Silent Trade

          The silent trade is a form of trading that was used between Ghana and northern African kingdoms that had salt. Because Ghana had an abundance of gold but not much salt so they were willing to trade pound for pound. There was a problem though because the people Ghana was trading with didn't speak the same language so they participated in what we know as a silent trade. One of the sides participating in the trade would set their goods in a specific area, then they would leave and start beating drums so that the other party would know they had set their goods out. Then the other party would come look at what was set out and put what they thought was a good trade out next to the other parties goods. Then they would leave and beat on their drums. If the first party thought it was a good trade they would take the goods but if they didn't they would leave and beat their drums again. this went on until a deal was made.