History of Ayurveda Timeline

Pre-Vedic Period | Pre-1700 BCE

c. 70,000–50,000 BCE — First humans migrate to India
c. 5,500 BCE — Cotton cultivation begins in India.
c. 5,000 BCE — Evidence of religious practices in the Indus Valley
c. 4,000 BCE — Farming settlements are established in the Indus Valley
c. 3300-1600 BCE — Harappa arises in the Indus Valley Civilization

c. 2000–1500 BCE — Migrations of Indo-European Speakers into India
c. 1800 BCE — Climate change began to affect Indus Valley Civilizations

Vedic Period | 1700 BCE - 400 BCE


Early: 1700 BCE - 1200 BCE (Rig Veda)

c. 1500–1000 BCE — Earliest hymns of Rig Veda composed

c. 1500–500 BCE — Vedic Period and Iron Age in North India

c. 1000–300 BCE — Iron Age in South India


Middle: 1200 BCE - 700 BCE (Yajur, Sama, & Atarva Vedas)
Late: 700 BCE - 450 BCE (White Yajur Veda)

c. 599–527 BCE — Mahavira
c. 563–486 BCE — Prince Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
518 BCE — Darius of Persia conquers Indus Valley

Samhita (Classical) Period | 450 BCE - 400 CE

Sangraha Period | 400 CE - 700 CE

Nighantu Period (Middle Ages) | 700 CE - 1498 CE

Some Nighantus were written in the Sangraha period, and commentaries and texts were written in the Nighantu period and even in the Modern Periods.

Early Modern Period | 1498 CE - 1858 CE

The Early Modern Period is dated from the Portuguese invasion, and most of it is covered by the Mughal Empire.

Mughal Empire begins in 1526
East India company rule is dated variously from the Battle of Plassey on June 23, 1757 or the Treaty of Allahabad on August 16, 1765
The Indian Mutiny of 1857 leads to the end both of the Moghul Empire and East India Company rule.

Late Modern Period | 1858 CE - 1947 CE

The Late Modern Period is considered the British Raj Period.

Direct rule from London begins in 1858.

Contemporary Period | 1947 CE - Present (Global Ayurveda)