About

Stacks of manuscripts, Timbuktu

The Tombouctou Manuscripts Project, first conceptualised in 2002, was officially established in 2003 to research and document manuscript tradition in Africa.

Over the past seven years a Project team has been involved in the study of manuscript tradition in Africa, including manuscript translation, digitalisation and historical studies of book and library traditions. For more detailed information on the Tombouctou Manuscripts Project,click here. 

Although the Project incorporates researchers from Africa and beyond, who are involved in studies of book history and manuscript traditions of Africa, the core team is based at South Africa’s University of Cape Town.

The Project team is led by Shamil Jeppie and currently consists of four graduate students. Meet our team members by clicking here. 

Although the Project focuses on manuscript traditions throughout the African continent, it was initially inspired by the written heritage of Timbuktu – a town that lies in the bend of the Niger River, where the Sahara Desert meets the Sahel (a semi-arid region south of the Sahara).

Historically Timbuktu was an important centre of commerce and learning and, in contemporary times, has become a key symbol of African literary heritage. To learn more about Timbuktu, click here.