Established as a classic in its first edition, the second edition of Upinder Singh’s A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, incorporates the latest discoveries, research, and insights in the field. Drawing on a vast array of textual, archaeological, and visual sources, it weaves together discussions of politics, economy, society, religion, philosophy, art, and ideas into a seamless narrative. The book reveals the complex and dynamic history of the regions of the subcontinent across millennia by focusing on macro-level changes as well the everyday lives of ordinary people. Widely acclaimed as an excellent introduction to the subject for general readers as well as the most comprehensive and authoritative textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students, this classic maintains its reputation of offering a lucid, detailed, and balanced exposition, equipping readers with skills to critically assess historical evidence, arguments, and debates.
The book is a reader’s delight, with excerpts from original sources and a wealth of images and illustrations of India’s diverse and rich historical heritage, making an exploration of the past a truly exciting journey.
Features –
Beautifully designed Chapter Openers that encourage readers to ask questions about the period Chapter Outline at the beginning of chapters provides an overview of the organization of the chapter.
Key Concepts helps in understanding the conceptual vocabulary used by historians, and draws attention to the inherent interdisciplinary nature of history
Primary Sources provide with descriptions and illustrations of archaeological source material, interesting information about textual sources and their authors, translated excerpts from ancient texts and inscriptions, and discussions of visual sources.
Further Discussion boxes reveal the multi- layered nature of our past and encourage readers to think more deeply about a variety of historical themes and issues
Recent Discoveries direct attention to some of these exciting discoveries, the people who made them, and their impact on our understanding of India’s ancient past.
New Directions In Research boxes bridge the gap between readers and researchers by presenting samples of interesting new research, and explaining their methodology and results in a clear and accessible way.
Visuals consist over 400 illustrations including maps, photographs, and drawings—that bring history alive.
Further Readings and the end of each chapter encourage you to read more extensively on various topics to deepen your understanding of the subconti- nental past Cross references are provided in the margins indicate relevant page numbers.
Diacritic marks (Sanskrit and Tamil) have been provided at the end of the book to help you navigate through academic writings.