Just got a 2002 Readers digest book - 'vanished civilizations' from the library. It says that before 3000bc merchants from Susa were trading as far as Egypt.
Anyone know of the evidence for this?

You might find this article interesting:
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Persia/Susa.html

I found this:

Smith, H.S, "The Making of Egypt: A Review of the Influence of Susa and Sumer on Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia in the 4th Millennium B.C." in The Followers of Horus: Studies Dedicated to Michael Allen Hoffman. pp. 235-246. edited by RenŽe Friedman and Barbara Adams. Oxbow Books, 1992.

- Comparison of the iconography of Susa (Persia) and Sumer with Predynastic Egypt. Argues for contact with Persian Gulf and Upper Egypt via Red Sea route. Compare to von der Way in same volume.

http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/foreignrelations/archaicindex.html

Wow! thanx Neb!
I am now doing a research about pre and early dynastic period....