How far away did the Mesopotamians trade?

Trade was critical to Old Babylonia, where many highly prized natural resources were scarce but agricultural goods were in surplus. A vibrant trading system developed, bringing manufactured goods and raw materials from as far as Turkey, and even India, 1,500 miles away.

Did Mesopotamia trade long distance?

The first long-distance trade occurred between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley in Pakistan around 3000 BC, historians believe. Long-distance trade in these early times was limited almost exclusively to luxury goods like spices, textiles and precious metals.

Where did trade take place in ancient Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamia Trade: Development. Other overland trade routes went east over the Zagros Mountains into present-day Iran and Afghanistan. A busy sea route went through the Persian Gulf across the Arabian Sea to the Indus valley in what is today’s northern India and Pakistan. By the 3rd millennium, Mesopotamia trade went in all directions.

Why was Mesopotamia important to the ancient world?

Mesopotamia became the linchpin of ancient international trade. (More…) There the Assyrian merchants paid a tax to the city’s ruler to live in their own quarter of Kanesh and trade with the city dwellers and other merchants who came from afar to trade for their Mesopotamian goods. (More…)

How was money used in the ancient Mesopotamia?

At that time, money was not usually used to pay for goods that were traded. A barter system was formulated in which goods were directly exchanged for other goods. If money had to be used, it was usually in the form of small silver disks (Trade, Economy, and Artisans in Ancient Mesopotamia, n.d.).

Where to sell copper and gold in Mesopotamia?

Assurnasirpal says you should head over to the ports in Lagash and Umma to sell timber in southern Mesopotamia. If you want to stock up on copper to sell elsewhere, head on over to Magan. If you’d like to trade things like gold, copper and pearls then make a stop in Dilmun.