Download The Egyptians were masters of trade in the ancient world. Stimulated

A tomb painting depicting craftsmen in the workshop of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III
The Egyptians were masters of trade in the ancient world. Stimulated by Hatshepsut’s
voyage to Punt and Thutmose III’s trades for rich loot in Southwest Asia and the
Mediterranean Region, Egypt was a center of trade. Egyptians and their trading partners
sailed along the Nile River to trade their goods, but sometimes also traveled to and from
the Eastern or Western Deserts. Egyptians traded with their precious resources,
including gold, papyrus, linen, and grain. Sometimes, they even traded decorative
artifacts, and some people stole them out of the Pharaohs’ tombs! For these goods, they
received items not commonly found in Egypt in return. These included cedar wood from
Lebanon; ebony and ivory from Africa; incense, myrrh and oils from Punt; lapis lazuli
from Afghanistan; gold from Nubia, and even the important metals copper and iron from
their best allies. Occasionally, they bought mud pottery or horses from other
civilizations. They were only allowed to trade in marketplaces. Trade was also used in
promoting friendship between civilizations. Gifts were given to show that one country
wanted peace and/or alliance with another. Strangely, princesses were commonly given
from one country (or ruler) to another! This may explain why Ramses II has over 100
wives! Sometimes, Egypt determined how much of an item was being offered for trade
by comparison to pieces of metal of known weight (using a balance or scale). In 400
BCE., gold, silver, and bronze coins became the currency of Egypt, but even then,
bartering was still popular. Trade affects all of the social classes of Egypt because so
many different kinds of resources were traded. For example, peasants needed cheap
food to survive on, while Artisans 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 their carrying bags by artisans. Priests bought
linen to have it made into the clothes. Government officials and the Pharaoh will use
luxury resources such as copper or other metals, and incense
Extract from:
Bell, M. & Quie S. (2010). Ancient Egyptian Civilization. New York: The Rosen Publishing group.
Trade in Ancient Egypt
Name:
Answer the following questions with reference to the image and information provided.
1) Why was trade so important to the ancient Egyptians?
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2) What did Ancient Egyptians import and export?
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3) Who did the Ancient Egyptians trade with?
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