India's Ancient PastThis book presents a complete and accessible description of the history of early India. It starts by discussing the origins and growth of civilizations, empires, and religions. It also deals with the geographical, ecological, and linguistic backgrounds, and looks at specific cultures of the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Vedic periods, as well as at the Harappan civilization. In addition, the rise of Jainism and Buddhism, Magadha and the beginning of territorial states, and the period of Mauryas, Central Asian countries, Satvahanas, Guptas, and Harshavardhana are also analysed. Next, it stresses varna system, urbanization, commerce and trade, developments in science and philosophy, and cultural legacy. Finally, the process of transition from ancient to medieval India and the origin of the Aryan culture has also been examined. |
Contents
Nature of Sources and Historical Construction | |
Geographical Setting | |
Ecology and Environment | |
The Old Stone | |
First Food Producers and Animal Keepers | |
Chalcolithic Settlements Importance of the Chalcolithic Phase Limitations of Chalcolithic | |
Bronze Age Urbanization in the Indus Valley | |
Central Asian Contact and Mutual Impact | |
The Satavahana Phase | |
The Dawn of History in the Deep South | |
Crafts Commerce and Urban Growth 200 BCAD 250 | |
Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire | |
Life in the Gupta | |
Spread of Civilization in Eastern India | |
Harsha and His Times | |
Identity of Aryan Culture | |
The Age of the Rig Veda | |
Transition to State and Social Orders | |
Jainism and Buddhism | |
Territorial States and the Rise of Magadha | |
Iranian and Macedonian Invasions | |
The Maurya | |
The Significance of Maurya Rule | |
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Common terms and phrases
Afghanistan agriculture Ancient India Andhra Archaeology artisans Aryan Ashoka Bengal Bihar brahmanas Buddhist Calcutta called Central Asia century BC Chalcolithic Chandragupta coins copper cultivation Deccan Delhi developed earliest early eastern empire excavated Gangetic Gautama Buddha Greek Gujarat Gupta period Harappan Harappan culture Hindu horse important Indian History Indo-Aryan Indus iron Jaina Jainism Kalinga Karnataka king kingdom kshatriyas Kushan land grants language large number later Vedic literature lived Magadha Maharashtra Malwa Mathura Maurya medieval megalithic mid-Gangetic millennium BC Motilal Banarsidass Munshiram Manoharlal Neolithic onwards Orissa Oxford University Press Palaeolithic Pali Pallavas Pataliputra Patna peasants phase pottery Prakashan Prakrit priests princes Punjab Puranas Rajasthan region religious Rig Veda rituals river Roman ruled rulers Samudragupta Sangam Sanskrit Satavahanas script settlements seventh century Shakas shudras sixth century social society south India stone subcontinent Tamil temples towns trade tribal urban vaishyas Varanasi varna villages western India