The history of Dumka goes back to Stone age. The excavations show that the area was perhaps inhabited by the Mon-khmers and the Mundas. Many tools have been found suggesting that the area was inhabited by pre - history people. It appears from the evidences found that the Paharias ( eg. Maler and Sauria Paharias ) inhabited the District during ancient period. The European traveler Megasthenese had identified these people as Mallis. The Greek geographer have referred to the Sauria Paharias as savars of Orisa. In the medieval period the area got strategic importance with a fort at Teliagarhi. After 1539 victory of Shershah Suri at Chousa, the area fell in the hands of the Afghans. However, it was soon lost to the Mughals under Akber, when Hussain Quli Khan was made viceroy of Bengal. The British representative Dr. Gabriel Bokgliton procured farman (orders) from Shahjahan. During 1742 to 1751, the area close to Rajmahal witnessed frequent inroads of the Marathas under Raghoji Bhosle and Peshwa Balaji Rao. In 1745, Raghoji Bhosle entered Rajmahal via hills and jungles of Santal Pargana. The early stay of the British were wasted in pacifying the Paharias. Till 1769 it remaindered a Ghatwali police post under Birbhum District of Bangal, and in 1775 the area was transfer to Bhagalpur Division. In 1865, Dumka was made an independent District after being carved out of Bhagalpur. it was made headquarters of the whole district of Santal Pargana in 1872. In 1983, Dumka was made Divisional headquarter of Santal Pargana and in 2000, it got the status of a Sub Capital of newly created Jharkhand state under Union of India.