In this comment /u/lynx_rufus mentions a process of silent bartering where merchants would leave goods on a mat and adjust the quantity over several days until a consensus was reached, often without seeing each other.
How did they agree to a consensus in absentee? What stopped one party from stiffing the other by taking their goods and leaving too little? What prevented outright theft?
Follow up question: What were the advantages of this system as opposed to normal bartering?
Another follow up question:
This seems reminiscint of Carthaginian trade beyond the Pillars of Hercules, as described by Herotodus.
Does this practice suggest that Hanno the Navigator of Carthage traded with Saharan groups? To what extent did people South of the Sahara also engage in this process?
As posted in the parent thread, here are a couple of posts on silent trade:
Can someone please explain to me Old-style African trade? I'm afraid I don't have a particular local in mind, but I gather it - an archived post featuring /u/sunagainstgold
How did early civilizations trade and negotiate with each other if they didn't know each other's language ? - a still-active post featuring /u/SUSHIKID1 and /u/still-improving
Follow up: How does "silent bartering" compare with potlatch?