Outline of ancient India

See also: Outline of South Asian history and Chronology of India

Outline of South Asian history
Riwatian people (1,900,000 BCE) Riwatian people (1,900,000 BP)
Soanian people (500,000 BCE) Soanian people (500,000 BP)
Stone Age (50,000–3000 BCE) Bhirrana Culture (7570-6200 BCE) Mehrgarh Culture (7000–3300 BCE)
Bronze Age (3000–1300 BCE) Indus Valley Civilization (3300–1700 BCE)  – Early Harappan Culture (3300–2600 BCE)  – Mature Harappan Culture (2600–1900 BCE) Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (from 2000 BCE) Vedic period (1750–1200 BCE)  – Late Harappan Culture (1700–1300 BCE) Swat culture (1600–500 BCE)  – Black and Red ware culture (1300–1200 BCE)
Iron Age (1200–230 BCE) Vedic period (1200–500 BCE)  – Black and Red ware culture (1200–1000 BCE)  – Painted Grey Ware culture (1200–600 BCE)  – Janapadas (1200–600 BCE)  – Northern Black Polished Ware (700–200 BCE) Haryanka Kingdom (684–424 BCE) Three Crowned Kingdoms (6th Century BCE - 1650 CE) Maha Janapadas (600–300 BCE) Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE) Magadha Kingdom (500–321 BCE) Ror Kingdom (450 BCE–489 CE) Nanda Empire (424–321 BCE) Shishunaga Kingdom (413–345 BCE) Macedonian Empire (330–323 BCE) Maurya Empire (321–184 BCE) Seleucid Empire (312–63 BCE) Pandya Empire (300 BCE–1345 CE) Chera Kingdom (300 BCE–1102 CE) Chola Empire (300 BCE–1279 CE) Pallava Empire (250 BCE–800 CE) Maha-Megha-Vahana Empire (250 BCE–400 CE) Parthian Empire (247 BCE–224 CE)
Classical period (230 BCE–1279CE) Satavahana Empire (230 BCE–220 CE) Kuninda Kingdom (200 BCE–300 CE) Indo-Scythian Kingdom (200 BCE–400 CE) Shunga Empire (185–73 BCE) Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE–10 CE) Kanva Empire (75–26 BCE) Indo-Parthian Kingdom (21–130s CE) Western Satrap Empire (35–405 CE) Kushan Empire (60–240 CE) Bharshiva Dynasty (170–350 CE) Nagas of Padmavati (210–340 CE) Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE) Indo-Sassanid Kingdom (230–360 CE) Vakataka Empire (250s–500s CE) Kalabhras Empire (250–600 CE) Gupta Empire (280–550 CE) Kadamba Empire (345–525 CE) Western Ganga Kingdom (350–1000 CE) Kamarupa Kingdom (350–1100 CE) Vishnukundina Empire (420–624 CE) Maitraka Empire (475–767 CE) Huna Kingdom (475–576 CE) Rai Kingdom (489–632 CE) Shahi Empire (500s–1026 CE) Chalukya Empire (543–753 CE) Maukhari Empire (550s–700s CE) Harsha Empire (606–647 CE) Tibetan Empire (618–841 CE) Eastern Chalukya Kingdom (624–1075 CE) Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE) Gurjara-Pratihara Empire (650–1036 CE) Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE) Pala Empire (750–1174 CE) Rashtrakuta Empire (753–982 CE) Paramara Kingdom (800–1327 CE) Yadava Empire (850–1334 CE) Solanki Kingdom (942–1244 CE) Western Chalukya Empire (973–1189 CE) Lohara Kingdom (1003–1320 CE) Hoysala Empire (1040–1346 CE) Sena Empire (1070–1230 CE) Eastern Ganga Empire (1078–1434 CE) Kakatiya Kingdom (1083–1323 CE) Kalachuri Empire (1130–1184 CE)
Late medieval period (1206–1596) Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 CE)  – Mamluk Sultanate (1206–1290 CE)  – Khilji Sultanate (1290–1320 CE)  – Tughlaq Sultanate (1320–1414 CE)  – Sayyid Sultanate (1414–1451 CE)  – Lodi Sultanate (1451–1526 CE) Ahom Kingdom (1228–1826 CE) Reddy Kingdom (1325–1448 CE) Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646 CE) Gajapati Kingdom (1434–1541 CE) Deccan Sultanates (1490–1596 CE)
Early modern period (1526–1858) Mughal Empire (1526–1858 CE)  – Sur Empire (1540–1556 CE) Maratha Empire (1674–1818 CE) Durrani Empire (1747–1823 CE) Sikh Empire (1799–1849 CE)
Colonial period (1510–1961) Portuguese India (1510–1961 CE) Dutch India (1605–1825 CE) Danish India (1620–1869 CE) French India (1759–1954 CE) Company Raj (1757–1858 CE) British Raj (1858–1947 CE) Partition of India (1947 CE)
Other states (1102–1947) Zamorin Kingdom (1102–1766 CE) Sutiya Kingdom (1187-1673 CE) Deva Kingdom (1200s–1300s CE) Chitradurga Kingdom (1300–1779 CE) Garhwal Kingdom (1358–1803 CE) Mysore Kingdom (1399–1947 CE) Keladi Kingdom (1499–1763 CE) Koch Kingdom (1515–1947 CE) Thondaiman Kingdom (1650–1948 CE) Madurai Kingdom (1559–1736 CE) Thanjavur Kingdom (1572–1918 CE) Marava Kingdom (1600–1750 CE) Sikh Confederacy (1707–1799 CE) Travancore Kingdom (1729–1947 CE)
Kingdoms of Sri Lanka Kingdom of Tambapanni (543–505 BCE) Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara (505–377 BCE) Anuradhapura Kingdom (377 BCE–1017 CE) Kingdom of Ruhuna (200 CE) Kingdom of Polonnaruwa (300–1310 CE) Jaffna Kingdom (1215–1624 CE) Kingdom of Dambadeniya (1220–1272 CE) Kingdom of Yapahuwa (1272–1293 CE) Kingdom of Kurunegala (1293–1341 CE) Kingdom of Gampola (1341–1347 CE) Kingdom of Raigama (1347–1415 CE) Kingdom of Kotte (1412–1597 CE) Kingdom of Sitawaka (1521–1594 CE) Kingdom of Kandy (1469–1815 CE) Portuguese Ceylon (1505–1658 CE) Dutch Ceylon (1656–1796 CE) British Ceylon (1815–1948 CE)
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Regional histories Assam Balochistan Bengal Bihar Gujarat Himachal Pradesh Kashmir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rajasthan Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh Punjab Odisha Sindh South India Tamil Nadu Tibet
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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient India:

