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Ancient India
Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
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- Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
- Introduction - Indian History
- Pre-Historic Period (30,00,000 BC - 600 BC) Human Evolution
- The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC to 1,000 BC
- Pre Harappan, Harappan, Post Harappan Age/Calco-Lithic Age (3,500 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Vedic Period (Vedic, Rig Vedic, Later Vedic Period) - 1500 BC - 600 BC Original Homo of The Aryan
- Mahajanapada Period (600 BC-325 BC)
- Religious Movements (600 BC - 400 BC) – Jainism, Buddhism
- Maurya Period (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Post-Maurya/Pre-Gupta Period (185BC-319 AD)
- The Sangam Period (1st-3rd Century AD)
- Gupta Period (319 AD - 540 AD)
- Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD - 647 AD)/Pushyabhuti
- Early Medieval Period (650 AD-1206 AD)/ Rajput Period & Cholas
- Sultanate Period (1206-1526AD) - The Delhi Sultanate
- Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565 AD) & The Other KIngdoms
- Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries ( Bhakti & Sufi Movements)
- Mughal Period (1526-1540 and 1555-1857)
- Maratha State (1674-1720) and Maratha Confederacy (1720-1818)
- The Advent of the Europeans (Portuguese, Dutch, French, East India Company)
- Expansion of British Power (In the context of Bengal, Mysore, Punjab etc.)
- Economic Impact of British Rule
- Socio-Religious Movements in 19th-20th Centuries
- Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations
- Moderate Phase (1885-1905) - Indian National Congress
- Extremist Phase (1905-1917)
- The Gandhian Era: 1869–1948
- Miscellaneous - Indian History
Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
The study of ancient Indian history depends on two major types of sources:
1. Literary Sources (साहित्यिक स्रोत)
These are written records that give us information about the religion, politics, culture, and society of ancient times.
Types of Literary Sources:
-
Indigenous Sources:
-
Religious Texts:
-
Brahmanic (Hindu): Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata
-
Buddhist: Tripitakas, Jatakas
-
Jain: 12 Angas, Bhagwati Sutra, Parishishtaparva
-
-
Secular Texts:
-
Historical writings (e.g., Rajatarangini by Kalhana)
-
Biographies (e.g., Harshacharita by Banabhatta)
-
Drama and literature (e.g., works of Kalidasa)
-
-
-
Foreign Sources:
-
Greek and Roman writers (Herodotus, Pliny)
-
Chinese pilgrims (Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang)
-
Arab historians (Al-Biruni, Ibn Battuta)
-
These help in chronology and understanding external perspectives of India.
Difference Between Archaeological and Literary Sources
Feature |
Archaeological Sources |
Literary Sources |
|---|---|---|
|
Nature |
Material (inscriptions, coins, monuments) |
Written (texts, manuscripts) |
|
Reliability |
High (less prone to manipulation) |
Subjective, sometimes exaggerated |
|
Study Fields |
Epigraphy, Numismatics, Architecture |
History, Language, Literature |
|
Examples |
Ashokan edicts, Harappa seals, Gupta coins |
Vedas, Jatakas, Kalhana’s Rajtarangini |
|
Origin |
Found through excavations |
Passed down through manuscripts or oral tradition |
2. Archaeological Sources (पुरातात्विक स्रोत)
These are material remains of the past, which provide direct evidence of ancient civilizations.
Major Archaeological Sources:
Inscriptions:
-
Edicts of Ashoka (written in Brahmi script)
-
Mehrauli Iron Pillar, Allahabad Pillar Inscription
-
Studied under Epigraphy
Coins:
-
Provide information on economy, trade, rulers, and dates
-
Studied under Numismatics
-
Numismatics Society of India (est. 1910 in Allahabad)
Monuments & Structures:
-
Temples, stupas, caves, forts, palaces
-
Sanchi Stupa, Ajanta Caves, Konark Temple
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