Mesopotamia's geography, rich in fertile soil but lacking in wood, stone, and metals, made trade essential.

Riverboats on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers were the primary means of transporting goods within the region.

Overland trade was conducted using donkey caravans, connecting Mesopotamia to Anatolia, Persia, and the Levant.

Key imports included cedar wood from Lebanon, copper from Anatolia, and lapis lazuli from Afghanistan.

Mesopotamia exported surplus grain, textiles, and finished goods.

A system of credit was developed, with loans and contracts recorded on cuneiform clay tablets.

Silver, in the form of coils or rings, was used as a standard of value for exchange long before coinage.

Temples and palaces acted as large-scale economic institutions, organizing long-distance trade expeditions.

Merchant classes emerged, playing a vital role in the economy and society.

Trade networks facilitated not only the exchange of goods but also the spread of ideas, technologies, and culture.