Trade has always been a vital aspect of any civilization. The ancient Egyptians were wonderful traders. Ancient Egypt was a country rich in many natural resources but was not yet self-sufficient and therefore had to rely on trade for necessary goods and luxuries. Ancient Egypt's natural resources and raw materials allowed them to become a rich and powerful civilization. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIn Egypt, trade began in the Predynastic period (c. 6000 - c. 3150 BC) and continued through Roman Egypt (30 BC - 646 AD). Trade initiated during Egypt's Old Kingdom helped them finance the pyramids of Giza and countless other monuments. Trade began between Upper and Lower Egypt and the different districts of those regions. Already during the first Egyptian dynasty trade with Mesopotamia was established. The Egyptians traded gold, papyrus, linen, grain, and decorative artifacts. The Egyptians traded with Lebanon, Africa, Afghanistan, Punt and Nubia. They received (cedar wood - Lebanon), (ebony and ivory - Africa), (lapis lazuli - Afghanistan), (incense, myrrh and oils - Punt), (gold - Nubia) and (copper and iron are the best allies). The Egyptians also received wood, bronze, ceramics, olive oil, animal skins, and slaves. The ancient Egyptians had access to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Nile River. Ancient Egypt's natural resources allowed them to become one of the richest and most powerful civilizations of the ancient world. The economy of the ancient Egyptians was based on the cashless barter system. It was only with the Persian invasion of 525 BC that a monetary economy was established, until then trade flourished through the exchange of goods. The goods and services were known on a unit known as deben. The deben worked like a dollar in North America. One deben corresponded to approximately 90 grams of copper. The Egyptians had fixed prices on their goods so they could know how much the goods were worth and what the Egyptians could exchange them for. The boats and ships carrying the cargo sailed up and down the Nile River, bringing the goods to the ports. The first boats of ancient Egypt were made of papyrus reeds and propelled by poles or oars. The typical boat was thin and long, and the ends came to a point that protruded from the water. Then the Egyptians began to build wooden boats. Boats were not built with nails, boats were often made from a series of short planks hooked together and tied with ropes. They also began using a giant sail in the center of the boat so they could catch the wind. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayThen the ancient Egyptians learned how to build large, bulky merchant ships. These boats sailed up and down the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile River. These ships could hold a lot of cargo. Some ships could carry up to 500 tons of hollow rock. The ancient Egyptians became masters of boat building and river navigation.