Trade has always been a vital aspect of any civilization. The ancient Egyptians were excellent traders. Ancient Egypt was a country rich in many natural resources, but was still not self-sufficient and therefore had to rely on trade for necessary goods and luxury goods. The natural resources and raw materials of ancient Egypt allowed them to become a rich and powerful civilization. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In Egypt, the trade began during the Predynastic period (ca. 6000 to ca. 3150 BCE) and continued throughout throughout Roman Egypt (30 BCE to 3150 BCE). 646 CE). 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 these regions. By the First Egyptian Dynasty, trade was already established with Mesopotamia. The Egyptians traded gold, papyrus, linen, grains and decorative items. 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, pottery, olive oil, animal skins and slaves. The ancient Egyptians had access to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Nile. Ancient Egypt's natural resources allowed them to become one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in the ancient world. The economy of ancient Egypt operated on a cashless barter system. It was not until the Persian invasion of 525 BCE that a monetary economy was established; until then, commerce thrived through the exchange of goods. The goods and services were known as deben. The deben functioned like a dollar in North America. One deben contained about 90 grams of copper. The Egyptians set the prices of their goods so that they could know what the goods were worth and what they could exchange them for. The boats and ships that carried the cargo sailed along the Nile, bringing the goods to the ports. The first ancient Egyptian boats 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 out of the water. Then the Egyptians finally started making wooden boats. Boats were not built with nails, they were often made from a number of short planks tied together with ropes. They also started using a giant sail in the middle of the boat to be able to catch the wind. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Next, the ancient Egyptians learned to build large and bulky cargo ships. These boats sailed along the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile. These ships could hold a lot of goods. Some ships could carry up to 500 tons of rock. The ancient Egyptians were masters at building boats and navigating rivers..