Farmers that worked for the government had to turn in the majority of their harvest which was distributed throughout the city. Different jobs ranked people higher in society than others. For example, a farmer would be ranked lower than a scribe. Merchants traveled in a wheeled cart which was pulled by livestock. Once the city started to grow, the merchants started to trade for luxury items such as precious stones, hardwood, and metal. The ancient Sumerians traded with Iran, Northern Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and the Persian Gulf. The main crop in Sumer was barely. Barley, was made into flour, which was made into bread. Figs and dates were also common foods in Sumer.
The art of the ancient Sumerians had influenced many civilizations at the time as well as future civilizations. Clay was the material that was used to make art because of its abundance. Their art mainly focused on the relationship between people, gods, plants and animals. They made paintings and sculptures that were very complex. The art of the Sumerians was very difficult to make because it is hard to make sharp edges when using