Humans have been dealing in commerce for thousands of years, trading items large and small around the globe. As commercial enterprises grew, so did the need for mass storage as the number of items required for trade increased. The Greeks used giant storage jars called pithos, some of which were two meters tall with a weight of several tonnes, while the Romans used giant amphorae for bulk storage of food, wine and ceramics, some of which have been found in our own British Isles.