Paleolithic Phase1.1 .......................................8Introduction ..................................................... 8

Pre Historic India .............................................. 8

Paleolithic or Old Stone Age .............................. 9

Three Phases of Paleolithic Age ........................ 9

1.2 Mesolithic & Neolithic Phase ...................... 12

Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age ........................12

Neolithic Age or New Stone Age .......................12

1.3 Chalcolithic Phase .................................... 15

Introduction ....................................................15

Major Calcholithic Cultures ..............................16

UNIT I : Pre Historic Times

CONTENTS

2.1 Indus Valley Civilization ............................ 19Introduction ....................................................19Town Planning .................................................21Prominent Buildings ........................................22Script ..............................................................23Trade and Commerce .......................................23Weights & Measures ........................................25Seals ..............................................................25

Agriculture ......................................................25Society ............................................................25Religious Life ..................................................26Arts ................................................................27Polity ..............................................................27Weapons .........................................................28Burial ..............................................................28Decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation ..............28

3.1 Early Vedic Age or Rigvedic Ag) .................. 30Introduction ....................................................30Area of Settlement ...........................................31Political Organisation ......................................32Social Life .......................................................33Economy .........................................................34Religion ...........................................................35

3.2 Later Vedic Period/ Painted Grey Ware Phase 37Introduction ....................................................37Area of Settlement ...........................................38Society ...........................................................38Political System ...............................................40Economy .........................................................42Education .......................................................42

Religion ...........................................................43

3.3 Vedic Literature ....................................... 44Introduction ....................................................44The Vedas .......................................................44Rig Veda .........................................................44Samaveda .......................................................45Yajurveda ........................................................45Atharveda .......................................................45Brahmanas ......................................................46Aranyakas .......................................................46Upanishad .......................................................46Smriti Literature ...............................................47Upa-Vedas and Vedengas .................................47Purana ............................................................48Mahakavyas ....................................................48

4.1 Jainism & Buddhism ................................. 51 Introduction ....................................................51

UNIT II : Indus Valley Civilization

UNIT III : Vedic Age

UNIT IV : Jainism & Buddhism

Jainism ...........................................................51Vardhamana Mahavira (540- 468 B.C.) ..............52Teachings of Mahavira ....................................523 Jewels of Jainism .........................................525 Mahavratas of Jainism ..................................53Sects of Jainism ..............................................53Svetambara .....................................................53Digambaras .....................................................53Jain Literature ................................................54Jaina Council ..................................................54Spread and Royal Patrons of Jainism ...............54Buddhism ........................................................55Gautam Buddha (567-483 BC) ..........................56

Teaching of Buddha .........................................57Buddhist Literature .........................................57Sects of Buddhism ..........................................58Hinayana .........................................................58Mahayana .......................................................59Vajrayana ........................................................59Zen Buddhism .................................................60Buddhism Council ............................................60Spread of Buddhism and Royal Patronage ...........60Causes for the Decline of Buddhism in India .........61Contribution of Buddhism to Indian Culture ...........61Similarities Between Jainism and Buddhism .........61

5.1 Mahajanapadas ........................................ 64Introduction ....................................................64State Formation: Republics and Monarchies .........64Republics ........................................................65Monarchies .....................................................6616 Mahajanapadas ..........................................67

Magadha .........................................................68

Bimbisara (546-494 BC) (Haryanka dynasty ) .........69

Ajatasatru (494 - 462 B.C.) ...............................70

Saisunaga Dynasty .........................................70

Nandas ...........................................................70

6.1 Persian Invasions ..................................... 73Introduction ....................................................73Cyrus (558 - 530 B.C.) ......................................73Darius I (522-486 B.C.) .....................................73Xerxes (465-456 B.C.) ......................................73Effects of the Persian Invasion .........................74Alexander’s Invasion of India (327-325 B.C.) ..........74

Effects of Alexander’s Invasion ........................75Agriculture ......................................................75Village Economy ..............................................76Urbanisation ....................................................77Trade .............................................................77Social Condition ..............................................78System of Administration .................................79

7.1 Mauryan Empire ....................................... 82Introduction ....................................................82Literary & Non-Literary Sources ........................82Kautilya’s Arthashastra ....................................82Vishakhadatta’s Mudrarakshasa .......................82Megasthenes’ Indica ........................................82Other Literatures .............................................83Archeological Sources .....................................83Political History of the Mauryas ........................84Asoka and Buddhism .......................................85Extent of Asoka’s Empire ..................................85Asoka’s Dhamma .............................................86Causes for Policy of Dhamma ..........................88

