India's history and culture is ancient and dynamic, spanning back to the
beginning of human civilization. Beginning with a mysterious culture
along the Indus River and in farming communities in the southern lands
of India, the history of India is punctuated by constant integration
with migrating peoples and with the diverse cultures that surround the
country. Placed in the center of Asia, history in India is a crossroads
of cultures from China to Europe, as well as the most significant Asian
connection with the cultures of Africa. The Historical Dictionary of
Ancient India provides information ranging from the earliest Paleolithic
cultures in the Indian subcontinent to 1000 CE. The ancient history of
this country is related in this book through a chronology, an
introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced
dictionary entries on rulers, bureaucrats, ancient societies, religion,
gods, and philosophical ideas.