Ancient India – India as it existed from the pre-historic times (c. 7000 BCE or earlier) to the start of the Middle Ages (c. 500 CE).

Geography of ancient India

• Ancient Indian cities

Government and politics in ancient India

• Monarchy in ancient India

General history of ancient India

Further information: Timeline of Indian history

Periodisation of Indian history

An elaborate periodisation may be as follows:

• Pre-history and Indus Valley Civilisation (until c. 1750 BCE);
• Vedic period (c. 1750-500 BCE);
• "Second Urbanisation" (c. 500-200 BCE);
• Classical period (c. 200 BCE-1100 CE);

• Pre-classical period (c. 200 BCE-300 CE);
• "Golden Age" (Gupta Empire) (c. 320-650 CE);
• Late-Classical period (c. 650-1100 CE);

• Islamic period (c. 1100-1850 CE) and beginning of western colonialism (c. 1500-1850);
• Modern period (British Raj and independence) (from c. 1850).

Pre-history

• Neolithic Age India Mehrgarh civilization (c. 7000 – 3300 BCE)
• Bronze Age India
  • Indus valley civilization (c. 3300 – 1300 BCE)

Iron Age (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)

• Iron Age India (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)
  • Vedic civilization (c. 2000 – 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)
  • Kalinga (India) (400 BCE – 1842 CE)

Second Urbanisation

• Nanda Empire (424–321 BCE)
• Maurya Empire (321–184 BCE)
• Sangam Period (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE)
  • Pandya Kingdom (c. 300 BCE – 1345 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 of India

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

Middle Ages (c. 500 – 1500)

• Badami Chalukyas (547–742)
  • Badami Chalukya architecture
  • Aihole
  • Badami
  • Pattadakal
  • Mahakuta
• Rashtrakuta Empire (742–982)
  • Ellora
  • Kailash Temple
• Eastern Chalukyas
• Western Chalukyas (983–1185)
  • Western Chalukya architecture
  • Mahadeva Temple at Itagi
  • Lakkundi
  • Chaudayyadanapura
  • Annigeri
• Solanki
• Kalachuri
• Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri
• Hoysala Empire (1114–1342)
  • Belur
  • Halebidu
  • Somanathapura
• Vijayanagara Empire (1342–1565)
  • Hampi

Rabindranath Tagore is Asia's first Nobel laureate and composer of India's national anthem

Swami Vivekananda was a key figure in introducing Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and USA, raising interfaith awareness and making Hinduism a world religion.

Culture in ancient India

Art in ancient India

• Music in ancient India
  • Indian classical music

Language in ancient India

• Vedic sanskrit
• Vyakarana

Religion in ancient India

• History of Hinduism
  • Exotic tribes of ancient India
  • Historical Vedic religion
    • Vedas
    • Vedic mythology
    • Vedic priesthood

Science and technology in ancient India

• Science and technology in ancient India
  • Indian mathematics
  • Indian astronomy
  • List of Indian inventions
• Indian martial arts
• Ancient Indian medicine
  • Siddha medicine – oldest medical system known to mankind
  • Ayurveda
• Architecture
• Indian in Sanskrit epics

See also

• Media related to Ancient India at Wikimedia Commons

Notes

Subnotes

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