Licensed Warehousing and Mercantile Exchange in History

Licensed Warehousing from Arslantepe to the Present Day

The licensed warehousing system in Türkiye is not only a modern commercial regulation, but also a contemporary manifestation of Anatolia’s thousands of years of institutional heritage. The sealing, central control, and record-keeping systems discovered at the Malatya Arslantepe Mound form the historical basis for today’s licensed warehousing structures.

During the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods at Arslantepe, palace and temple complexes, interpreted as early examples of state formation, ensured the centralized storage of goods, their tracking through sealing, and their distribution to specific social groups based on a quota system. Even in this period when writing had not yet been invented, seal impressions served as documents, and the movement of goods was monitored by officials. The seals at Arslantepe, on the one hand, indicated the owner and person responsible for the goods, and on the other hand, served as a security tool regulating access rights. This system served the organization of administrative power and the institutionalization of social trust.

Today, licensed warehouses operating under the supervision and control of the Ministry of Trade store products by analyzing them through authorized classifiers and sorting them into quality classes, then issue Electronic Warehouse Receipts (EWR) to create a secure and traceable ownership structure. Physical seal-based goods inspection in Arslantepe is now provided through digital systems and central registration institutions. Today, EWR documents are linked to the owner’s identity or tax number and can only be accessed and processed by authorized parties. In this respect, EWR can be seen as a digital equivalent of the seals used in Arslantepe.

This process, stretching from Arslantepe to today’s licensed warehousing, demonstrates the historical continuity of public authority, economic activity, and goods management in Anatolia. The principles of transparency, oversight, property security, and institutional record-keeping represented by Arslantepe’s clay seals have become more widespread and accessible in today’s EWR system, supported by digital infrastructure.

References

UNESCO Arslantepe Information

Directorate General of Cultural Heritage and Museums

Ministry of Trade – Licensed Warehousing

TMEX – What is EWR?

Merchandise Exchange from Aizanoi to the Present Day

The historical roots of merchandise exchanges can be traced back thousands of years to the Macellum structure in the ancient city of Aizanoi, located in Kütahya Çavdarhisar. The Macellum began to be used as a marketplace for the sale of fresh meat and fish from the 3rd century BC onwards. By the end of the 2nd century AD, it had been organised as a food market. Exchange served as a commercial hub, trading a wide range of products including meat, grain, baked goods, game, and olive oil.

One of the earliest examples in exchange history, the Macellum, features inscriptions in Latin and Greek on its stone walls detailing the Price Ceiling Edict issued by Roman Emperor Diocletian in AD 301. These inscriptions represent one of the first regulations where price controls were publicly announced, and mechanisms for transparency and oversight were implemented.

The centrally planned architecture of the Aizanoi Macellum, together with the surrounding shops, served not only as a physical market area but also as a centre for the announcement of economic decisions. The determination of goods and services prices by a central authority and their public disclosure reflect an early manifestation of the principles embodied in today merchantile exchanges.

The publicly regulated market established in the 3rd century AD at the Aizanoi Macellum has evolved into a sustainable economic mechanism today, supported by regulatory oversight, electronic record systems, and digital transaction platform infrastructure. The inscriptions used for announcements in Aizanoi are now maintained through digital displays and systematic data flows.

This process, stretching from Aizanoi to TMEX, reflects not only architectural and textual similarities, but also values such as the construction of institutional structures, reflecting a heritage stretching back thousands of years.

References

The World’s First Exchange Structure – Çavdarhisar District Governor’s Office

Macellum of Aizanoi – Dumlupınar University

Informing of Kütahya Commodity Exchange