An Estimate of King Asoka ...............................89Later Mauryas .................................................89Foreign Relations .............................................89Mauryan Administration ...................................90Central Administration .....................................90Revenue Department .......................................91Army ...............................................................92Judicial and Police Departments ......................92Census ............................................................92Provincial and Local Administration ..................93Economy .........................................................93Art and Architecture ........................................94Causes of Decline of Mauryan Empire ...............96

UNIT V : Mahajanpadas

UNIT VI : Persian Invasions

UNIT VII : Mauryan Empire

8.1 Post Mauryan Period ................................ 98Introduction ....................................................98Sungas and Kanvas .........................................98Satavahanas ...................................................99Foreign Invasion from North-West India ...........101Kanishka’s Conquests and Patronage .............103Trade and Urbanization ..................................104External Trade ...............................................105Decline of Kushana Dynasty ...........................106

8.2 Post Mauryan Arts .................................. 108Contribution of Sungas ..................................108

Contribution of Satvahanas ............................108Stupas ..........................................................108Bodh Gaya (Bihar) ..........................................109Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh) .....................109Bharhut Stupa (Madhya Pradesh) ...................109Amaravati Stupa ............................................109Nagarjunakonda Stupa ...................................110Rock-cut Architecture ....................................110Sculpture Art .................................................110Gandhara Art .................................................111Mathura Art ...................................................111Amravati School of Art ...................................111

9.1 Gupta Period ......................................... 114Introduction ..................................................114Sources ........................................................114Gupta Empire Chronology ...............................115Chandragupta I (320-330 AD) .........................115Samudragupta I (330-380 AD) ........................115Estimates of Samudragupta I .........................116Chandragupta I (380-415 AD) .........................116Conquest of Chandragupta II ..........................117Fahien’s Visit .................................................117Successors of Chandragupta II .......................118Gupta Administration .....................................118

Post-Gupta ....................................................120

9.2 Gupta Period Economy, Art & Culture ............... ...................................................... 122

Social Life .....................................................122Religion .........................................................122Art and Culture ..............................................123Architecture ..................................................123Sculpture ......................................................124Painting ........................................................124Literature ......................................................124Science and Technology ................................125

10.1 Harshavardhana ..................................... 127Introduction ..................................................127

Harsha’s Military Conquests ...........................127

Harsha and Buddhism ....................................129

Harsha’s Administration .................................129

Society and Economy .....................................130Cultural Progress ...........................................131Nalanda University .........................................131Changes in the Gupta and Post-Gupta Period ....... 132Social Changes .............................................135

UNIT VIII : Post Mauryan Period

UNIT IX: Gupta Period (Economy, Art & Culture)

UNIT X : Harshavardhana

11.1 Sangam Period ...................................... 138Introduction ..................................................138Period of Sangam Literature ...........................139The Cholas ....................................................140The Cheras ....................................................140The Pandyas .................................................140Sangam Polity ...............................................141Sangam Society .............................................141Religion .........................................................142

Position of Women ........................................142Fine Arts .......................................................143Economy of Sangam Period ...........................143End of Sangam Period ...................................144

11.2 Pallavas, Chalukyas & Rashtrakutas ............. 145The Pallavas ..................................................145Origin of Pallavas ..........................................145Political History of the Pallavs ........................146

UNIT XI : Sangam Period & South Indian Kingdom

Miscellaneous ............................................... 156Chronology of Important Events in Ancient Indian History ..........................................................156

UNIT XII : Miscellaneous

Administration of the Pallavas .......................147Society under the Pallavas .............................147Education and Literature ................................148Religion .........................................................148Art and Architecture ......................................148Spread of Indian Culture ................................149The Chalukyas ...............................................149Political History .............................................150

Administration ...............................................151Religion .........................................................151Art and Architecture ......................................152The Rashtrakutas ..........................................152Administration ...............................................153Society and Religion ......................................153Cultural Contribution ......................................153Art and Architecture ......................................154

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PRE HISTORIC TIMES

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PALEOLITHIC PHASE

Introduction

History is the narration of the events which have happened among mankind, including an account of rise and fall of nations. As well as of other great changes which have affected the political and social conditions of the human race.

The history of human settlements in India goes back to pre-historic times which literally means period before the existence of written history.The technique of radio-carbon dating is commonly used for dating of the pre-historic period. It is based on measuring the loss of carbon in organic materials over a period of time. Recent reported artifacts from Bori in Maharashtra suggest the appearance of human beings in India around 1.4 million years ago.

