A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th CenturyA History of Ancient and Early Medieval India is the most comprehensive textbook yet for undergraduate and postgraduate students. It introduces students to original sources such as ancient texts, artefacts, inscriptions and coins, illustrating how historians construct history on their basis. Its clear and balanced explanation of concepts and historical debates enables students to independently evaluate evidence, arguments and theories. This remarkable textbook allows the reader to visualize and understand the rich and varied remains of India s ancient past, transforming the process of discovering that past into an exciting experience. |
Contents
Ideas of the Early Indian Past | 2 |
The ruins at Bhita | 3 |
Understanding Literary and Archaeological Sources | 12 |
A 12th century manuscript of the Prajnaparamita | 13 |
Purana Qila excavations in progress 1954 | 20 |
The mound of Hastinapura | 36 |
INTERPRETING ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE | 39 |
Nagarjunakonda salvage operations in progress | 42 |
The Maurya Empire c 324187 BCE | 320 |
The lion capital of Ashokas Sarnath pillar | 321 |
ASHOKAS INSCRIPTIONS | 326 |
LITERARY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROFILES OF CITIES | 334 |
Ring wells and storage jar Purana Qila | 336 |
THE NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF THE MAURYA EMPIRE | 340 |
ASHOKA AND BUDDHISM | 349 |
The Rummindei pillar incription | 351 |
Hero stone from Khanapur Karnataka | 48 |
Silver GurjaraPratihara coin | 54 |
HunterGatherers of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Ages | 58 |
Arun Sonakia | 64 |
The Bhimbetka rock shelters | 71 |
Burin from Mukat Manipur | 78 |
Microliths from various sites | 84 |
Graves subsistence and settlement patterns | 86 |
CONCLUSIONS | 93 |
Neolithic Neolithic | 94 |
A pot from Nal Baluchistan | 95 |
Neolithic stone tools Burzahom | 111 |
Celts from Nayapur and Kuchai | 122 |
Female figurine Mehrgarh | 130 |
The Harappan Civilization c 26001900 BCE | 132 |
Painted designs on early Harappan pottery Nal and Kulli | 140 |
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EARLY AND MATURE | 145 |
Images from Texts | 182 |
THE HISTORICAL MILIEU OF LATER VEDIC AGE TEXTS | 198 |
The atman according to Uddalaka Aruni | 208 |
The IndoGangetic divide the upper Ganga valley | 214 |
The middle Ganga valley | 223 |
The chalcolithic farmers of the Deccan | 229 |
Goddesses with and without heads | 235 |
PGW sherds from various sites | 248 |
CONCLUSIONS | 255 |
North India c 600300 BCE | 256 |
NBPW from various sites | 261 |
POLITICAL CONFLICTS AND THE GROWTH | 269 |
THE EXAMPLE | 276 |
Excavated section Hastinapura | 281 |
THE MIDDLE AND LOWER GANGA VALLEY | 283 |
CLASS KINSHIP VARNA AND CASTE | 291 |
EARLY BUDDHISM | 303 |
BUDDHISM AND WOMEN | 310 |
Stone sculpture Lohaniganj | 364 |
Interaction and Innovation c 200 BCE300 CE | 368 |
THE SHAKAPAHLAVAS OR SCYTHOPARTHIANS | 375 |
Copper coin of Soter Megas | 377 |
THE SATAVAHANA EMPIRE IN THE DECCAN | 381 |
VILLAGES AND CITIES | 388 |
CENTRAL AND WESTERN INDIA | 396 |
CRAFTS AND GUILDS | 403 |
INDOROMAN TRADE | 412 |
ASPECTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE IN NORTH INDIA AND | 418 |
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE | 445 |
THE JAINA CAVES AT UDAYAGIRI AND KHANDAGIRI | 460 |
THE PATRONAGE OF RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS | 467 |
Aesthetics and Empire c 300600 CE | 472 |
THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE GUPTA | 485 |
TYPES OF LAND LAND MEASURES AND LAND TENURE | 493 |
CRAFT PRODUCTION GUILDS AND TRADE | 500 |
A CLASSICAL AGE OF ART? | 526 |
SCULPTURE | 532 |
MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE | 542 |
Emerging Regional Configurations c 6001200 CE | 546 |
SOURCES LITERARY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL | 548 |
THE FAR SOUTH | 557 |
EASTERN INDIA | 564 |
KASHMIR AND THE NORTHWEST | 571 |
THE IMPACT OF BRAHMANA SETTLEMENTS ON AGRARIAN RELATIONS | 578 |
URBAN PROCESSES IN EARLY MEDIEVAL INDIA | 584 |
THE ALVARS AND NAYANMARS | 616 |
A Note on Diacritics | 644 |
650 | |
656 | |
667 | |
676 | |
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A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the ... Upinder Singh No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
2nd century ancient animals archaeological artefacts Arthashastra Ashoka Ashoka's Asia associated beads belonging bones Brahmana Brahmi Buddha Buddhist burials carved cattle cave centre century BCE Chola coins copper culture dates Deccan deities Delhi described dhamma district dynasty early historical early medieval evidence excavations figurines Ganga valley goddess guild Gujarat Gupta Harappan phase identified images important included indicate inscriptions instance iron Jaina Karnataka king known Krishna Kushana land large number late Harappan later levels Manu Smriti Mathura Maurya megalithic mentioned mesolithic microliths Mohenjodaro monks mound Nagarjunakonda NBPW neolithic palaeolithic Pallava period pillar political pottery Pradesh Puranas Rajasthan red ware refers reign religious remains Rig Veda rituals river royal rulers sangha Sanskrit Satavahana script sculptures seals settlements Shiva shrines Smriti social sources South India stone tools structures stupa subcontinent suggests Tamil temple terracotta texts tion trade tradition urban Vakataka various varna Vedic village Vishnu women worship Xuanzang