Preface xix Preface to the Second Impression xxii
Ten views of the Limits of the Ku&stod;ā&ntod;a Empire, c. A.D. 1–300. Photographs: Ara inscription, Ku&stod;ā&ntod;a coins xxxiii
Political flux on the northwest threshold of South Asia,
Nine views of the limits of the Mughal Empire in 1605 xxxv
I.A. Position and Area
I.A.1. The world centered on Delhi, azimuthal equal area projection; Comparative areas of South Asia, the United States, and Europe. Table: Comparative areas 1
I.A.2. The world centered on Delhi, azimuthal equidistant projection. Table: Great circle distances between major cities of South Asia and other parts of the world 2
I.B. Physiography
I.B.1 Physiography; Lithology 3
I.B.2 Terrain of South Asia (twelve photographs) 4
I.C. Climate and Vegetation
I.C.1 Climate: (a) Mean annual precipitation and season of maximum precipitation; (b) Mean minimum temperature of cold- est month; (c) Mean maximum temperature of warmest month. Climatic data for selected stations (fifteen climographs); Fifty-year record of precipitation at selected wet and dry stations (graph) 5
I.C.2. Forested areas and natural vegetation types (map, plus six photographs) 6
II.1. The Stone Age: (a) Early Stone Age; (b) Middle Stone Age; (c) Late Stone Age (microliths). Drawings of artifacts. Graph: Climatic fluctuation, human evolution, and culture types during the Quaternary period of geologic time. Table: Climatic phases of the Upper Pleistocene in the Mediterranean Region 7
II.2. Neolithic and Chalcolithic Cultures: (a) Neolithic Culture; (b) Chalcolithic Culture. Drawings of artifacts. Graph: Regional chronology of major pre- and protohistoric cultures 8
II.3. Cultures of northwest India and Southwest Asia, 3200– 900 B.C.: (a) Settlement sites in northwest India and Southwest Asia, 3200–2500 B.C.; (b) Developed farming and pastoral communities, c. 2800–2100 B.C.; (c) Sites of the Harappan and contemporaneous cultures, c. 2100–1600 B.C.; (d) Settlement sites of post-Harappan cultures, c. 1750–900 B.C.;
II.4. The material culture of the Harappan Civilization (eleven photographs). Lothal town plan 10
II.5. Artifacts of the Harappan Civilization (photographs and drawings); Late Harappan and post-Harappan artifacts of the Indus Valley and adjacent areas (drawings); Copper artifacts (drawings). Map: Sites of ancient copper and bronze artifacts 11
II.6. Post-Harappan and Iron Age pottery sites: (a) Painted greyware; (b) Northern black polished ware. (c)–(h) South Indian Iron Age burial sites by type: Cairn and cairn circles; Cists; Urns; Sarcophagi; Topikals; Rock-cut caves. (i) Sites of northern burials and possibly associated habitations. Drawing of artifacts and types of burials; Cross sections of graves 12