Harappa Civilization MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Harappa Civilization - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Shortughai.

Key Points

• Shortugai and Mundigak are the only Indus Valley Civilization sites in Afghanistan.
• Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization spread across the whole of Pakistan and the north-western part of India.
• It was discovered by Dayaram Sahni in 1921 with the discovery of Harappa.
• Shortugai is located in the Takhar Province in Afghanistan.
• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India.
• The civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus.

Additional Information

• Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world. It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system.
• John Marshall was the first researcher to use the term, 'Indus Valley Civilization'.
• Indus Valley Civilization spread from the year 2500 – to 1750 BC according to radio-carbon dating.
• The most distinctive feature of the Harappan Civilization was its urbanization.
• Moreover, sheep and goats, dogs, humped cattle buffalo, and elephants were domesticated in the Indus Valley Civilization.
• The capital cities are Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
• The port cities are Sutkagendor, Balakot, Lothal, Allahdino, and Kuntasi.
• The Indus valley people were well-acquainted with the use of both cotton and wool.

The correct answer is: '3) (A), (B) and (E) only'.

Key Points

• (A) Harappan seal was a most distinctive artifact of the Harappan Civilization.
  • This statement is correct.
  • Harappan seals are among the most distinctive artifacts from the Harappan Civilization, often depicting animals, mythical creatures, and script.
• (B) Harappan seal motifs conveyed a meaning to those unable to read it.
  • This statement is correct.
  • The motifs on the Harappan seals are believed to have conveyed cultural or administrative information, possibly understood even by those who couldn't read the script.
• (E) Some Harappan seals show wider spacing of script from right and cramping on the left.
  • This statement is correct.
  • Studies of Harappan script have noted variations in spacing, which may reflect writing practices or the constraints of the seal-making process.

Incorrect Statements

• (C) Harappan seals had Sanskrit script on them.
  • This statement is incorrect.
  • The script on Harappan seals remains undeciphered but is not Sanskrit. The Harappan script is unique and predates Sanskrit.
• (D) Harappan seals had Pali and Prakrit inscriptions on them.
  • This statement is incorrect.
  • Harappan seals do not contain Pali or Prakrit inscriptions. These languages and scripts developed much later.

Hence, Statements (A), (B) and (E) are correct, and Statements (C) and (D) are incorrect.

Additional Information

• Harappan Civilization:
  • The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, flourished around 2600-1900 BCE in what is now Pakistan and northwest India.
  • It is known for its advanced urban planning, architecture, and social organization.
• Harappan Seals:
  • Harappan seals were likely used for trade, identification, and administrative purposes.
  • They typically feature a combination of animal motifs, human figures, and script.
  • Despite numerous attempts, the script on these seals has not been deciphered, leading to various theories about its language and meaning.

The correct answer is: '2'.

Key Points

• Matching List-I with List-II accurately reflects the historical associations of the materials with their respective sites:
  • Shell (A) - Nageshwar (II):
    • Nageshwar is known for its shell-working industry in the Harappan civilization. Shell bangles and other shell products were extensively manufactured here.
  • Lapis-Lazuli (B) - Shortughai (I):
    • Shortughai, located in present-day Afghanistan, was a major source of lapis-lazuli, a precious blue stone traded with the Indus Valley Civilization.
  • Carnelian (C) - Lothal (IV):
    • Lothal, an important Harappan port city, was a significant center for bead-making, especially carnelian beads.
  • Steatite (D) - South Rajasthan (III):
    • South Rajasthan was known for its steatite (soapstone) sources. Steatite was widely used in the Harappan civilization for making seals and other artifacts.

Incorrect Statements

• Option 1:
  • Does not correctly match the items with their respective sites.
  • Shell is not associated with South Rajasthan and Lapis-Lazuli is not linked to Lothal.
• Option 3:
  • Incorrectly associates Carnelian with South Rajasthan and Steatite with Lothal.
• Option 4:
  • Incorrectly matches Shell with Lothal and Lapis-Lazuli with South Rajasthan.

Hence, the correct matching is: (A) - (II), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III).

Additional Information

• Harappan Trade:
  • The Indus Valley Civilization engaged in extensive trade networks with regions including Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.
  • Materials like lapis-lazuli, carnelian, and shells were significant in their trade and crafts.
• Archaeological Sites and Artifacts:
  • Sites like Lothal, Nageshwar, and Shortughai provide critical insights into the trade, industry, and craftsmanship of the Harappan people.
  • Artifacts such as beads, seals, and shell bangles shed light on the economic activities and cultural exchanges of the time.

