The first volume of the history begins with an introductory section dealing with certain general topics bearing upon the history of India as a whole, and proceeds with a short account of the geological, geographical, and biological background of primitive man. This setting of the stage is followed by a study of the peoples who played their part therein. In the absence of any written record, the knowledge of their history and culture is based on archaeological finds - exactly the same type of evidence on which the prehistoric study of other countries is based.