Editing Bronze Age (section)

== Trade ==
Trade and industry played a major role in the development of Bronze Age civilisations. With artefacts of the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]] found in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, it is clear that these civilisations were not only in touch with one another, but also trading. Early long-distance trade was limited almost exclusively to luxury goods like spices, textiles, and precious metals. Not only did this make cities with ample amounts of these products rich, but it also led to an intermingling of cultures for the first time in history.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kristiansen |first=Kristian |date=26 November 2015 |title=Connected Histories: the Dynamics of Bronze Age Interaction and Trade 1500–1100 BC |journal=Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society |volume=81 |pages=361–392 |doi=10.1017/ppr.2015.17 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Trade routes were not just on land. The first and most extensive trade routes were along rivers such as the [[Nile]], the [[Tigris]], and the [[Euphrates]], which led to the growth of cities on the banks of these rivers. The later domestication of camels also helped encourage [[trade routes]] overland, linking the Indus Valley with the [[Mediterranean]]. This further led to towns appearing where there was a pit-stop or caravan-to-ship port.