1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

When did trade start? Soon after people began to live in settled communities they began to trade. Many items, like textiles and skins, have not survived, so the full extent of early trade is not known. But Jericho, an oasis town from 9000 BC, is thought to have been an early trading centre for salt and bitumen from the Dead Sea, cowrie shells from the Red Sea, and copper and turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula. At Kanesh (in modern Turkey) merchants set up an important trading centre in 2000 B.C.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: First Civilisations