2. 1. Encyclopaedia
2. Friedrich Creuzer
3. Genetic Studies
4. Patrick K. O’Brien
5. David Frawley paradox
VIEWS OF HISTORIANS, PHILOSOPHERS &
SCIENTISTS ON
BHARATIYA CIVILIZATION
4. VIEWS OF HISTORIANS, PHILOSOPHERS & SCIENTISTS ON
BHARATIYA CIVILIZATION
Modern genetic studies indicate that
Anatomically modern humans were habitants of the South Asia
for 70,000 years ago. Bhāratīya populations have settled in this
subcontinent for 40,000 years at least. (Timeline Overlapping)
According to Patrick K. O’Brien
from around 4000 BCE the first civilizations developed in the
Near-East (Bhārata) and subsequently in China, Mesoamerica
and South America.
5. VIEWS OF HISTORIANS, PHILOSOPHERS & SCIENTISTS ON
BHARATIYA CIVILIZATION
David Frawley paradox :
A dilemma has been identified by a famous Vedic scholar David
Frawley, which is popularly known as ‘Frawley paradox’: …
Vast literature without any archaeological evidences and
Archaeological evidences without Literature is hard to believe.
For ex:
Harappa & Mohenjo-daro- Archaeological sites without any
literature associated with it.
Literatures about Chariots available but no chariot has been
discovered yet (till 2018).
6. Construction of Ancient Indian History
The sources which help in reconstructing history are:
1. Non-literary sources
2. Literary sources – Religious & secular literature
7. Construction of Ancient Indian History
1. Non-Literary Sources
Coins, Archaeology/Material remains, Inscriptions/Prashastis,
Foreign accounts
2. Literary Sources
Religious:- Vedas, Upanishads, Epics of Mahabharata and
Ramayana, Sutras, Buddhist religious texts, Jaina’s religious
texts
Secular Literature:- Dharma-shastras /Law books, Artha-
shastra, Literary work of Kalidasa, Rajatarangini,
Charitas/Biographies, Sangam literature
8. Prehistoric Periods in India
(According to Tools)
Stone Age: Copper
Age:
2,50,000 BC – 1000 BC 3500 BC –
500 BC
Bronze Age: Iron
9. Prehistoric Periods in India
(According to Tools)
1. Paleolithic Period (Old Stone Age): 2,50,000 BC – 10,000 BC
2. Mesolithic Period (Late Stone Age): 10,000 BC – 6000 BC
3. Neolithic Period (New Stone Age): 6000 BC – 1000 BC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Chalcolithic Period* (Stone -Copper Age): 3500 BC – 500 BC
5. Bronze Age: 3300 BC—1300BC
6. Iron Age : 1500 BC – 200 BC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 * Chalco/ χαλκός/khalkós
Greek word: means Copper
10.
11.
12.
13. Paleolithic Period
(Old Stone Age:- 2,50,000 BC – 10,000 BC)
Important Sites:
1. Narmada valley Human Skull (MP) (3,00,000 BC—6,00,000 BC)
2. Attirampakkam / Pallavaram (TN)-Stone tools (2,00,000BC-3,00,000 BC)
3. Bhimbetka Cave Paintings (MP) (1,00,000 BC—5000 BC)
4. Belan Valley (UP), Sohan Valley (Pakistan), Thar dessert, Punjab, Kashmir
14. Important Sites:
1. Narmada valley Human Skull (3,00,000 BC—6,00,000 BC)
December 5, 1982
Banks of the Narmada (MP) -Hathnora village,
Geologist Arun Sonakia (G.S.I.)
Human Skull- similar to Homo erectus species
2. Attirampakkam / Pallavaram-Stone tools (2,00,000BC-3,00,000 BC)
Sharp edge stones
Levallois technique of making tools
Big hand axes and cleaver
Akhilesh, Shanti pappu et al..., Robert Bruce Foote (1863)
3. Bhimbetka Cave Paintings (1,00,000 BC—5000 BC)
Rock shelters
Cave paintings
UNESCO World Heritage Site
31. Bronze Age
(Bronze Age:- 3300 BC – 1300 BC)
Important Sites:
1. Harappa, Mohenjo daro (Sindh), Chanhudaro
2. Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Lothal (Gujarat), Dholavira (Guajarat)
3. Banawali (Haryana), Ropar (Punjab).
Indus valley civilisation Period
Metallurgy:- making of Bronze (alloy), copper , tin, gold, silver
Main tools were made of Bronze or copper, Metal Weapons
handicrafts: seal making, red pottery, toys, measuring weights
Urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems
Water supply systems, clusters of large non-residential buildings
Dockyards/ Trading via sea routes
Agriculture, Domestic Animals, Crops- wheat, barley, cotton, ragi
32.
33.
34.
35. IRON AGE
(Later Vedic Period:- 1200 BC – 200 BC)
Dynasty:-Brihadratha, Padyota, Haranyaka, Nanda, Maurya
Metallurgy:- Extracting of iron (smelting) from iron ore
Later vedic period (1000BC to 600BC) literature: mentions about
Shyama or krishna meaning black to denote iron
Small knives & blades made of iron
Iron tools: Plough, Sickles, Nails, Clamps, Awl, Axe, Bangle
War weapons:- spearheads, arrow heads, swords
Janapad, Mahajanapada formation
Clearing of dense forest with iron tools:- creating land for cultivation
Agriculture based economy
Iron smelting and advance metallurgy knowledge
Important Sites:
1. Raja Nal-ka-Tila (1800BC) District- Sonbhadra, U.P.
2. Malhar (district Chandauli ), U.P.,
3. Hastinapur , Kaushambi (Prayagraj), Jakhera, Dadupur-Lucknow (U.P.)
4. Vaishali, Sonpur (Bihar), Hyderabad -Iron Age burial site, Mysore iron age site
42. Popular evidences/ events for understanding
the Indian Chronology
1. Paleolithic Period (Stone Age tools):- 2,50,000 BC –10,000 BC
2. Bhimbetka findings (late paleolithic):-100,000 BC – 5000 BC
3. Saraswati river civilisation:- 10000 BC – 1900 BC
4. Harappa Period findings:- 8000 BC – 1900 BC-1300 BC-300BC
5. Lord Rama’s Birth (Tretaya Yuga period):- 5114 BC
6. Dwapara Yuga/ Krishna period : 3150 BC
7. Mahabharata Period:- 3138 BC
8. Krishna disappearance (Kalyuga arrival):- 3102 BC
9. Indus Valley civilisation:- 2600BC--1900 BC
