postulated religious culture, through synthesis with the preexisting religious cultures of the

subcontinent, gave rise to Hinduism. The era saw the eventual emergence of Janapadas (monarchical,
state-level polities), and social stratification based on caste, which created a hierarchy of priests
(Brahmins), warriors (Kshatriyas), merchants (Vaishyas) and laborers (Shudras). The Later Vedic
Civilisation extended over the Indo-Gangetic plain and much of the Indian subcontinent, as well as
witnessed the rise of major polities known as the Mahajanapadas (large, urbanised states). In one of
these kingdoms, Magadha, Gautama Buddha and Mahavira humans are thought to have arrived on the
Indian subcontinent between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago.[1] Settled life, which foraging to farming and
pastoralism, began in South Asia around 7,000 BCE; during this period, domestication of wheat and
barley, rapidly followed by that of goats, sheep, and cattle occurred.[2] By 4,500 BCE, settled In the
beginning of the second millennium BCE climate change, with persistent drought, led to the
abandonment of the urban centers of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Its population resettled in smaller
villages, and, in the north-west, mixed with Indo-Aryan tribes, who moved into the area in several waves
of Aryan migration, also driven by the effects of this The Vedic period was marked by the composition of
the Vedas, large collections of hymns of some of the Aryan tribes, whose involves the transition from
climate change. propagated their Śramaṇic philosophies during the fifth and sixth centuries BCE.
Anatomically modern humans are thought to have arrived on the Indian subcontinent between 73,000
and 55,000 years ago.[1] Settled life, which involves the transition from foraging to farming and
pastoralism, began in South Asia around 7,000 BCE; during this period, domestication of wheat and
barley, rapidly followed by that of goats, sheep, and cattle occurred.[2] By 4,500 BCE, settled life had
become more widely prevalent,[2] and eventually evolved into the Indus Valley Civilization. Considered
a cradle of civilisation,[3] the Indus Valley civilisation, which spread and flourished in the north-western
part of the Indian subcontinent from 3300 to 1300 BCE, was the first major civilisation in South Asia.[4] A
sophisticated and technologically advanced urban culture developed in the Mature Harappan period,
from 2600 to 1900 BCE.[5] Indus Valley Civilisation was noted for developing new techniques in
handicraft, carnelian products, seal carving, metallurgy, urban planning, baked brick houses, efficient
drainage systems, water supply systems and clusters of large non-residential buildings.[6] This
civilisation collapsed at the start of the second millennium BCE and was later followed by the Iron Age
Vedic Civilisation.