Give two examples of literary sources.

Two key examples of literary sources are the Vedas and the Arthashastra.

The Vedas are ancient religious texts composed in Sanskrit that provide insights into early Indian society, rituals, and beliefs. They are among the oldest known scriptures in human history.

The Arthashastra, written by Kautilya (Chanakya), is a treatise on governance, economics, and statecraft during the Mauryan period. Literary sources like these reveal political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of ancient civilizations. They complement archaeological evidence, giving historians a fuller understanding of how people lived and governed their societies thousands of years ago.