1206-1526The Delhi Sultanate
Some of the earliest relics of Stone Age man were found in the Soan valley near Rawalpindi,dating back to at least 50,000 years. Predominantly an agricultural region, its inhabitantslearned to tame and husband animals and cultivate crops some 9,000 years ago. Farmingvillages dating from 6000 BC have been excavated in Baluchistan, the North West Frontier Province and Punjab.The Indus Valley Civilization is considered to have evolved around 2600 BC. Built on theruins of fortified towns near Kot Diji, it is now believed to have emerged from farmingcommunities of the area. The Civilization boasted immense cities like Moenjodaro andHarappa. These towns were well planned, with paved main roads, multistoried houses,watchtowers, food warehouses, and assembly halls. Their people developed an advancedscript that still remains un-deciphered. The Indus Civilization's decline around 1700 BC isattributed to foreign invaders, who at some sites violently destroyed the cities. But with recentresearch, historians have become unsure as to the exact causes of decline of the IndusCivilization.Aryans, who were rough cattle breeders, came from Central Asia around 1700 BC, seekinggrazing land for their herds. Their religion was well developed, with gods identified fromelements of nature. They followed a strict caste system, which later became Hinduism. Theywrote the first book of Hindu scripture, the Rig Veda, which was a collection of hymnsremembered through several generations. Some anthropologists believe that there is no realhistorical evidence to prove the coming of Aryans, and consider their coming as a myth.In sixth century BC, the people of the region were getting increasingly dissatisfied with theHindu caste system. When Buddha, son of a Kshatriya king preached equality in men, histeachings were quickly accepted throughout the northern part of the Sub-continent. Aroundthe same time Gandhara, being the easternmost province of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, became a major power in the region. Its two cities - Pushkalavati, or present dayCharsadda near Peshawar, and the capital Taxila, were the center of civilization and culture.