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.

Beads in the backyard -- Mountains and monsoons -- Stone serpents -- Farmers and herders -- Gadgets galore -- Walls and wells -- Scratches, seals, and symbols -- The cities of the Indus -- Going shopping -- By land and by sea -- Dying rivers and growing cities -- Fire and sacrifice -- Two great adventures -- New Gods -- Two gentle religions -- Empires and evidence -- With friends like these, who needs enemies? -- Nothing but a zero -- Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha -- The example of service -- Who's in charge here, anyway? -- A place for everyone and everyone in her place -- South Asia's golden age -- Gods, caves, and Kalidasa -- The people are fond of festivity.