All about the ancient tribes
The third king of the First Dynasty, Djer (c. 3050-3000 BCE) led an army against Nubia, which secured valuable trade centers.
Why was trade an important feature of ancient Egypt?
Nubia was first mentioned by ancient Egyptian trading accounts in 2300 BCE. During the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (c. 2040-1640 BCE), Egypt began expanding into Nubian territory in order to control trade routes, and to build a series of forts along the Nile.
Considered one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs—man or woman— Hatshepsut brought great wealth and artistry to her land. She sponsored one of Egypt’s most successful trading expeditions, bringing back gold, ebony, and incense from a place called Punt (probably modern-day Eritrea, a country in Africa).
Egypt’s most important trading partners include China, the United States, Italy, Germany, and the Gulf Arab countries.
The ancient Egyptians were wonderful traders. They traded gold, papyrus, linen, and grain for cedar wood, ebony, copper, iron, ivory, and lapis lazuli (a lovely blue gem stone.)
Bartering cattle, gold, carnelian, ivory, animal skins, hardwood, incense, and dates, Nubians traded with the Egyptians, their neighbors to the north, for grain, vegetable oils, wine, beer, linen, and other manufactured goods.
The land of Egypt is found within the regions of northern Africa. Nubia, on the other hand, is located along the Nile river which is a part of northern Sudan and southern Egypt. Nubia is said to be the Land of Gold. Because of this, the Egyptians attempted to conquer the land of Nubia.
By the Fifth Dynasty, trade with Punt gave Egyptians gold, aromatic resins, ebony, ivory, and wild animals. Egypt also traded with Anatolia for tin and copper in order to make bronze. Mediterranean trading partners provided olive oil and other fine goods.
One of Hatshepsut’s major achievements was expanding the trade routes of Ancient Egypt. Most notably was an expedition to the Land of Punt, which became a major trade partner supplying Egypt with gold, resin, wood, ivory, and wild animals.
Trade was also important to the economies of ancient civilizations. When Egyptians first settled along the Nile, the resources of the river supplied them with what they needed to survive. Access to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea opened Egypt to foreign cultures and influences.
Egypt’s main exports consist of natural gas, and non-petroleum products such as ready-made clothes, cotton textiles, medical and petrochemical products, citrus fruits, rice and dried onion, and more recently cement, steel, and ceramics.
Egypt imports mainly mineral and chemical products (25 percent of total imports), agricultural products, livestock and foodstuff (24 percent, mainly wheat, maize and meat), machinery and electrical equipment (15 percent) and base metals (13 percent).
Pharaoh Senusret During the Middle Kingdom, Senusret encouraged Egyptian art and literature. Artisans and architects created fine works, including the White Chapel.
Trade in Ancient Egypt. Egyptians exported stone and pottery vases, linen, papyrus, gold vessels, ox hides, ropes, lentils and dried fish. Their imported goods were mostly raw materials and products sought as luxury items in high society.
Scribes were people in ancient Egypt (usually men) who learned to read and write. Although experts believe that most scribes were men, there is evidence of some female doctors. These women would have been trained as scribes so that they could read medical texts.
They traded all sorts of things such as grains, flax, oil, and cloths. In return they received things like timbers, wine, precious metals and stones. The things they got were mostly used to making more transportation and developing civilization by creating more buildings.