Ghana Empire: Land of Gold & West African History The Ghana Empire was the first of the sub-Saharan states in West Africa to gain attention from the wider Mediterranean world for its gold and was given the nickname of the Land of Gold. The raw material was found in alluvial deposits and from mine shafts typically only a couple of meters deep but the metal was not refined although high in purity and so it was melted down and cast into bars to make its transport easier. #ghana #gold #goldtrade