Abstract: | Seven medieval Arabic inscriptions from three sites in the Sahara and the Niger Valley - Essuk (A.dagh-n-Ifoghas), Saney (Gao), and Egef-n-Tawaqqast (Bentiya), in Mali - are discussed in historical context. This new evidence includes the oldest extant specimens of writing from West Africa (eleventh century). It demonstrates that before the introduction of royal epitaphs of Iberian origin, Arabic epitaphs were already produced at Gao-Saney, under the influence of Essuk (Tadmakkat). Light is shed on the cultural roots of the Kal-Essuk (specialists of Islam and calligraphy among the Tuareg), and on attitudes to time within Tuareg society. Attention is called for the first time to a site possibly included in the archaeological complex of Kukiya, a historical capital of the Songhay. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. also in French. |