The people of the ancient civilizations, most often relied on the cultivation of crops to assure their economic wellbeing. As much food was produced and surpluses resulted, the need arose for the exchange of food with other needed items such as tools, weapons, dresses or materials for building homes. Other skills developed as the needs of the ancient people increased in number and variety. It is in this respect that crafts men, scribes, builders, artisans, sculptors, heaters, potters and many others. The structures that we use today to study the ancient civilizations were put up by these skilled technicians.

Among the items produced by the ancient technicians are: Palaces, Temples, gardens, swimming pools, pyramids, tombs, statues, halls, jewellery, pottery, paintings, and writings, among many others. But it should be noted that a trade such as pottery work or blacksmithing was usually a family thing-passing from parent to child.