Kola nut trade
Comercio de la nuez de cola
- Date
- c. century XI (comercio documentado) · confidence low
- Place
- Begho, Bono, Ghana
- Credited to
- West African forest farmers and Dyula traders
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
The seeds of the kola tree (Cola nitida and acuminata), rich in caffeine, were grown in the forest and sent in baskets lined with damp leaves towards the savanna and the Sahel. They were a social stimulant, a ritual gift and a staple of trade routes.
The trade is known to have existed from at least the 11th century, but the origin of use is much older and undated. Begho is the best-documented hub, not necessarily the place of origin.
What it led to
- Dyula trade between forest and savanna, with Begho as a hub
- arrival of kola nuts on the Mediterranean coast by the 13th century
- origin of the name and flavour of the cola drinks of the 19th century