Ghana (Wagadu), the earliest known empire of the western Sudan, first entered the historical consciousness of North Africa near the end of the eighth century but probably originated long before. The empire's legacy is still celebrated in the name of the Republic of Ghana; apart from this, however, modern-day and ancient Ghana share no direct historical connections. Despite early texts that discuss ancient Ghana, such as The Book of Routes and Kingdoms by the eleventh-century
![The Pre-Colonial Trading Kingdoms of East Africa [1140 × 2337] Art Carte, Map Globe, Old Maps, East Africa, Historical Maps](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/72/59/1c/72591c78ad351cb17408d2409f3c41f3--maps-history-sudan.jpg)
