International Tradable Goods in Ibn Battuta’s Travelogue

Travelogues constitute an important source for the study of economic history, and the work of Ibn Battuta is a great example of the genre. This is primarily because Ibn Battuta traveled extensively, visiting dozens of different countries during his life in the 14th century. The travelogue contains important information on the political, economic, and social conditions of the diverse geographies that its author visited. Ibn Battuta generally accompanied merchants and thus, tended to follow their trade routes. These travels offered Ibn Battuta excellent opportunities to observe economic and social life. This study focuses on the goods subject to international trade mentioned in Ibn Battuta’s travelogue. It draws attention to the abundance of goods and services subject to international trade and the variety of products that are passed along trade routes. The travelogue provides important information for evaluating early mercantilist international trade policies, helping to explain the diversity of raw materials, production, and final products, and the general patterns of international trade in that period.