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.