c. 3rd century – c. 11th century★★★★★
The Soninke Ghana Empire (Wagadu) flourished in what is now Mauritania and Mali, growing rich from control of the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade.
DynastyEconomy· Mauritania, Mali
c. 819 – 999★★★★★
The Persian Samanid dynasty rules Central Asia and Khorasan, making Bukhara and Samarkand cultural and trade centres on the Silk Road.
DynastyCultureEconomy· Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
907 – 979★★★★★
The Tang falls in 907 and China fragments into short-lived northern dynasties and numerous southern kingdoms.
DynastyPolitics· China