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Synopsis Developed as the most comprehensive book yet for students and general readers, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India offers an exhaustive overview of the subject.  Dividing this vast historical expanse into broad chronological units, it constructs profiles of the various geographical regions of the sub-continent, weaving together and analyzing an unparalleled range of literary and archaeological sources.  Prehistory and protohistory are dealt with in considerable detail.  The narrative of the historical period breaks away from conventional text-based history writing, providing a window into the world of the primary sources of history.  Substantial archaeological data is incorporated, along with literary, epigraphic, and numismatic evidence.  Revealing the ways in which the past is constructed, this book explains fundamental concepts, and illuminates contemporary debates, discoveries, and research.  Situating prevailing historical debates in their contexts, Ancient and Early Medieval India presents balanced assessments, encouraging readers to independently evaluate theories, evidence, and arguments.  Lavishly illustrated with over four hundred photographs, maps, and sketches, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India helps the reader visualize and understand the extraordinarily rich and varied remains of the Indian subcontinent’s ancient past.  It offers readers a scholarly and nuanced-yet-lucid-account of this past, which transforms the process of discovering it into an exciting experience.