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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient India:

Ancient India is the Indian Subcontinent from prehistoric times to the start of Medieval India, which is typically dated (when the term is still used) to the end of the Gupta Empire.^[1] Ancient India was composed of modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and even Burma.

General history of ancient India

Periodisation of Indian history

An elaborate periodisation may be as follows:^[2]

Indian pre-history including Indus Valley Civilisation (until c. 1750 BCE);
Iron Age including Vedic period (c. 1750-600 BCE);
"Second Urbanisation" (c. 600-200 BCE);
Classical period (c. 200 BCE-1200 CE);^{[note 1]}

Pre-Classical period (c. 200 BCE-320 CE);
"Golden Age" (Gupta Empire) (c. 320-650 CE);
Late-Classical period (c. 650-1200 CE);

Medieval period (c. 1200-1500 CE);
Early Modern (c. 1500-1850);
Modern period (British Raj and independence) (from c. 1850).

Indian pre-history

Neolithic Age India
- - Bhirrana Culture (7570-6200 BCE)
  - Mehrgarh culture (c. 7000 – 2500 BCE)
Bronze Age India
- Indus valley civilization (c. 3300 – 1300 BCE)
- Ahar-Banas culture (c. 3000 - 1500 BCE)

Iron Age (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)

Iron Age India (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)
- Vedic civilization (c. 1500 – 500 BCE)
  - Black and red ware culture (c. 1300 – 1000 BCE) (c. 1200 – 600 BCE)
  - Northern Black Polished Ware (c. 700 – 200 BCE)
- Indian Iron Age kingdoms (c. 700 – 300 BCE)
- Pandyan Kingdom (600 BCE - 1650 CE)

Second Urbanisation

Nanda Empire (425–321 BCE)
Maurya Empire (321–184 BCE)
Sangam Period (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE)
- Pandyan Kingdom (c. 600 BCE – 1650 CE)
- Chera Kingdom (c. 300 BCE – 1102 CE)
- Chola Kingdom (c. 300 BCE – 1279 CE)
Pallava Kingdom (250 BCE – 800 CE)
Maha-Megha-Vahana Empire (250s BCE – 5th century CE)
Satavahana Empire (230 BCE – 220 CE)
Indo-Scythian Kingdom (200 BCE – 400 CE)
Kuninda Kingdom (3rd century BCE – 4th century CE)
Shunga Empire (185–73 BCE)
Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE – 10 CE)
Kanva empire (75–26 BCE)
Kushan Empire (30–375 CE)

Classical Age

(Middle kingdoms of India)
Gurjara-Pratihara Empire
Vakataka Empire
Chola Empire
Pala Empire
Gupta Empire (240–590 CE)
Kadamba dynasty (345–1000 CE)
- Banavasi
- Halasi
- Hangal

Middle Ages (c. 500 – 1500)

Badami Chalukyas (547–742)
Rashtrakuta Empire (742–982)
- Ellora
- Kailash Temple
Eastern Chalukyas
Western Chalukyas (983–1185)
Chaulukya (c. 944 - 1244)
Kalachuris of Kalyani
Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri
Hoysala Empire (1114–1342)
- Belur
- Halebidu
- Somanathapura
Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1565)
- Hampi

Culture in ancient India

Art in ancient India

Music in ancient India
- Carnatic music
- Hindustani music

Language in ancient India

Religion in ancient India

Science and technology in ancient India

Science and technology in ancient India
Indian martial arts
- Malla-yuddha
- Kalaripayattu
Ancient Indian medicine
- Siddha medicine
- Ayurveda
Architecture
- Dravidian architecture
- Mughal architecture
Indian in Sanskrit epics

Organizations concerned with ancient India

Museums with ancient Indian exhibits

India
United Kingdom
- British Museum

Notes

^
Different periods are designated as "classical Hinduism":
- Smart calls the period between 1000 BCE and 100 CE "pre-classical". It is the formative period for the Upanishads and Brahmanism^{[subnote 1]} Jainism and Buddhism. For Smart, the "classical period" lasts from 100 to 1000 CE, and coincides with the flowering of "classical Hinduism" and the flowering and deterioration of Mahayana-buddhism in India.^[4]
- For Michaels, the period between 500 BCE and 200 BCE is a time of "Ascetic reformism",^[5] whereas the period between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is the time of "classical Hinduism", since there is "a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions".^[6]
- Muesse discerns a longer period of change, namely between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, which he calls the "Classical Period". According to Muesse, some of the fundamental concepts of Hinduism, namely karma, reincarnation and "personal enlightenment and transformation", which did not exist in the Vedic religion, developed in this time.^[7]

Subnotes

^ Smart distinguishes "Brahmanism" from the Vedic religion, connecting "Brahmanism" with the Upanishads.^[3]

References

^ Stein 2010, p. 38.
^ Michaels 2004.
^ Smart 2003, p. 52, 83-86.
^ Smart 2003, p. 52.
^ Michaels 2004, p. 36.
^ Michaels 2004, p. 38.
^ Muesse 2003, p. 14.

