2. What were the main trade items, both imports and exports?
Return to History 8 Near East Questions
Throughout the Levant multiple cities traded among themselves. Canaan utilized it's natural resources and traded limestone for foreign objects from neighboring cities. Additionally, Canaan imported bronze which is an alloy of copper and a small percentage of tin to create weapons. Jerusalem, Aleppo, and Istanbul were major cities and traded with each other. The caravans traveled to Jerusalem for wood, but traveling through the desert was time consuming due to the lack of water in the form of rivers so they were forced to travel by foot. Aleppo had an abundance of olives, wheat, and cotton and traders paid with either gold or exchanged goods in bazaars to pay for the merchandise. Turkey had tiles and carpets and many people traveled there to purchase their goods. Salt was a main good traded throughout the Middle East and was one of the most valuable item. Cities lacked resources others had and so trade thrived throughout the Middle East.
Sources: Manual page 109
Video clip from presentation on March 30, 2016
Image from:
https://www.pinterest.com/sagaofgurf/the-land-of-israel/
