Where’d you get that shirt?

We don’t think much about trade today. For example, the shirt you’re wearing probably traveled thousands of miles from a factory to you. Long ago, though, if you owned goods from far away that likely meant you were rich and had high status. Merchants in ancient Afro-Eurasia and Mesoamerica went to great lengths to move trade goods. In this era, complex trade networks were emerging around the world.

Why was there trade? In a word, cities. People wanted or needed things that they couldn’t grow or make themselves. And so, ancient trade networks developed, often to satisfy the wishes of the wealthy, but also to bring necessary food and tools for non-elites.

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

Afro-Eurasia—this word covers a lot of ground. Three continents (Africa, Europe, and Asia) make up over half of the land on Earth. They are also home to most of the world’s population. Long before airplanes and the Internet connected the world, vast webs of trade networks linked these three continents.

This region was home to many of world’s oldest agricultural societies. Its geography and history helped trade grow. Afro-Eurasia had pack animals like horses and camels to carry goods over long distances. Ships made trade along sea routes relatively easy.

Many regions were known for certain goods. Silk originally came only from China, for example. Its beauty and usefulness, though, made it a popular trade good. Traders carried it across the vastness of Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. Indeed, silk became so important that we call the complex routes that stretched from Egypt to China the “Silk Road.” But merchants moved a lot more than silk along these and other routes. India was known for cotton and spices like nutmeg and pepper. Ivory and gold were traded from the coast of East Africa, and iron from the African kingdom of Nubia and the upper Nile. Greek and Roman wine and glass were transported to the Chinese. Finally, in every region of this ancient system, enslaved people were also bought and sold.

We have evidence that regional trade networks existed in Afro-Eurasia both at the beginning and end of this time period. Take a look at the picture below. This is 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 influenced and changed the cultures on these three continents. They connected almost all societies in Afro-Eurasia for the first time in history.

Sharp Black Rocks: The Mesoamerican Network

In the Western Hemisphere, long-distance trade networks also spread about 3,000 years ago. The most extensive 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, and humans had to carry most loads. The development of long-distance trade networks is pretty impressive, considering it was mainly done on foot.

Carrying goods on their backs, merchants moved between the large urban centers. Beginning around 1200 BCE, the Olmec and Zapotec peoples built major cities in what is now southern Mexico. Major trade routes developed between them. By around 150 BCE, the great city of Teotihuacan emerged further north.

In Mesoamerica, many cities grew powerful because they were near valuable resources. Obsidian, a black volcanic rock, is an important example. Instead of metal, Mesoamerican societies used obsidian for weapons and tools. Teotihuacan controlled two important obsidian mines. Its control of this resource made the city a regional powerhouse.

Many luxury materials circulated in the Mesoamerican network, as well. Mayan merchants carried cacao, jade, and salt up and down the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Zapotec merchants on the Pacific coast were known for their cotton cloth and pottery. Traders also shared new ideas. These included religious and cultural practices.

The impact of networks on communities

Long-distance trade was difficult and expensive. Traders therefore mostly moved goods that were easy to transport and promised large profits. These merchants also helped establish relationships between societies.

Rulers along these routes encouraged trade. It brought in wealth and resources needed to build complex societies. They often built roads. Their armies protected trade routes from bandits. The trade practices of this era laid the foundations for the expanded trade networks you will see in later eras.