An examination of the the socio-economic and political processes in south India from ancient to early medieval period. It covers various aspects of social formations in south India-economy, technology, social relations, institutions, agrarian structure, political processes, state, writing, and so on. The collection is broadly organized into four parts viz., the methodological perspectives, pre-historic formations, agro-pastoral social formation, and agrarian social formation. The author also discusses problems related to the pre-historic and early historical periods and explores the factors that led to the end of the early historical and the beginning of early medieval period in south Indian history.This book will be of considerable interest to scholars, teachers, and students of ancient and early medieval history, archaeology, anthropology, and sociology particularly those concerned with south India.