Historic Age (Iron Age): Ancient History of Uttar Pradesh: In ancient times, Uttar Pradesh was known as Madhyadesh and it had very fertile land between Delhi and Patna. Discovery of arms and implements of ancient and Neo-Palaeolithic age was found in Mirzapur, Bundelkhand, Sonbhadra and Pratapgarh.
The Ancient History of Uttar Pradesh has been divided into Pre-historic Age (Stone Age), Proto-historic Age (Bronze Age) and Historic Age (Iron Age).
Historic Age (Iron Age):
- Rig Vedic Period (1500-1000 BC)
- Post Vedic Period (1000-600 BC)
Historic Age (Iron Age) in Uttar Pradesh
Historic age is also known as Iron Age / Vedic Civilization. This period was known as Iron Age because tools and other artefacts were made from iron for the first time.
- In this age, painted greyware and black polished utensils were found.
- The evidence of Iron Age has been traced from Ahichhatra, Hastinapur, Atranjikheda, Mathura, Shravasti and Kampilya.
- The iron materials and furnaces have been found in Hastinapur and Atranjikheda.
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Vedic Civilization in Uttar Pradesh
The Iron Age is also known as Vedic Age, developed between 1500 BC to 600 BC. It expands from Indus river region (Pakistan) to Bengal (India).
It has been divided into two parts:
Rig Vedic Period (1500-1000 BC)
The main source of information of Vedic period is the Rigveda. During this period, Aryan civilisation was limited to Punjab and Sindh region only.
There was the residence of the Panchajana. It included Anu, Druhya, Yadu, Puru and Turvashas.
Post Vedic Period (1000-600 BC)
This period developed only on Rigveda culture. During this period, Vedic culture had expanded from almost Northern India to Eastern Bengal, including Uttar Pradesh. Main centre of the Post Vedic period was the Doab region of the Ganga and Saraswati. Earlier, it was known as Madhyadesh.
- The large states like Kuru and Panchal were included under Madhyadesh.
- The Kuru kingdom was expanded from Meerut to Delhi and Thaneshwar. Asandivata (Hastinapur) was the capital of Kuru.
The Kuru was expanded to Bareilly, Badayun and Farrukhabad and its capital Kampilya. Panchal was a well-developed state among all the kingdoms. The Kuru and Panchal region was the land of great sages like Bhardwaj, Valmiki, Vashishtha and Yajnavalkya.
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