Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Guide to Refer to Ancient Literature and Notations in the Text
- Section I Growth of Communities and Knowledge, Armies and Wars in the Ancient Period
- 1 In the Beginning
- 2 The Knowledge Literature in Sanskrit
- 3 Ancient Arts of War
- 4 Vedic and Epic Wars
- 5 Rise of Armies in Ancient Times
- 6 Wars from the Purānās to Panipat and Plassey
- 7 Modern Armed Forces of India
- Section II Food
- Section III The Food Supply Chain
- Section IV Science and Technology Component
- Section V Wars and Food Supply Logistics
- In the End
- Annexures
- Index
1 - In the Beginning
from Section I - Growth of Communities and Knowledge, Armies and Wars in the Ancient Period
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Guide to Refer to Ancient Literature and Notations in the Text
- Section I Growth of Communities and Knowledge, Armies and Wars in the Ancient Period
- 1 In the Beginning
- 2 The Knowledge Literature in Sanskrit
- 3 Ancient Arts of War
- 4 Vedic and Epic Wars
- 5 Rise of Armies in Ancient Times
- 6 Wars from the Purānās to Panipat and Plassey
- 7 Modern Armed Forces of India
- Section II Food
- Section III The Food Supply Chain
- Section IV Science and Technology Component
- Section V Wars and Food Supply Logistics
- In the End
- Annexures
- Index
Summary
‘To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life unless it moves into the life of our own ancestors by the records of life history.’
CiceroAdvent of the Genus Homo
Archaeological finds of skeletal remains, skulls and pieces, teeth and jaw bones, stones and shaped or crafted tools, carbon dating, geological data, etc. provide information about each stage of human evolution as well as reveal the climatic conditions that prevailed at the time. They yield ample data to help in a reconstruction of the happenings that led to that particular stage of evolution and then their cataclysmic or quiet extinction. Exquisite anatomical details can be worked out with just a few pieces of bone by employing anthropometric techniques. Predicting size, height, stance and gait of the skeleton's owner gives an idea of how the species stood and moved. Experts can even add flesh, sculpt a near life-like face and build a body to go with it all. The size of the skull indicates the size of the brain within; the larger the brain box, the more evolved was the species in terms of its skill development, its ability to acquire and assess information and knowledge from the surroundings, process and use it for survival and so on. The shape, size and formation of teeth, the size of the jaw bone, etc.
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- Armies, Wars and their Food , pp. 3 - 12Publisher: Foundation BooksPrint publication year: 2012