First Trade in Southwest Asia: Neolithic Period (9000–7000 BCE)

Archaeological evidence places the earliest trade networks in Southwest Asia (Near East) at 9000–7000 BCE (Pre-Pottery Neolithic A/B).

Early Traded Goods

• Obsidian: From Anatolian sources (Çiftlik, Göllüdağ, Nemrut Dağ) to Levant, Mesopotamia, Cyprus — sharp tools, status items.
• Shell beads: Mediterranean (Dentalium, Columbella) → inland sites.
• Bitumen: Natural asphalt (Hit, Iraq) → waterproofing, adhesive.
• Stone tools/blanks: Flint, chert across regions.
• Early domesticated crops: Wheat, barley, lentils, peas — spread via exchange.
• Livestock: Sheep, goats, cattle, pigs — live animals.

Key Sites Showing Trade

• Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100–5700 BCE): Obsidian from 300+ km; shells from Med.
• Jericho (West Bank, 9000 BCE+): Obsidian, turquoise, cowries.
• Jarmo (Iraq, 7000 BCE): Obsidian, stone bowls.
• Ain Ghazal (Jordan, 7200–5000 BCE): Long-distance materials.

Expansion (4th Millennium BCE)

Uruk expansion (Mesopotamia) → long-distance networks to Egypt (Naqada), Anatolia (Arslantepe), Iran (Susa), Central Asia (Turkmenistan). Wheel, sail, writing, seals emerge to manage complexity.