

• Ancient swords

• Gold coins

• The city's ancient books

• Precious stones

In what year did the Songhai king conquer Timbuktu?

• 1468

• 1591

• 1300

• 1800

Who was Timbuktu's most prominent scholar mentioned in the text?

• Abdel Kader Haidara

• Ahmed Baba

• Askia Mohammed Toure

• Mansa Musa

What languages were the texts of Timbuktu produced in?

• French and English

• Spanish and Portuguese

• Arabic and local languages

• Greek and Latin

What year marked the end of Timbuktu's golden age due to the capture by the Moroccan king?

• 1468

• 1591

• 1300

• 1800

What was the main reason families in Timbuktu hid ancient books?

• To use them as decoration

• For religious rituals

• To protect them from being destroyed or stolen

• To sell them for a high price

Who retrieved hidden manuscripts from all over northern Mali and brought them back to Timbuktu?

• Mansa Musa

• Ahmed Baba

• Abdel Kader Haidara

• Askia Mohammed Toure

What major event in 2012 once again threatened the manuscripts of Timbuktu?

• A large-scale theft

• A natural disaster

• Civil war in Mali

• An economic crisis

What materials were used to produce the texts of Timbuktu?

• Papyrus and berry ink

• Paper from Venice and vibrant ink from local plants

• Plastic sheets and chemical ink

• Silk and gold ink

What subjects did the scholars of Timbuktu study alongside Islam?

• Medicine and law

• Mathematics and philosophy

• Only religious texts

• Astrology and alchemy