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The wonder that was India: a survey of the culture of the Indian sub-continent before the coming of the Muslims
A. L. Basham
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Frontmatter
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Preface (page vii)
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List of Illustrations (page xiii)
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Line Drawings and Maps (page xvii)
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Chronology of Pre-Muslim India (page xix)
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Pronunciation (page xxi)
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I. INTRODUCTION: India and her Ancient Culture (page 1)
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The Land of India
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The Discovery of Ancient India
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The Glory of Ancient India
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II. PREHISTORY: The Harappa Culture and the Aryans (page 10)
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Primitive Man in India
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The First Villages
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The Harappa City Culture
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The End of the Indus Cities
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Indo-Europeans and Aryans
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The Aryans in India: The Proto-historic Period
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The Culture of the Rg Veda
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The Later Vedic Age
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III. HISTORY: Ancient and Medieval Empires (page 44)
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Sources of History
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The Age of the Buddha
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Alexander and the Mauryas
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The Age of Invasions
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The Guptas and Harsa
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The Middle Ages in the North
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The Middle Ages in the Peninsula
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IV. THE STATE: Political Life and Thought (page 79)
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Sources
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Kingship
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The Royal Function
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Quasi-Feudalism
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Oligarchies and Republics
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Councillors and Officials
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Local Administration
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Village Administration
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Public Finance
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Legal Literature
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The Basis of Law
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Crime
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Administration of Justice
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Punishment
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The Secret Service
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Hindu Militarism
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Military Organization and Technique
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V. SOCIETY: Class, Family and Individual (page 137)
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Laws of Class and Stage of Life
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The Four Great Classes
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Untouchables
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"Confusion of Class"
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Caste
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Slavery
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Gotra and Pravara
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The Family
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The Four Stages of Life
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The Child
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Initiation
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Education
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Marriage
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Sexual Relations
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Divorce
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Polygamy
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Old Age and Death
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Women
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Prostitution
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Widows
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VI. EVERYDAY LIFE: The Daily Round in City and Village (page 189)
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The Village
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Agriculture and Stockbreeding
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The Wild Tribes
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The Town
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The Man About Town
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Amusements
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Clothes and Ornaments
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Food and Drink
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Economic Life
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Guilds
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Technical Achievement
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Trade and Finance
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Caravans and Trade-routes
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Sea Trade and Overseas Contacts
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VII. RELIGION: Cults, Doctrines and Metaphysics (page 232)
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I. The Religion of the Veda
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Gods of the Rg Veda
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Sacrifice
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New Developments of Doctrine
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Asceticism
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Speculation and Gnosis
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Ethics of the Upanisads
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II. Buddhism
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The Buddha
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The Growth of Buddhism
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The Lesser Vehicle
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The Evolution of the Great Vehicle
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The Great Vehicle
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The Vehicle of the Thunderbolt
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The Buddhist Order
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Buddhist Ethics and Morality
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III. Jainism and Other Unorthodox Sects
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Jainism
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The Ajivikas
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Scepticism and Materialism
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IV. Hinduism
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Development and Literature
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Visnu
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Siva
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The Relation of Visnu and Siva
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The Mother Goddess
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Lesser Gods
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Demigods and Spirits
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Cosmogony
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The Soul, Karma and Samsara
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The Six Systems of Salvation
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Theism and Devotion
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Hindu Rites and Ceremonies
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Hindu Ethics
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V. Non-Indian Religions
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VIII. THE ARTS: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, Music and The Dance (page 346)
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The Spirit of Indian Art
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Early Architecture
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The Stupa
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Cave Temples
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Temples
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Sculpture
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Terracottas
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Metal Sculpture and Engraving
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Painting
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Minor Arts
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Music
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The Dance
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IX. LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (page 386)
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I. Language
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Sanskrit
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Prakrits and Pali
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Dravidian Languages
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Writing
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II. Literature
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Vedic Literature
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Epic Literature
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Classical Sanskrit Poetry
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Narrative Poetry
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The Drama
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Sanskrit Prose Literature
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Pali Literature
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Prakrit Literature
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Tamil Literature
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Folk Poetry
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X. EPILOGUE: The Heritage of India (page 479)
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The Impact of the West
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The World's Debt to India
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APPENDICES
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I. Cosmology and Geography (page 488)
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II. Astronomy (page 489)
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III. The Calendar (page 492)
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IV. Mathematics (page 495)
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V. Physics and Chemistry (page 496)
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VI. Physiology and Medicine (page 498)
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VII. Logic and Epistemology (page 501)
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VIII. Weights and Measures (page 503)
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IX. Coinage (page 504)
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X. The Alphabet and its Pronunciation (page 506)
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XI. Prosody (page 508)
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XII. The Gypsies (page 512)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES (page 516)
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INDEX AND GLOSSARY (page 541)
Journal Abbreviation | Label | URL |
---|---|---|
JAOS | 88.2 (Apr. - Jun. 1968): 370 | http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-0279%28196804%2F06%2988%3A2%3C370%3ATWTWIA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H |
JAS | 16.3 (May 1957): 459-462 | http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-9118%28195705%2916%3A3%3C459%3ATWTWI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M |
AHR | 61.4 (Jul. 1956): 945-946 | http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762%28195607%2961%3A4%3C945%3ATWTWIA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y |
BSOAS | 17.2 (1955): 402-403 | http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X%281955%2917%3A2%3C402%3ATWTWI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-O |
Citable Link
Published: 1959
Publisher: Grove
- 9781597400084 (hardcover)
- 9780394172156 (paper)