This course is a survey of ancient South Asia, from around 2500 BCE to the 10th century CE. Close attention will be paid to the geography and ethnography of the region, its political and economic history, the religious, philosophical, literary, and artistic movements that have shaped it and contributed to its development as a unique, diverse, and fascinating civilization. We will cover broad patterns of historical change in ancient South Asia from the 10th century to the present, major cultural shifts and religious formations that have shaped South Asia over the past thousand-plus years, cultural texts that reflect the history of South Asia, and South Asia’s shifting relations with the world over the longue duree.