The correct answer is: '1) (A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (II), (D) - (III)'

Key Points

• Matching List-I with List-II:
  • A. Terracotta models of plough - IV. Cholistan
    • Cholistan, part of the greater Indus Valley Civilization, has yielded terracotta models of plough indicating agricultural practices.
  • B. Ploughed field - I. Kalibangan
    • Kalibangan, located in Rajasthan, is known for its ploughed fields, indicating early agricultural activity.
  • C. Traces of canals - II. Shortughai
    • Shortughai, an ancient site in northern Afghanistan, has traces of canals, indicating advanced irrigation systems.
  • D. Water reservoirs - III. Dholavira
    • Dholavira, an archaeological site in Gujarat, is known for its sophisticated water reservoirs, showcasing advanced water management.

Incorrect Statements

• (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)
  • This option incorrectly matches the Terracotta models of plough with Kalibangan instead of Cholistan.
  • It also incorrectly matches Traces of canals with Cholistan instead of Shortughai.
• (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)
  • This option incorrectly matches the Terracotta models of plough with Kalibangan instead of Cholistan.
  • It also incorrectly matches Traces of canals with Dholavira instead of Shortughai.
  • It incorrectly matches Water reservoirs with Cholistan instead of Dholavira.
• (A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)
  • This option incorrectly matches Ploughed field with Dholavira instead of Kalibangan.
  • It also incorrectly matches Water reservoirs with Kalibangan instead of Dholavira.

Hence, the correct match is: (A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (II), (D) - (III).

Additional Information

• Indus Valley Civilization:
  • The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is one of the world's oldest urban civilizations, known for its advanced architecture, urban planning, and water management systems.
  • Major sites include Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Kalibangan, and Shortughai.
• Archaeological Evidence:
  • Archaeological evidence such as terracotta models, ploughed fields, traces of canals, and water reservoirs provide insights into the agricultural practices, urban planning, and water management of ancient civilizations.
  • These findings help historians reconstruct the daily lives and technological advancements of ancient societies.

The correct answer is - Chanhudaro

Key Points

• Chanhudaro
  • Chanhudaro is an archaeological site belonging to the post-Harappa phase of the Indus Valley Civilization.
  • The site is located in the Sindh province of present-day Pakistan.
  • Chanhudaro is known for its artifacts and structures that provide evidence of the Jhukar culture.
  • The Jhukar culture is distinguished by its unique pottery and small objects made of terracotta and bronze.
  • Excavations at Chanhudaro have revealed urban planning, craft production, and trade activities.

Additional Information

• North India
  • North India primarily includes states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, which are not known for Jhukar culture remains.
• Gujarat
  • Gujarat is home to other significant Indus Valley Civilization sites like Lothal and Dholavira, but not known for Jhukar culture.
• Ropad
  • Ropad (or Rupnagar) is an archaeological site in Punjab, India, and is known for Harappan remains but not specifically for Jhukar culture.

At the Surkotda site traces of horses have been found.

Important Points

• Surkotda is located in Rapar Taluka of Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Here, the remains of Horse bones and some related artifacts have been found.
• J.P. Joshi and A.K. Sharma reported the findings of horse bones during 2100-1700 BCE.
• The horse did not play an important role during the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Additional Information

• The Harappans established the settlement at Surkotda towards the end of the civilization.
• It was occupied for 400 years.
• It is a small fortified site with an area of 3.5 acres.

The correct answer is Shortughai.

Key Points

• Shortugai and Mundigak are the only Indus Valley Civilization sites in Afghanistan.
• Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization spread across the whole of Pakistan and the north-western part of India.
• It was discovered by Dayaram Sahni in 1921 with the discovery of Harappa.
• Shortugai is located in the Takhar Province in Afghanistan.
• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India.
• The civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus.

Additional Information

• Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world. It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system.
• John Marshall was the first researcher to use the term, 'Indus Valley Civilization'.
• Indus Valley Civilization spread from the year 2500 – to 1750 BC according to radio-carbon dating.
• The most distinctive feature of the Harappan Civilization was its urbanization.
• Moreover, sheep and goats, dogs, humped cattle buffalo, and elephants were domesticated in the Indus Valley Civilization.
• The capital cities are Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
• The port cities are Sutkagendor, Balakot, Lothal, Allahdino, and Kuntasi.
• The Indus valley people were well-acquainted with the use of both cotton and wool.

The Harappan Civilization is dated between 3300 and 1300 BC. There were earlier and later cultures, known as Early Harappan and Later Harappan. The Harappan period characterized by seals, beads, weights, stone blades, and baked bricks is called as the Mature Harappan culture.

