The Development of Trade and Money

The fertile crescent also had other important resources available for these communities, which really start taking off around 4000 BC. Olives were a particularly important commodity because they could be grinded into oil. Salt could be found around the great Dead Sea of the Jordan Valley and it allowed traders to move olives, fish, and other food products large distances. Also in the region was malachite ore, which while in rock formations has a distinct blue color that people liked so they mined it.