History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c39.s2.t2.5

v1.c39.s2.t2.5

It appears that a critical measure of trade, cultural and even military contacts with neighbouring states provide vital stimuli to the growth of civilizations, cities and technology. This factor has been overlooked by many scholars including Childe. Ecological and military factors (civil war) must have damaged the Harappan civilization, but its collapse was ultimately due to the loss of short-range and long-range trade links.