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:
- The sone valley and Potwar Plateau in northwest India
- The Siwalik hills
- Bhimbetka in Mp
- Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh
- Kaladgi Basin
- Adamgarh hill in Narmada Valley
- 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:
- Lalghanj in Gujarat
- Adamgarh in Madhya Pradesh
- 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)
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 6th to 12th 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
- 2nd Chalukya Dynasty
You can also read:
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
Thank you 🙂
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