Introduction The Nature of the State The Political Spectrum¿ Political Terminology¿ The King and his Palace¿ The King and his Territory¿ Horses, Chariots and Territorial Conquests ¿ The King and the People¿ The Form of Government Role of Corporate Bodies: Vidatha, Sabh¿, Samiti¿ The Rituals of Empowerment¿ The A¿vamedha Sacrifice¿ The Incipient R¿jas¿ya ¿ The City and the Citadel Vedic Gods and Walled Settlements¿ Harappan Citadels and the 'Rgveda¿ Defensive Architecture¿ Construction Material¿ Grid Plan¿ Multi-pillared¿ Numerous Gateways¿ Fort as a Resource Centre¿ Merchants and Moneylenders Routes and Merchandise of the Bronze Age¿ Commodity Exchange of the Middle Bronze Age¿ Business Terminology¿ Professional Traders: Va'nik and Pa'ni¿ Private Bankers¿ Cruising the Blue Water Rivers and the Sea¿ Cloud Formation and the Water Cycle¿ Vedic Gods and the High Seas¿ Tidal Waves, Monsoon Winds and Gulfs¿ Marine Fires ¿ Resources of the Deep Sea¿ Seafaring Crafts¿ Shipwreck and Rescue Operations¿ Pirates and Loss of Direction¿ Merchants, Crew Members and Escorts¿ Nature of the Cargo¿ River-borne Sea Trade¿ Sea-borne Wealth and Fame¿ Caravans on Dusty Tracks Hazards of the Land Route¿ Trade in Gem Stones ¿ Trade in Livestock¿ Donkeys and Camels¿ Trade in Textiles ¿ Gold, Gold-like Objects and Other Merchandise¿ From Priest to King¿ Crafts and Craft-Working Metals and Metal-working¿ Functional Objects¿ Ayas ¿Copper or Just Metal?¿ The Smelter ( Dhm¿t¿ ) and the Smith ( K¿rm¿r, Karmar )¿ Wood Working and Carpenters ( Tak_s¿ )¿ Functional Objects: Pots, Shafts, Carts, Boats Agricultural Tools¿ Weavers ( V¿sov¿ya, Vayanti ) and Weaving¿ Leather Workers ( Carmamn¿ ) and Leather Working¿ Tale of the Cow-tale The Chorus of Nomadism¿ Meaning of Go¿ Buffalo or Mahi ¿ a¿ Permanent Dwellings¿ Peasants and Plough Lands Gods and Peasant Activities¿ Some Crucial Expressions¿ K_setrapati : The God of Plough Land¿ Terms for Plough Lands¿ The Acquisition of Plough Lands Fights for Acquisition ¿ Resource Crunch, Famines and Starvation Deaths¿ Irrigation: Need of the Hour¿ Peasants at Work¿ Importance of Food Crops¿ Private Farms and Social Differentiation¿ Crops and Consumption Cereal Dishes: Meals and Oblations¿ Puro]d¿sa, Dh¿n¿, Ap¿pa, Saktu ¿ Non-cereal Food¿ Summer and Winter Crops¿ Plough Lands: K_setra and Urvar¿ ¿ Drainage and Discord Rains and Irrigation ¿ River Action: Drainage and Soil Fertility¿ Overground and Underground Drainage ¿ Lift Irrigation: Pulley and Suction¿ Drought and Discord¿ Language and Ethnicity The Harappan Sign System¿ Variant Physical Types¿ The Linguistic Scenario¿ Primary Pr¿k¿ts, Vernacular Vedic ¿and the Mantra Dialect¿ Dravidian and Indo-¿ryan¿ Elamite, Vedic and Old Persian¿ Ethnicity and Afterlife Funerary Behaviour in the 'Rgveda ¿ Shifting Cremation Sites¿ Post-exposure Disposals ¿ Full-burials¿ Grave Goods¿ South as the Domain of Death¿ The Archaeological Record¿ Kalibangan¿ Harappa¿ Cemetery H¿ Surkotada¿ Birds and Animals in the Afterlife¿.