EGYPTIAN TRADE
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The Egyptians were masters of trade in the ancient world. Encouraged by Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt and Thutmose III’s trades for rich loot in Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean Region, Egypt was the center of trade. Egyptians, and their trade partners, sailed along the Nile river to trade their goods which included gold, papyrus, linen and of course, grain. Sometimes they even traded decorative artefacts, and some actually stole from the pharaoh’s tombs! For these goods they received items which were not commonly found in Egypt such as cedar wood from Lebanon, ebony and ivory from Africa and even gold from Nubia. They were only allowed to trade in market places, and trade was also used in promoting friendship between civilisations. Gifts were given to show that one country wanted peace and/ or alliance with another.
Trade affected all of the social classes of ancient Egypt because many different kinds of resources were traded. For example, peasants needed cheap food to survive on, while artisans (such as myself) used ebony, linen, iron and copper for their crafts. Scribes traded for better food, such as meat, beer and fish. They also used the leather traded from other places to be made into carrying bags by artisans. Priests bought linen to have made into clothes and government officials, including the pharaoh, used luxury resources such as copper or other metals, especially when it came to building tombs and houses. In conclusion trade in ancient Egypt was important because it gave civilians other special resources, which were not found in Egypt, required to live and prosper.