The achievements of ancient India in the fields of science, technology and medicine have been highlighted in this volume. The various dimensions of ancient Indian mathematics (including calculus), physical and chemical thoughts, astronomical ideas and notions of geography have been clearly brought forward in the ‘science’ section of the book. In the technology section, metallurgy has received detailed, metal-by-metal analysis and this has been supplemented by articles on water-management, textile technology, manuscript preparation, etc. Both the theoretical and surgical dimensions of the ancient Indian medical system have also been clearly discussed. On the whole, the present volume offers a detailed perspective on the issues of ancient Indian mathematical thoughts and ideas of physics, chemistry, and geography and related issues along with both the theoretical and practical features of ancient Indian medical knowledge. The articles on technology also give an objective analysis of many aspects of ancient Indian technological system.

Contents: 

Foreword

Editor’s Preface

1 . History of Indian Physical and Chemical Thought

— S.C. Kak

2. Physical and Mathematical Thought in Ancient India: The Rigvedic and Related Evidence

— Soma Basu

3. History of Chemical Thoughts in Ancient India

— A. Basu

4. Numerals in Ancient and Medieval India

— P.K. Majumdar

5. Arithmetic – The Indian Way

— R. Chakraborty

6. Algebra

— P.K. Majumdar

7. Geometry in Ancient and Medieval Ages

— S. Chatterjee

8. Trigonometry in Ancient and Medieval India

— P.K. Majumdar

9. Indian Calculus and its Journey to the West

— R. Chakraborty

10. History of Ancient Indian Astronomy

— A. Sarkar

11. Astronomical Manuscripts and Ideas in India

— S. Chatterjee and A. Sarkar

12. Indian Megaliths and Astronomy: Evidence from South India

— K.P. Rao

13. Geographical Thoughts in Ancient India: Envisioning Cosmology and Nature

— Rana P.B. Singh

14. Sacred Geography of Hindu Holy Places

— Rana P.B. Singh and Pravin Singh Rana

15. Water Management in Ancient India

— T. Prasad

16. Water Management Technologies of the Gonds of Central India

— K.G. Vyas

17. Water Management System in Peninsular India: A Case Study of Sluice Technology

— K. Rajan

18. From Alexander’s Invasion to the Guptas: The Military Thought and Planning in Ancient India

— K. Ray

19. Textile Technology in Ancient India

— P. Gaurav

20. The Ancient Manuscript Tradition of India: The Technology of Manuscript Preparation with Special Reference to Odisha

— P. Bhoi

21. Ancient Indian Pottery Manufacturing Technology

— S.S. Rai

22. Ancient Indian Metallurgy

— A. Suri

23. The Early Use of Copper and Its Alloys and Iron in Ancient India (From the Beginning to the 12th Century CE)

— S. Ray, A. Sarkar and R.K. Chattopadhyay

24. Notes on Lead and Silver in Ancient India

— R. Nanda Mathew

25. The Early History of Gold in India

— R. Nanda Mathew

26. Thelunganur: The Evidence of Production of Ultrahigh Carbon Crucible Steel

— K. Rajan

27. The History of Medicine in Ancient India (From the Beginning to the 13th Century AD)

— A. Sarkar and R.K. Chattopadhyay

Contributors

Index