Pre Historic India

Pre-history means before history.

No written records are available for the pre-historic period. However plenty of archaeological remains are found in different parts of India to reconstruct the history of this period.

The archaeological remains of the pre-historic period that are found in different parts of India includes:

Stone tools,

Pottery,

Artifacts, and

Metal Implements .

In India, the pre-historic period is divided into the:

Stone Age Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): 5,00,000 - 10,000 BC Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): 10000 - 6000 BC Neolithic (New Stone Age): 7000-4000

Ancient History : Important Terms

Pre-History: It is the period for which we don’t not have any written records.

Proto history: This is the period for which we have written records, but we are still unable to decipher the script.

Historic Period: This is the period for which we have written records in the form of inscriptions and other texts.

Palaeography: It is the study of old writing used in inscriptions and other ancient records.

1.1CHAPTER

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Metal Age (Also known as Proto-historic period).

Chalcolithic Age (Copper and Bronze Age) : 4000 BC – 1500 BC

Iron Age : 1500 – 200 BC

The suffi x lithic used in above classifi cation indicates that technology in these periods was primarily based on stone.

Also , these periods were not uniform throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Paleolithic or Old Stone Age

In India, the Paleolithic Age developed in the Pleistocene period or the Ice Age (Geological Time Scale) and was spread in practically all parts of India. (except the alluvial parts of Ganga and Indus.)Hunting and food gathering were the main occupations of the people of this phase. (They had no knowledge of agriculture, fi re or pottery of any material.) Therefore, these people are called as hunter-gatherers.Man during this period used tools of unpolished, undressed rough stones and lived in cave and rock shelters. They mainly used hand axes, cleavers, choppers, blades, scrapers and burin. Their tools were made of hard rock called ‘quartzite’. Hence Paleolithic men are also called ‘Quartzite Men’. The hunting of large animals would have required the combined effort of a group of people with large stone axes. Their way of life became modifi ed with the passage of time since they made attempts to domesticate animals, made crude pots and grow some plants.

Three Phases of Paleolithic Age

The Paleolithic Age in India has been divided into three phases according to the nature of stone tools used by the people and also according to the nature of change in the climate.

Lower/Early Palaeolithic Age : up to 100,000 BC

Middle Palaeolithic Age : 100,000 BC – 40,000 BC

Upper Palaeolithic Age : 40,000 BC – 10,000 BC

Lower Palaeolithic The Early Paleolithic Age covers the greater part of the Ice Age.

Its characteristic tools are hand axes, cleavers and choppers.

IMPORTANT PALAELITHIC SITES

SITES LOCATION

A rampakam Chennai

Adamgarh Hill Narmada Valley

Bhimbetka Madhya Pradesh

Kurnool Andhra Pradesh

Shiwalik Hills North India

Sohan Valley and Potwar plateau

North West India

Key Highlights These sites were generally located near water sources.Several rock shelters and caves used by the Paleolithic people are scattered across the subcontinent.

They were mainly Hunters and GatherersHomo sapiens fi rst appeared in the last phase of Paleolithic age.In India, no human fossils have been found associated with Stone Age tools.In India, the only hominid fossil found from ‘Hathnaura’ in the Narmada Valley.

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Limestone was also used to make tools.

Sites:

Earliest lower Palaeolithic Site is Bori in MaharashtraSohan river valley (now in Pakistan )

Thar desert sites Belan Valley in the Mirzapur district of UP Mewar Plains Gujarat Deccan Plateau In this period climate became less humid.o

Middle Paleolithic Phase

Characterized by the use of stone tools made of fl akes mainly scrapers, borers and blade like tools.

The sites are found in:

Belan Valley in UPLuni valley (Rajashtan)Valley of Son, Narmada and Tungabhadra rivers.

Bhimbetka Upper Paleolithic Phase

Emergence of Homo sapiensThis stage is marked by lot of bone tools, including needles, harpoons, blades, burins and scrapers.

Such tools have been found in

Belan Son Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh Maharashtra Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) Chhota Nagpur plateau.(Bihar)

The climate became warm and less humid.

Paintings at Bhimbetka site belong to this age.

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Palaeolithic Tools Lower Palaeolithic Hand-axe and cleaver industries.

Middle Palaeolithic Tools made on fl akes.

Upper Palaeolithic Tools made on fl akes and blades.

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