Nomadic people that traveled migrated across Europe and Asia intermarried with local people. The new group called themselves the Aryans. The Aryans combined the cultures of the nomads and the earlier Indian people through acculturation.

The early Aryans in India left behind little archaeological evidence. Most of what we know about them comes from the Vedas, a collection of hymns, chants, ritual instructions, and other religious teachings. The period from about 1500 BC to 500 BC is called the Vedic Age.

The Vedic Age and the Vedas