Sumerian city-states relied on trade due to a lack of certain materials, which had to be brought in from other regions.
Their trade networks extended to places such as Oman, Arabia, Anatolia, the Indus valley , and the Iranian Plateau.
Sumerians also bought and sold property, but land tied to the temples could not be traded.
Trade was important in Sumerian society as Mesopotamia lacked essential materials such as stone, metals, and wood.
[1][2] Wool, lapis lazuli, gold, copper and iron were all very important resources in Mesopotamia.
[3] Resins from Frankincense and Myrrh trees were likely imported to Sumerian cities from cities in southern Oman, most notably Ubar, was a trade center for these resins and many of the trade routes from the Dhofar region run through Magan-Sumer Territories.
[10][11] Carnelian was also supplied by the Indus River Valley Civilization, who also had a large textile trade with Sumer.
[12] Gudea supposedly imported translucent Carnelian from the Indus River Valley Civilization.
[13] In Ur, Kish, and Babylon seals from the Indus River Valley have been found.
[17] Areas around the Kokcha river supplied lapis lazuli and Tin came from places east of the Iranian plateau.
[19] Sheep, pig, cattle herding as well as cereal were important parts of Sumerian agriculture.
[21] Occasionally leaders would cancel all rural debt in order to ensure peasants never became so poor that they would take up arms against the government.