Ancient Indian History · Start here
India began with settlements, stories and ideas.
Start with the oldest evidence. Then follow the rise of states, empires and cultural traditions.
Contents
Ancient Indian History
23 articlesChapter 1 – Prehistory & the Indus Valley
10 articlesIndus Valley Civilisation
- AlamgirpurAncHist0098
- Animals of the Indus Valley CivilizationAncHist0100
- Harappa: The City That Named a CivilisationAncHist0029
- Harappan Civilisation: Life, Economy and DeclineAncHist0005
- Harappan Civilisation: Sites and DiscoveryAncHist0004
- KalibanganAncHist0097
- Lothal: Harappan Dockyard and Port CityAncHist0117
- MohenjodaroAncHist0028
- Political Organisation of the Indus Valley CivilizationAncHist0043
- RangpurAncHist0105
11 articlesMaterial Culture and Archaeology
- Crafts, Trade and Towns, 200 BC to 300 ADAncHist0082
- Junagadh Rock Inscription of RudradamanAncHist0118
- Max MüllerAncHist0120
- Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) CultureAncHist0060
- Painted Grey Ware CultureAncHist0052
- SangholAncHist0096
- Sources of Ancient Indian History: Archaeology and EpigraphyAncHist0001
- The Iron Age in IndiaAncHist0032
- The Old Silk Route and Ancient Indian TradeAncHist0078
- The Prehistoric Period in IndiaAncHist0003
- AncHist0130 — Rea, Longhurst, Sewell, Burgess and Elliot: Archaeologists of Colonial IndiaAncHist0130
2 articlesHuman Origins and Early Farming
14 articlesChapter 2 – The Vedic Age
14 articlesVedic Age Society and Religion
- Agriculture in the Vedic AgeAncHist0047
- Gods of the Vedic Age: The Rigvedic PantheonAncHist0051
- Janapadas of Vedic Times: Territories and PolityAncHist0108
- Rigvedic Polity and Society: Government by Assembly, Not by DecreeAncHist0006
- Rigvedic Religion and the Later Vedic AgeAncHist0007
- Status of Women in Vedic SocietyAncHist0049
- The Ashrama System: Four Stages of LifeAncHist0056
- The AtharvavedaAncHist0094
- The Coming of the Aryans: Migration, Invasion, or Indigenous Origin?AncHist0045
- The RigvedaAncHist0095
- The SamavedaAncHist0093
- The Varna System: Origin and EvolutionAncHist0054
- The YajurvedaAncHist0092
- YajnavalkyaAncHist0104
28 articlesChapter 3 – Rise of States & Foreign Contact
22 articlesMahajanapadas
- Anga (Mahajanapada)AncHist0109
- Assaka / Ashmaka (Mahajanapada)AncHist0044
- Avanti (Mahajanapada)AncHist0046
- Chedi (Mahajanapada)AncHist0037
- Gandhara (Mahajanapada)AncHist0048
- Kamboja (Mahajanapada)AncHist0050
- Kashi (Mahajanapada)AncHist0033
- Kosala (Mahajanapada)AncHist0034
- Kuru (Mahajanapada)AncHist0039
- Life of the People in the Mahajanapada EraAncHist0064
- Magadha (Mahajanapada)AncHist0112
- Malla (Mahajanapada)AncHist0036
- Matsya (Mahajanapada)AncHist0041
- Panchala (Mahajanapada)AncHist0040
- Surasena (Mahajanapada)AncHist0042
- The Mahajanapadas and the Rise of MagadhaAncHist0008
- Vajji / Vriji Confederacy (Mahajanapada)AncHist0035
- Vatsa / Vamsa (Mahajanapada)AncHist0038
- SatiyaputtaAncHist0103
- The Araghatta Irrigation DeviceAncHist0124
- The Haryanka Dynasty of MagadhaAncHist0121
- The Magadha: Ancient India's Professional ChroniclersAncHist0131
6 articlesForeign Invasions and Contacts
- Alexander's Invasion of IndiaAncHist0055
- Greeks in India Immediately After Alexander: Seleucus NicatorAncHist0057
- Indo-Greeks, Shakas and KushansAncHist0016
- The Indo-Greek Kingdom: Bactria, Demetrius and MenanderAncHist0076
- The Indo-Parthian Kingdom (Gondophares)AncHist0077
- The Persian (Achaemenid) Invasion of IndiaAncHist0059
13 articlesChapter 4 – Mauryan & Post-Mauryan Empires
11 articlesMauryan Empire and Statecraft
- Agriculture and Land Revenue in the Mauryan EmpireAncHist0070
- Ashoka and His EdictsAncHist0014