• Egyptian Civilization: Starting around 5500 BCE two major kingdoms developed along the Nile. Historians call them Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
• Around 3200 BCE, Egypt was brought together under one ruler 'King Narmer' (sometimes called Menes ). This is recognized as the beginning of Egyptian civilization.
• Ancient Egypt was one of the greatest and most powerful civilizations in the history of the world. It lasted for over 3000 years from 3150 BC to 30 BC.
• The civilization of Ancient Egypt was located along the Nile River in northeast Africa.

Additional Information

• Chinese Civilization:  Chinese civilization first emerged in the Yellow River valley, which along with the Yangtze basin constitutes the geographic core of the Chinese cultural sphere. China maintains a rich diversity of ethnic and linguistic people groups. (c. 1046 – 256 BCE).
• Greek Civilization: Ancient Greece Civilization existed in 700-480 B.C. Greek civilization is known for its art, architecture, and philosophy. Ancient Greece saw advances in art, poetry, and technology, but is known as the age in which the polis, or city-state, was invented. The polis became the defining feature of Greek political life for hundreds of years.
• Roman Civilization: Roman Civilization existed in 625 B.C. to 476 A.D.The histories of the Roman Empire can be divided into three distinct periods: The Period of Kings (625-510 BC), Republican Rome (510-31 BC), and Imperial Rome (31 BC- 476AD).

Hence, from the above facts, we can infer that the Egyptian Civilization was contemporary to Harappan Civilization.

The correct answer is Town Planning.

• Harappa is located near the Ravi River, which is a tributary of the upper Indus region.
• The most prominent feature of the Harappan era architecture is the drainage system. It shows how important cleanliness was for them.
• It was achieved through having a series of drains running along the streets that connected to larger sewers in the main streets.
• Town planning was amazing in nature. A few cities have citadels to the west on a higher platform and to the east of which is the hub of a residential area.
• The uniformity is noticed in the layout of the towns, streets, structures, brick size, drains, etc.
• Harappan city sites, including Mohenjo Daro, Harappa, Kalibangan, and Surkotada were having large gateways at various entry points of the city.
• Important Features.
  • ​The grid system of town Planning.
  • Citadel ( for administrative and religious purpose) and lower town ( residence of common people).
  • large-scale use of burnt bricks and absence of stone buildings.
  • Houses had many rooms with a square courtyard, private wells, kitchens, and bathing space.
  • Well laid out underground drainage system.

Key Points

•  Types of Buildings.
  • ​Excavations have uncovered many types of houses and public buildings at both large and small settlements.
• The architecture may be grouped into three categories with some variations:
  • ​Private houses.
  • Private houses surrounded by smaller units.
  • Large public structures.
• Materials Used in Buildings.​
  • Most settlements were situated in the alluvial plains where the most common building materials were mud-bricks and kiln-fired-bricks, wood and reeds.
  • Doors and windows were made up of wood and mats.
  • Floors of houses were generally hard-packed earth that was often plastered.
  • Drains and bathing areas were made with baked bricks or stone.
  • Roofs were probably made of wooden beams covered with reeds and packed clay.

 ​The correct answer is ​Uttar Pradesh.

• Coinciding with the Late Harappan period, around 4,000 years ago, the Sanauli dig yielded evidence of a Royal burial site.
• Sanauli is an archaeological site located in Baraut tehsil, Baghpat district, western Uttar Pradesh, India, at the Ganga Yamuna doab.
• The Chariots may have been pulled by Horses.
• Seven human burials including three coffin burials have been excavated by the ASI at Sinauli in 2018.
• The wooden coffin stands on four wooden legs.
• The entire coffin, including legs, is covered with copper sheets on all sides.
• The excavations at Sanauli have brought to light the largest necropolis of the Late Harappan period datable to around the early part of the second millennium BCE.
• 

Key Points

•  In Sanauli, decorated copper-plated anthropomorphic figures having horns, peepal leafed crowns and even a torso-shaped armor made of copper have been found near the coffins.
• Researchers have discovered four copper antenna swords, two daggers, three copper bowls, combs, mirrors and beads of different shapes and sizes.

