The Ancient South Asian World

A young archaeologist finds a primitive hand axe that is thought to be more than 400,000 years old. Engineers building a railroad discover that the gravel they're using is actually 5,000-year-old crumbling brick from the ancient Indus Valley civilization. An Englishman living in India is fascinated by the mysterious script on the ancient coins he collects and works feverishly to decode the long-lost language. These are a few of the clues to a fascinating history that you'll read about in The Ancient South Asian World. Jonathan Mark Kenoyer and Kimberley Heuston use ancient beads, terracotta pots, trash found in a sewer, and many other primary sources to trace the history of this diverse region. In these pages is the story of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who used the power of knowledge rather than physical force to rule his people-an unusual idea at the time. Ancient texts and an epic poem called the Ramayana explain the practices and beliefs of Brahmanism and how they evolved into Hinduism. Columns inscribed by Emperor Ashoka illustrate the spread of Buddhism throughout the South Asian world. The sacred epic called the Mahabharata helps explain the development of the caste system. From geography and weather to Hindu gods and intellectual traditions, the characters and stories in The Ancient South Asian World weave the history of this vibrant region.

Jonathan Mark Kenoyer is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was born and raised in India, speaks several South Asian languages fluently, and has a deep love for the subcontinent. He has a BA in Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and completed his MA and PhD in South Asian Archaeology from the same university. His main focus is on the Indus Valley Civilization, but he also has experience with the Palaeolithic period and historical archaeology and ethnoarchaeology. He has conducted archaeological research and excavations at both Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, two of the most important Indus period sites in Pakistan.

Kimberley Heuston writes historical fiction for young adults and teaches English and history at the Waterford School in Sandy, Utah. Raised in New York City, where she attended the Spence School, Ms. Heuston graduated from Harvard University with a degree in History and Science. Her teaching honors include summer fellowships sponsored by the Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund, the Woodrow Wilson Center, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Fulbright Commission. She received an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College in 2000. Her novels include The Shakeress, Dantes Daughter, and The Velvet Years. She is the mother of four completely fabulous children.