- Ashoka's Relations with Other EmpiresAncHist0072
- Ashokan Edicts as Inscriptions: Script, Language and DeciphermentAncHist0069
- Bindusara: The Missing MauryanAncHist0068
- Kautilya's Arthashastra: Statecraft and Political TheoryAncHist0106
- Later Mauryan Kings and the Decline of the EmpireAncHist0073
- Life of the People in the Mauryan EmpireAncHist0071
- Mauryan Administration and EconomyAncHist0015
- The Mauryan Empire: Chandragupta MauryaAncHist0013
- The Nanda Dynasty of MagadhaAncHist0053
2 articlesPost-Mauryan Successor States
- Minor Post-Mauryan Powers of North IndiaAncHist0075
- Shungas, Satavahanas and KalingaAncHist0017
15 articlesChapter 5 – The Imperial Age (Gupta & Later)
8 articlesGupta Empire
- Chandragupta I: Marriage, Empire, and the Gupta EraAncHist0030
- Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)AncHist0084
- Gupta-Era Culture and ScienceAncHist0019
- Harshavardhana and the Post-Gupta AgeAncHist0020
- Samudragupta: Conquests and the Prayaga PrashastiAncHist0065
- Society in the Gupta AgeAncHist0087
- The Gupta Empire: Founders and AdministrationAncHist0018
- Trade and Towns of the Gupta AgeAncHist0086
7 articlesRegional and Successor Dynasties
- Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman IAncHist0119
- Post-Gupta Regional Dynasties of North IndiaAncHist0021
- Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Pallavas and CholasAncHist0023
- The Gurjara-Pratiharas and the Tripartite Struggle for KannaujAncHist0090
- The Palas, Senas and Buddhist Learning CentresAncHist0022
- The Sangam Age: Chera, Chola and Pandya KingdomsAncHist0026
- The Sangam Age: Literature and SocietyAncHist0025
20 articlesChapter 6 – Religious & Philosophical Movements
12 articlesBuddhism and Buddhist Heritage
- Buddhism: Historical Timeline and Present-Day StatusAncHist0027
- Buddhism: Schools and Sacred TextsAncHist0011
- Buddhism: The Buddha's Life and CouncilsAncHist0010
- Buddhist Rock-Cut Architecture: Chaityas and ViharasAncHist0099
- Sarnath: Buddha's First Sermon and the Gupta-Era Buddha StatueAncHist0088
- Sects of Buddhism: Hinayana, Mahayana, VajrayanaAncHist0062
- The Jatakas as a Historical SourceAncHist0089
- The TripitakaAncHist0102
- Xuanzang: The Pilgrim Who Chronicled Harsha's IndiaAncHist0031
- Symbols of the Buddha in Early Aniconic ArtAncHist0122
- The Amaravati StupaAncHist0123
- The Dhauli Rock-Cut Elephant: India's Earliest Buddhist SculptureAncHist0133
3 articlesJainism
- History and Spread of JainismAncHist0063
- Jain Texts and Scriptures: The AgamasAncHist0107
- Jainism: Origins and TeachingsAncHist0009
3 articlesReligious Sects and Movements
- Other Religious Sects and the Bhakti RootsAncHist0012
- Shaivism: History and DevelopmentAncHist0080
- Vaishnavism: History and DevelopmentAncHist0081
2 articlesPhilosophy
14 articlesChapter 7 – Art, Learning & Literature
5 articlesAncient Indian Art and Architecture
- Chola Art and Architecture (Imperial Period)AncHist0091
- Elephanta CavesAncHist0111
- Gandhara vs Mathura Schools of ArtAncHist0079
- The Mahabodhi Temple: Architecture and HeritageAncHist0067
- The Sanchi StupaAncHist0074
4 articlesAncient Seats of Learning
- Kumaragupta I and Nalanda UniversityAncHist0085
- Odantapuri UniversityAncHist0114
- Taxila (Takshashila): Ancient Centre of LearningAncHist0083
- Vikramshila UniversityAncHist0066
5 articlesEpics and Literature as Historical Sources
- Prakrit LanguagesAncHist0101
- The Mahabharata: Composition, Content and HistoricityAncHist0061
- The Ramayana: Composition, Content and HistoricityAncHist0058
- Vedic and Puranic Literature as Historical SourcesAncHist0002
- Malavikagnimitram: Kalidasa's Sunga-Era Love StoryAncHist0132