Histoire de la Sénégambie du XVe au XVIIIe siècle: un bilan

The precolonial period in Senegambia, 15th to 18th century.- A status artis of historical research on Senegambia: the problem of sources -- archives, written documents, oral tradition, archaeology -- ; chronology and the division into significant periods and sub-periods; a survey of extant and potential materials, including economic, agricultural, commercial, linguistic, religious and, more generally, sociological data. A provisional and partial division into periods based upon the evolution of the slave trade is proposed and contrasted with one founded upon the decline and fall of native hegemonies. The paper ends with a catalogue of tasks which deserve to be given priority in order to produce a genuine Senegalese history.