A history of ancient and early medieval India
Subtitle: from the Stone Age to the 12th century
By: Upinder Singh.
Edition: 1
Publisher: Pearson Education
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Upper Saddle River, NJ
Language: eng
ISBN-13: 9788131711200; 9788131716779
Subjects: India -- History
Description: Developed as a comprehensive introductory work for scholars and students of ancient and early medieval Indian history, this book provides the most exhaustive overview of the subject. Dividing the vast historical expanse from the stone age to the 12th century into broad chronological units, it constructs profiles of various geographical regions of the subcontinent, weaving together and analysing an unparalleled range of literary and archaeological evidence. Dealing with prehistory and protohistory of the subcontinent in considerable detail, the narrative of the historical period breaks away from conventional text-based history writing. Providing a window into the world of primary sources, it incorporates a large volume of archaeological data, along with literary, epigraphic, and numismatic evidence. Revealing the ways in which our past is constructed, it explains fundamental concepts, and illuminates contemporary debates, discoveries, and research. Situating prevailing historical debates in their contexts, Ancient and Early Medieval India presents balanced assessments, encouraging readers to independently evaluate theories, evidence, and arguments. Beautifully illustrated with over four hundred photographs, maps, and figures, Ancient and Early Medieval India helps visualize and understand the extraordinarily rich and varied remains of the ancient past of Indian subcontinent. It offers a scholarly and nuanced—yet lucid—account of India’s early past, and will surely transform the discovery of this past into an exciting experience.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Understanding Literary and Archaeological Sources; title: Hunter-Gatherers of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Ages; title: The Transition to Food Production: Neolithic, Neolithic-Chalcolithic, and Chalcolithic Villages, c. 7000-2000 BCE; title: The Harappan Civilization, c. 2600-1900 BCE; title: Cultural Transitions: Images from Texts and Archaeology, c. 2000-600 BCE; title: Cities, Kings, and Renunciants: North India, c. 600-300 BCE; title: Power and Piety: The Maurya Empire, c. 324-187 BCE; title: Interaction and Innovation, c. 200 BCE-300 CE; title: Aesthetics and Empire, c. 300-600 CE; title: Emerging Regional Configurations, c. 600-1200 CE