Chronology of Ancient History of India

Chronology of Ancient History of India

History has been divided into three periods for the purpose of study, and to shape the history in the given time period.:

• Ancient- Prehistoric to 700 AD
• Medieval- 700AD to 1857
• Modern periods- the advent of Europeans, up to 1947

Ancient India was studied under the heads of the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic Periods on the basis of the types of stones or metal tools used by people.

Paleolithic Period or Old stone age: ( before 10,000 BC)

• Discovery of fire
• Tools made up of Limestone

Important sites of the Palaeolithic period:

1. The sone valley and Potwar Plateau in northwest India
2. The Siwalik hills
3. Bhimbetka in Mp
4. Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh
5. Kaladgi Basin
6. Adamgarh hill in Narmada Valley
7. Hungsi near Krishna river. etc.

Mesolithic Period or middle stone age: (10,000 BC – 8,000 BC)

It is the transitional phase between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic age

Mesolithic remains were found in:

1. Lalghanj in Gujarat
2. Adamgarh in Madhya Pradesh
3. Rajasthan etc.

Neolithic period:  (8000 – 2000 BC)

• Wheel was discovered
• The use of metal begun
• Growth of Village
• Farming
• Humans began to domesticate animals

Important Sites of the Neolithic Period:

• Hallur (Andhra Pradesh)
• Paiyampalli (Andhra Pradesh)
• Mahagara (U.P)
• Mehrgarh (Pakistan)
• Chirand (Bihar)
• Maski
• Kodekal
• Burzhome (Kashmir)
• Koldihwa (Uttar Pradesh)
• Daojali Hading (Tripura/ Assam), etc

Chalcolithic Period: (4000 BC – 1,500 BC)

Towards the close of the Neolithic Period, the use of Metal began, which lead the way to the Chalcolithic period.

• It is considered part of the Bronze Age (Bronze = Copper + Tin), also called Copper Age.

Indus Valley Civilization (2600 BC – 1900 BC)

• Sites of Indus Valley civilization: Ropar, Lothal, Kalibangan, Kot Diji and Chahundaro, Dholavira, Banvali, Sutkangedor

Iron Age: (1500 BC – 200 BC)

• Vedic Period and the arrival of Aryans
• Vadic civilazation (c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE)
  • Later Vedic period ( 1000- 600 BC)
• Jainism (Birth of Mahavira- 540 BC) and Buddhism (Birth of Buddha – 563 BC)

MahaJanpadas ( c. 500 – c. 345 BCE) – The major civilization after The Indus valley civilization

• Magadha Empire
• Shisunaga dynasty
• Nanda dynasty
• Persian Invasions – In 519 BC, Darius annexed Punjab. Alexander crossed the Indus in 326 BC.

Maurya Dynasty (c. 322 – c. 185 BCE)

• Chandragupta (322- 298 BC)
• Bindusara (298- 273 BC)
• Asoka (273 – 232 BC)

Later Mauryans  

• Shunga Dynasty (c. 185 – c. 75 BCE)
• Kanva Dynasty (c. 75- c.30 BCE)
• Satvahan Dynasty (c. 30 BCE – c. 220 CE.)
• Kushana Dynasty (78 AD)
• South Indian Dynasties- Chola, Chera, Pandyas (300 BC)

The Classical Age started in the Gupta period

Gupta Dynasty (300 AD – 800 AD)

• Chandragupta I (320 – 330 AD)
• Samudragupta (330- 380 AD)
• Chandragupta II (380 – 415 AD)

Post-Gupta or Contemporary Gupta

Dynasties after Gupas were:

• Chalukya Dynasty (between 6^th to 12^th centuries)
  • Badami Chalukya
  • Eastern Chalukya
  • Western Chalukya
• Pusyabhuti also called Vardhana Dynasty (Harsh – 606 to 647 Ad)
• Karakota Dynasty
• Arab invasion
• Tripartite Struggle
• Chola Dynasty
• 2^nd Chalukya Dynasty

Chronology of Ancient History

You can also read:

• Chronology of Delhi Sultanate and Mughals
• Important Wars and Battles fought in Indian History

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India

Thank you 🙂