Contents Foreword fob 006 0000 uo Preface to the First Edition 6. wwe Author's Acknowledgements 1. The Importance of Ancient Indian History 2, The Construction of Ancient Indian History wo. Material Remains—Coms—Inscriptions—Literary Sources— Foreign Accounts—Historical Sense 3. The Geographical Setting .. . TheStone Age 9. The Old Stone Age—Phases 1n the Palaeolithic Age—The Late Stone Age—The New Stone Age a . The Stone-Copper Phase ~ o Chalcolithic Settlements—Chalcolithie Cultures—Importance of the Chalcolithic Phase—Limitations of Chalcol:thic Cultures— Tho Copper Age in India . The Harappan Civilization Geographical Extent—Town Planning and Structures—Agricul- ture—Domestication of Animals—Technology and Crafts— Trade—Political Organization—Roligious Practices—The Male Deity in the Indus Valley—Tree and Animal Worship—The Harap- pan Script—Weights and Measures—Harappan Pottery—Seals Images—Torracotta Figurines—Origin, Maturity and End . Advent of the Aryans and the Age of the Rig Veda Original Home and Identity—Tribal Conflicts—Material Life— Tribal Polity—Tribe and Family—Social Divislons—Rig Vedic Gods 26° 33 4510. 1. 12. 13, 14, 15, 16, 1. Jainism and Buddhism x ‘The Later Vedic Phase : Transition to State and Social Formation... Expansion in the Later Vedic Period (c. 1000-600 B.C.)—The PGW—Iron Phase Culture and Later Vedic Economy—Political Organization—Social Organization—Gods, Rituals and Ph losophy Causes of Origin—Vardhamana Mahavira andJainism—Doctrines of Janism—Sproad of Jainism—Contribution of Jainism—Gau- tama Buddha and Buddhism—Doctrines of Buddhism—Special Features of Buddhism and ihe Causes of its Spread—Causes of the Decline of Buddism—Importance and Influence of Buddhism Territorial States and the First Magadhan Empire The Mahajanapadas—Rise and Growth of the Magadhan Empire —Causes of Magadha’s Success Iranian and Macedonian Invasions Tranian Invasion—Results of the Contact—Alexander’s Invasion —Effects of Alexander's Invasion State and Varna Society in the Age of the, Buddha Material Life—Administrative Systam—Army and Taxation— The Republican Experiment—Social Orders and Lagislation ‘The Age of the Mauryas Chandragupta Maucya—Imperial Organization—Asoka (273-232 B.C)—Asokan Edicts—Impact of the Kalinga War—Internal Policy and Buddhism—Asoka’s Place’ iw History Signif{cance of the Maurya Rule State Control—Economic Regulations—Spread of Material Culture—Causes of the Fall of the Maurya Empire Central Asian Contacts and Their Results The Indo-Greeks—The Sakas—The Parthians—The Kushans— Impact of Centrat Asian Contacts ‘The Age of the Satayahanas Political History—Aspects of Material Culture—Social Organi- zation—Pattern of Administration—Religion—Architecturo— Language 51 69 15 8 93 102 4