The Aryans and the Vedic Age

1500 b.c ~ 500 b.c.

In the beginning of this age, nomadic peoples began to emerge into India. Through acculturation, the Aryans and earlier Indian people combined their culture. Soon, they settled into villages and started to farm and domesticate animals.

Eventually, the Aryans colonized eastward, and in 800 b.c, they discovered iron working. It was then much easier to build villages. The leaders of these cities were called rajahs; they were skilled warriors elected to be chiefs of the newfound cities.

Because there was little archaeological evidence left behind by the Aryans,most of what we know comes from the Vedas.

From the Vedas we learn that the people of the Vedic Age followed the caste system and were polytheistic. Their gods and goddesses embodied natural forces and animals. Later, their religious views changed to ones similar to Hinduism.

Around the time that the Vedic Age started to decline, Sanskrit began to be commonly used in literary works.