Sources

Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press
Khanna, Meenakshi (2007), Cultural History Of Medieval India, Berghahn Books
Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (2004), A History of India, Routledge
Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
Misra, Amalendu (2004), Identity and Religion: Foundations of Anti-Islamism in India, SAGE
Muesse, Mark William (2003), Great World Religions: Hinduism
Muesse, Mark W. (2011), The Hindu Traditions: A Concise Introduction, Fortress Press
Smart, Ninian (2003), Godsdiensten van de wereld (The World's religions), Kampen: Uitgeverij Kok
Stein, Burton (2010), A History of India, John Wiley & Sons
Thapar, Romila (1978), Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations (PDF), Orient Blackswan

External links

[9] Different periods are designated as "classical Hinduism":
Smart calls the period between 1000 BCE and 100 CE "pre-classical". It is the formative period for the Upanishads and Brahmanism^{[subnote 1]} Jainism and Buddhism. For Smart, the "classical period" lasts from 100 to 1000 CE, and coincides with the flowering of "classical Hinduism" and the flowering and deterioration of Mahayana-buddhism in India.^[4]

For Michaels, the period between 500 BCE and 200 BCE is a time of "Ascetic reformism",^[5] whereas the period between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is the time of "classical Hinduism", since there is "a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions".^[6]

Muesse discerns a longer period of change, namely between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, which he calls the "Classical Period". According to Muesse, some of the fundamental concepts of Hinduism, namely karma, reincarnation and "personal enlightenment and transformation", which did not exist in the Vedic religion, developed in this time.^[7]

[2] Smart calls the period between 1000 BCE and 100 CE "pre-classical". It is the formative period for the Upanishads and Brahmanism^{[subnote 1]} Jainism and Buddhism. For Smart, the "classical period" lasts from 100 to 1000 CE, and coincides with the flowering of "classical Hinduism" and the flowering and deterioration of Mahayana-buddhism in India.^[4]

[3] For Michaels, the period between 500 BCE and 200 BCE is a time of "Ascetic reformism",^[5] whereas the period between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is the time of "classical Hinduism", since there is "a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions".^[6]

[4] Muesse discerns a longer period of change, namely between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, which he calls the "Classical Period". According to Muesse, some of the fundamental concepts of Hinduism, namely karma, reincarnation and "personal enlightenment and transformation", which did not exist in the Vedic religion, developed in this time.^[7]

[4] Smart distinguishes "Brahmanism" from the Vedic religion, connecting "Brahmanism" with the Upanishads.^[3]

[FOOTNOTEStein201038-1] Stein 2010, p. 38.

[FOOTNOTEMichaels2004-2] Michaels 2004.

[FOOTNOTESmart200352,_83-86-3] Smart 2003, p. 52, 83-86.

[FOOTNOTESmart200352-5] Smart 2003, p. 52.

[FOOTNOTEMichaels200436-6] Michaels 2004, p. 36.

[FOOTNOTEMichaels200438-7] Michaels 2004, p. 38.

[FOOTNOTEMuesse200314-8] Muesse 2003, p. 14.

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[2]

[note 1]

[subnote 1]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[3]

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 The following [[Outline (list)|outline]] is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient India:
-'''Ancient India''' is the [[Indian Subcontinent]] from prehistoric times to the start of [[Medieval India]], which is typically dated (when the term is still used) to the end of the [[Gupta Empire]].{{sfn|Stein|2010|p=38}}  Ancient India was composed of modern-day India, [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]] (some portions), [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and even [[Burma]].
+'''Ancient India''' is the [[Indian Subcontinent]] from prehistoric times to the start of [[Medieval India]], which is typically dated (when the term is still used) to the end of the [[Gupta Empire]].{{sfn|Stein|2010|p=38}}  Ancient India was composed of modern-day India, [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and even [[Burma]].
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