thumb|The Kingdom of Aksum in the 6th century AD. In the Horn of Africa there was the Land of Punt, a kingdom on the Red Sea, likely located in modern-day Eritrea or northern Somaliland. The Ancient Egyptians initially traded via middle-men with Punt until in 2,350 BC when they established direct relations. They would become close trading partners for over a millennium, with Punt exchanging gold, aromatic resins, blackwood, ebony, ivory and wild animals. Towards the end of the ancient period, northern Ethiopia and Eritrea bore the Kingdom of D'mt beginning in 980 BC, whose people developed irrigation schemes, used ploughs, grew millet, and made iron tools and weapons. In modern-day Somalia and Djibouti there was the Macrobian Kingdom, with archaeological discoveries indicating the possibility of other unknown sophisticated civilisations at this time.
thumb|the kingdom of aksum in the 6th century ad in the horn of africa there was the land of punt a kingdom on the red sea likely located in modern-day eritrea or northern somaliland the ancient egyptians initially traded via middle-men with punt until in 2350 bc when they established direct relations they would become close trading partners for over a millennium with punt exchanging gold aromatic resins blackwood ebony ivory and wild animals towards the end of the ancient period northern ethiopia and eritrea bore the kingdom of d'mt beginning in 980 bc whose people developed irrigation schemes used ploughs grew millet and made iron tools and weapons in modern-day somalia and djibouti there was the macrobian kingdom with archaeological discoveries indicating the possibility of other unknown sophisticated civilisations at this time