The economic ways of both Mesopotamia and Egypt were similar in value and influence. These civilizations thrived on trade both within itself and with other civilizations. These cities like Sumer and Giza became important to the economic structures of the civilizations. The cities were the economic centers. They housed scribes who recorded taxes and transactions and architects who designed projects that became public works such as ziggurats and tombs. The cities became a place for artisan goods like metallurgy and sculptors. Most importantly, they were trade hubs. Trade allowed both Egypt and Mesopotamia to receive items that lacked such as cattle and trade away what they had an abundance of. Egypt traded things like papyrus for ebony and ivory