• Bead-making factories or workshops including furnaces have been identified in various sites of Harappan civilization.
• The Lower Town of Lothal incorporated workshops of faience and stone bead manufacturers, coppersmiths, shell cutters, and potters. The Lothal was mostly known for micro-beads in the Indus Valley Civilization. It is also famous for its Dock.
• Several sites such as Harappa, Chanhudaro, and Dholavira reveal the stages involved in the production of these beads. Specialized drills have been found at these sites.
• The beads from the Harappan civilization are of various materials such as terracotta, shell, steatite, agate-carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise, faience, jasper, onyx, and others.
• Techniques for making beads differed according to the material. Steatite, a very soft stone, was easily worked. Some beads were moulded out of a paste made with steatite powder. This permitted making a variety of shapes, unlike the geometrical forms made out of harder stones.
• Archaeologists’ experiments have revealed that the red color of the carnelian was obtained by firing the yellowish raw material and beads at various stages of production. Nodules were chipped into rough shapes, and then finely flaked into the final form. Grinding, polishing, and drilling completed the process.
• Finished products (beads) from Chanhudaro and Lothal were taken to the large urban centers such as Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

Hence, it is clear from the above point that the Bead-making workshop has been found at Lothal.

Extra info-

Amri lies on the western bank of the Indus, in Sindh (Pakistan). The early occupation at Amri has been dated between 3600 and 3300 BCE. It belonged to the Pre-Harappan stage of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Banwali is on the dry bed of the ancient river Sarasvati. It is marked by the presence of a well-planned fortified township laid in a radial pattern. This site was excavated by Dr. R.S.Bhist of the Archaeological Survey of India. Terracotta models of the plough have been found in Banawali (Haryana).

The Post Urban Harappan period in Gujarat is represented by cultural periods Rangpur. It was identified by three periods, period I - Microlithic Culture, period II - Harappan culture, period III - Lustrous Red Ware, or Post Harappan Culture. Thus, Rangpur for the first time revealed a stratigraphical relation between the Late Harappan Phase and the Mature Harappans.

MAP REFERENCE- NCERT

The correct answer is (1).

Key Points

•  Among all the other sites of the Harappan Civilization, archeologists have found evidence of ploughed fields from Kalibangan. 
• It is situated in the northern part of Rajasthan on the bank of Ghaggar.
• It was excavated by B K Thapar, M D Khare, K M Srivastava, and S P Jain.
• Evidence of mixed cultivation is found, which means two types of crops were grown together in a field.
• Some of the major findings of Kalibangan are:
  • Mud brick used to make house
  • Semi-precious stones
  • fragments of a terracotta humped bull
  • toy cart wheels

Additional Information

1.  Harappa: It was the first discovered site of the Harappan civilization. It is situated in West Punjab, now in Pakistan. A Citadel and 6 Granaries were found here.
2. Mohanjodaro: It is situated by the bank of Indus in Sindh, Pakistan. Granary, Great Bath, and Weights for Measurement were found here.
3. Banawali: It is situated in Haryana. Seals and Weights for Measurement were found here.

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• The Lothal -
  • This city is situated in the Saurashtra region, between the Sabarmati River and its tributary Bhogavo.
  • It provides evidence of Harappan culture between 2400 BC to 1600 BC.
  • Lothal is the only port city of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Additional Information

• ​Nagapattinam -
  • It is a town in Nagapattinam district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
• Mahasthangarh -
  • The oldest urban archaeological site ever discovered in Bangladesh.
  • The ruins of this ancient city (Pundranagar) have been found in Shivganj of Bogra district.
  • This city was also called 'Paundravardhanpur' and it was in the kingdom of Pundravardhan.
• Alexandria -
  • It is the second largest city in Egypt.
  • It is the largest sea port in the country, where about 80% of Egypt's import and export work is done.
  • Alexandria is also an important tourist destination.

The correct answer is Ghod.

• Inamagon:
  • Inamagon is situated near the Ghod river, a tributary of the river Bhima in Maharashtra.
  • Inamgaon is the post-Harappan archaeological site in Maharashtra.
  • Usually adults were buried at this site. The dead body was laid straight; with the head facing towards north.
  • Remains of wheat, barley, lentils, millets and sesame have been found from the Inamgaon site.
• The Subarnarekha River flows through the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. 
• Mahi river rises in Madhya Pradesh and flows into Arabian Sea after flowing through the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
  • It is the river which crosses tropic of cancer twice.
• The Penna river rises in the Nandi Hills in Karnataka, and runs through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

Important sites of Harappa

The correct answer is Beas.

Key Points

• About Beas River:
  • Beas is part of the Indus river system and one of the tributaries of the Indus river.
  • The Beas originates near the Rohtang Pass on the southern end of the Pir Panjal Range.
  • It is 460 km and flows within the Indian territory.
  • Vipasha is the Sanskrit name of Beas.

Additional Information