Looted or conquered; looted or traded? Come on man, those Mesopotamians were warriors!
If only those Mesopotamians in 6800 B.C. had not formed land ownership into city-states, then combined knowledge with early stages of technology and gone to war--in which enemies are captured and forced to work, there never would have been slavery.
To the walls!
No more calls to Holly for kitchen clean-up. RIP old faithful companion.