Chronology

C. I O O O B C - A D

1300

The chronology of the earlier part of Indian history is notoriously uncertain

compared to that of China or the Mediterranean world. Literary sources
can belong to a span of time rather than a precise date. However, this
ambiguity is offset in the data from inscriptions that are usually precisely
dated, often in a known era. Most of the important dynasties of the early
period used their own system of reckoning, which resulted in a number of
unconnected eras. But among the more widely used eras are the Vikrama
era of 5 8 - 5 7 BC and the Shaka era of AD 78. The Vikrama era was known
earlier as the Krita or the Malava era. Others include the Gupta era of AD
319-20, the Harsha era of AD 606, the Vikrama-Chalukya era of AD 1075
and a variety of others. Buddhist sources generally reckon from the year of
the death of the Buddha, but there are three alternative dates for this event
- 544/486/483 BC. It is more usual to use either of the two latter dates, the
first being generally doubted. Lately, there has been much discussion on the
date of the Buddha and suggestions have taken this chronology to almost a
hundred years later. But as yet there is no generally accepted agreement on
a date, other than the traditional.

BC
c. 2600-1700
c. 1500-500

c. 1000

Harappan urbanization: Mature and Late Harappan

Composition and compilation of the Vedic corpus
Neolithic and chalcolithic cultures in various parts of the
subcontinent
Megalithic burials, largely in the peninsula
Availability of iron artefacts
Use of iron artefacts gradually increases in range and
number after the sixth century BC

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