Where’d you get that shirt?

Look at the tag in your shirt. Where was it made? There is a good chance it came from a factory thousands of miles from your home. Today, global trade is common, but long ago it was a complex and challenging process. Still, trade networks spread rapidly in this era.

Cities were the main reason trade grew during this period. People wanted or needed goods that they couldn’t grow or make themselves. Ancient trade networks developed to meet this social and economic need.

Roads, Winds, and Camels: The Afro-Eurasian Network

Afro-Eurasia: this term covers a lot of ground. Three continents (Africa, Europe, and Asia) make up more than half of the land on Earth. They also are home to most of the world’s population. Today, we have airplanes and the Internet that connect every corner of the planet. Four thousand years ago, though, slow-moving trade networks linked these three continents together.

This region was home to some of the world’s oldest agricultural societies. Its geography and history helped trade grow. Over land, Afro-Eurasia had pack animals like horses and camels. They could haul goods over long distances. Sailing ships used wind to move goods along coasts and across bodies of water.

Regions sometimes were known for certain goods. For example, silk originally came only from China. Its beauty and usefulness, though, made it a popular trade good. Traders carried it across Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. Silk became so important that we call the routes between Egypt and China the “Silk Road.” However, more than silk moved between the continents. India was known for cotton and spices like pepper. Ivory and gold were traded from the coast of East Africa. Greek and Roman wine and glass were transported to the Chinese. Enslaved people were also bought and sold as part of this trade system.

Trade networks developed in Afro-Eurasia throughout this time period. Take a look at the picture below. This object is known as the Standard of Ur. It was created in Ur (in present-day Iraq) around 2400 BCE. But it is made from materials not found in that region. The blue rock is lapis lazuli from Bactria (in present-day Afghanistan). The figures are made of white shells from the Persian Gulf. And the red stone is marble from India. The trade networks that made the Standard of Ur possible existed more than 4,400 years ago.

Trade across land and sea touched most parts of Afro-Eurasia. Traders helped connect almost all societies there for the first time in history.

Sharp Black Rocks: The Mesoamerican Network

North and South America are located in the Western Hemisphere. There, long-distance trade networks also spread about 3,000 years ago. The biggest of these was in Mesoamerica. Today, we know this region as Mexico and Central America.

Long-distance trade in the Americas was difficult. This region has high mountains and rivers that were not good for transportation. Mesoamerica didn’t have pack animals, so humans had to carry most loads.

Carrying goods on their backs, merchants moved between the large cities. Beginning around 1200 BCE, the Olmec and Zapotec peoples became regional powers. They built major cities in what is now southern Mexico. Trade routes developed between them. Later, the great city of Teotihuacan developed further north.

In Mesoamerica, many cities grew powerful because they were near valuable resources. Obsidian was one such resource. Mesoamerican societies used this black volcanic rock instead of metal for weapons and tools. Teotihuacan controlled two important obsidian mines. Having this resource made the city very powerful.

Luxury items were among the goods carried along Mesoamerica trade routes. Mayan merchants moved up and down the Yucatan Peninsula. They trade cacao, jade, and salt. Zapotec merchants on the Pacific coast were known for their cotton cloth and pottery. Traders also moved ideas. They sometimes introduced new religious and cultural practices to new places.

The impact of networks on communities

Long-distance trade took planning and effort. It was also expensive. Traders preferred to deal in goods that were easy to transport and promised large profits. Merchants also played significant roles in communication between societies.

Rulers along these routes encouraged trade. It brought wealth and resources they needed. These rulers often built roads to make trade faster and easier. Their armies also protected merchants from bandits. As a result, trade networks rapidly expanded during this time period.