Srinagar, Dec. 16 -- Despite the long evolution of communication technologies, the most decisive forces shaping cultures for thousands of years were not peaceful exchanges but the movement of people, whether by migration, trade, or conquest.

Migration and Trade:

Early human migrations out of Africa seeded the world's initial civilisations. Later movements, such as the Indo-European and Bantu expansions, carried languages and customs across continents.

Trade routes like the Silk Road and the Indian Ocean networks connected empires and facilitated the spread of Buddhism, Islam, and a wealth of scientific and technological innovations. Merchants, monks, and scholars carried ideas as readily as they carried spices, silk, and gold.

Invasio...