Pre-Aryan civilization

Archaeological discoveries at Mehrgarh in present-day Baluchistan show humans inhabited the region as early as 7000 BCE. From about 3000 BCE the Indus River basin was home to the Indus valley civilization, one of the earliest in human history. At its height, it boasted large cities like Harrapa (near Sahiwal in West Punjab) and Mohenjo Daro (near Sindh). The civilization declined rapidly after the 17th century BCE, for reasons that are still unexplained.

History of South Asia and History of India

History of South Asia and History of India
Stone Age	70,000–3300 BCE
• Mehrgarh Culture	• 7000–3300 BCE
Indus Valley Civilization	3300–1700 BCE
Late Harappan Culture	1700–1300 BCE
Vedic period	1500–500 BCE
Iron Age	1200–300 BCE
• Maha Janapadas	• 700–300 BCE
• Magadha Empire	• 545–320 BCE
• Maurya Empire	• 321–184 BCE
Middle Kingdoms	230 BCE–1279 CE
• Satavahana Empire	• 230 BCE–199 CE
• Kushan Empire	• 60–240 CE
• Gupta Empire	• 280–550 CE
• Pala Empire	• 750–1174 CE
• Chola Empire	• 848–1070 CE
Islamic Sultanates	1206–1596
• Delhi Sultanate	• 1206–1526
• Deccan Sultanates	• 1490–1596
Hoysala Empire	1040–1346
Kakatiya Empire	1083–1323
Vijayanagara Empire	1336–1565
Mughal Empire	1526–1857
Maratha Empire	1674–1818
Sikh Confederacy	1716–1849
British India	1765–1947
Modern States	1947 onwards

History of the Punjab

The first known use of the word Punjab is in the book Tarikh-e-Sher Shah Suri (1580), which mentions the construction of a fort by "Sher Khan of Punjab". The name is mentioned again in Ain-e-Akbari, written by Abul Fazal, who also mentions that the territory of Punjab was divided into two provinces, Lahore and Multan. Similarly in the second volume of Ain-e-Akbari, the title of a chapter includes the word Punjab in it. The Mughal King Jahangir also mentions the word Punjab in Tuzk-i-Janhageer.