The early historical period of the southernmost region of India, corresponding to present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala. Dating from 300 BCE to 300 CE, it was characterised by the political rule of the Chola, Pandya and Chera dynasties, alongside local clan chieftains such as Ay Andiran and Vel Pari. It also marked the first phase of urbanisation in southern India and produced a vast corpus of literature, due to which it is considered to be a formative period for the Tamil language.
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Study & Criticism | Texts & Ideas | Premodern Culture | All India | Southern India | Early Historic (600–300 BCE)
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ChicagoImpart Encyclopedia of Art. "Sangam Period." Last updated February 17, 2026. https://imp-art.org/definitions/sangam-period/.
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MLA"Sangam Period." Impart Encyclopedia of Art, Feb. 17, 2026, https://imp-art.org/definitions/sangam-period/.
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HarvardImpart Encyclopedia of Art (2026) Sangam Period. Available at: https://imp-art.org/definitions/sangam-period/ (Accessed: 3 March 2026).
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