I think there was a lot more trading than we usually think. It was an industry to trade for some states, and at one point in Europe they wanted to start trading

I think there was a lot more trading than we usually think. It was an industry to trade for some states, and at one point in Europe they wanted to start trading directly, independent of political going-ons in the middle east. Starting the voyages of discovery. The Levant was immensely prosperous afaik. There is also the statue of a Buddha found in Sweden! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helgö#Excavations_at_Helgo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helgö#Excavations_at_Helgo