Besides the political and military objectives, the expansion of Urartu
had well defined economic goals, mainly related to the ownership of gold,
silver and iron mines in the region of Taurus, the control over the traffic
of goods with Phoenicia, Syria and Minor Asia, and the domination of the
international commerce route between orient and occident.
To reach the mediterranean lands, the products of India, Central Asia and
even those from China, had to pass through Mesopotamia in the south or
through the region of Anatolia and Van in the north. In addition to that,
the north-south route between the region of Black Sea and Mesopotamia went
directly through Urartu. With a good administration, the economic hegemony
of the empire was assured.
Urartu supplied the lands of the fertile half moon with tinctures and metal
and mineral products. It was also factory of Indian spices and Chinese
silk. Textile fragments of silk from year 750 (before this Era) were found
near to Van. They are the oldest found related to the eastern commerce
of silk. Exquisite egyptian amulets and scarabs with hieroglyphics were
found in the same region, as well as assyrian engraving cylinders and rosaries
of gold and pearls. Phoenician silver jars were found in Karmir-Blur. All
this is indicating that the commercial relationships of Urartu embraced
the banks of the Nile and beyond.
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