Prehistoric period MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Prehistoric period - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Alamgirpur.
​Key Points

• Alamgirpur is another prominent archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district.
  • Also known as Parasaram-ka-Khera, this settlement along the Yamuna River existed from 3300 BC to 1300 BC from the Harappan-Bara period.
• Among major discoveries made here during the excavation were several ceramic items like roof tiles, cups, vases, beads, and carts, among others.
  • Also, a humped bull and a broken copper blade were unearthed at this site.

​Additional Information

The correct answer is Meluhha.Key Points

• Many scholars argue that the Mesopotamian people of Tigris- Euphrates valley called Indus Valley Civilization Meluhha.
• Mesopotamian civilizations formed on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is today Iraq and Kuwait. 
• Its modern name comes from the Greek for middle—Mesos—and river—potamos—and literally means a “country between two rivers.”
• Those two rivers are the Tigris and Euphrates. 
• Thus, it is clear that the Mesopotamian Civilization was developed on the banks of the Tigris-Euphrates rivers.

Additional Information

• Indus Valley civilization is also known as the Bronze Age Civilization because Bronze was the most widely used metal.
• People of the Indus Valley civilization were the first to grow cotton. Wheat and Barley were the major crops, evidence of rice was also found.
• The people of the Indus Valley civilization worshipped God Pashupati (believed to be God Shiva).
• Tin and precious stones were imported from Iran and Afghanistan, gold from Karnataka and copper from Rajasthan and Oman.

The correct answer is option 4.

Key Points

• Malla Painali is a well-known prehistoric painted rock shelter site located in the Almora district of Uttarakhand. Hence, option 4 is correct.
• The rock art in this region is attributed to early human settlements and provides valuable insight into prehistoric life, rituals, and art.
• Kalamati, Kimnigram, and Farkanauli are not correctly matched with the districts listed in the question.
• Among the options, only Malla Painali – Almora is accurate and well-documented in archaeological studies.

Key Points

• Mohanjodaro is one of the most prominent sites of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• A significant number of wells were discovered at Mohanjodaro, suggesting an advanced water management system.
• Approximately 700 wells were excavated at this site, which highlights its sophisticated urban planning.
• The discovery of these wells indicates that the inhabitants of Mohanjodaro had access to clean water for drinking and other purposes.

Additional Information

• Harappa: Harappa is another major site of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in present-day Pakistan. It is known for its granaries, citadel, and advanced drainage system.
• Kalibangan: Situated in present-day Rajasthan, India, Kalibangan is notable for its plowed fields and fire altars.
• Lothal: Located in present-day Gujarat, India, Lothal is famous for its dockyard, bead-making industry, and evidence of trade.

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

Lothal:

• A massive dockyard was found in the Harappan city of Lothal. (Hence option 3 is correct.)
• Harappa port-town of Lothal is located along the Bhogava river, a tributary of Sabarmati, in the Gulf of Khambat.
• This was an important centre for making objects out of stone, shell, and metal.

Indus Civilization:

• It is also known as the Harappan Civilization.
• Time period: 2300 and 1750 BCE
• The main occupations of the people were agriculture and the domestication of animals.
• Trade was of the barter type.
• Bronze and copper vessels are outstanding examples of the Harappan metal craft.
• Town planning: 
  • Grid system: Roads were wide and cut each other at a right angle, houses were built in a systematic manner.
  • Use of burnt bricks
  • Every house had its own courtyard and bathroom.
  • Underground drainage system (connecting all houses to the street drains)

Additional Information

The correct answer is Rakhigarhi.

Key Points

• Rakhigarhi site of Indus valley civilisation situated at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district.
• The site is located in the Sarasvati river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river.
• The Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.
•  A team of Indian and South Korean researchers carried out excavations in Rakhigarhi.
• The team unearthed a fire altar, parts of a city wall, drainage structures as well as a hoard of semi-precious beads.

Additional Information

Important Sites of Harappan Civilization:

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• In Lothal Dockyard was found.
• List of Important sites with their features:

Additional Information

• 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.
• 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.

Important facts to be remembered.

• Social features:-
  • Indus valley civilization is the first urbanization in India.
  • It has a well-planned drainage system, grid pattern, and town planning.
  • They have possessed equality in society.

• Religious Facts:-
  • Matridevi or Shakti is the Mother goddess.
  • Yoni worship and Nature worship existed.
  • They worshipped trees like Peepal.
  • They also worshipped Fire worship called Havan Kund.
  • Pashupati Mahadeva is known as the lord of Animals.
  • The people of the Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Animal worship like unicorns and ox.
• Economic facts:-
  • Indus valley civilization is based on agriculture.
  • Trade and commerce flourished in this period.
  • A dockyard has been found at Lothal.
  • There were export and import.
  • Production of cotton was there.
  • At Lothal, weights and measures of truth existed in Harappan culture was seen.
  • The weights and were usually cubical in shape and were made of limestone, steatite, etc

The correct answer is Mehrgarh

Key Points:

• Mehrgarh is a neolithic site located near the Bolan pass on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan, Pakistan, to the west of the Indus River Valley.
• It is the earliest known neolithic site in the Northwest Indian sub-continent, with early evidence of farming (wheat and barley), herding (cattle, sheep, and goats), and metallurgy.
• The oldest known example of the wax-lost techniques comes from a 6000-year-old wheel-shaped copper amulet found at Mehrgarh.

Additional Information

The Correct Answer is 1921.
Key Points

• Harappa was an Indus civilization urban centre.
• It lies in Punjab Province, Pakistan, on an old bank/bed of the River Ravi.
• Harappa was the first site of the civilization to be excavated in 1921.
• The excavation team was led by Daya Ram Sahni.

 Important Points

• Mohenjo-Daro was discovered in 1922 by R. D. Banerji.

The correct answer is Ropar.

Key Points

Given below is the list of Important Indus Valley civilization sites, year of excavation and River associated-

• John Marshall was the first scholar who used the term 'Indus Civilization' for the Harappa Civilization. 
• The time period of this civilization was 2500 BC - 1750 BC. 
• This civilization was mainly known for its great urban planning and sewage system. 
• Rakhaldas Bandopadhyay was known for discovering the site of Mohenjodaro whereas Dayaram Sahni was known for his discovery of Harappa. 
• RS Bisht discovered the Indus Valley Civilization site Banawali in 1973. 

The correct answer is Chanhudaro.

Key Points

• The Harappan site of Chanhudaro was excavated by N.G. Mazumdar in 1931.
• Chanhudaro is located near the banks of the river Indus.
• Chanhudaro is located near Mohenjodaro in present-day Sindh, Pakistan.
• Chanhudaro was the only Harappan city without a citadel.
• Beads factory was found.
• Evidence of human sacrifice was found here.
• Chanhudaro didn't have any fortified structure.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• Couple burial was found from Lothal at the Harappan sites.
• Lothal was one of the southernmost city of the ancient Indus valley civilisation located in the Bhal region of Gujarat.
• Burial or interment is the ritual act of placing a dead person or animals, sometimes with objects, into the ground.

The correct answer is 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A.

Key Points

• Kalibangan:
  • Kalibangan is an archaeological site at Hanumangarh in Rajasthan near the Ghaggar river. 
  • Plough field, fire altars, bones of camel, burial in the circular and rectangular grave is found here. 
• Chahundaro:
  • Chahundaro is an archaeological site at Sindh in Pakistan near the Indus river.
  • we can find a bead factory and ornaments here which points towards good craftsmen in this area. 
  • No fortified structure in this place. 
  • It is the only Harappan city without a Citadel and evidence of human sacrifice is available here.
• Surkotda:
  • Surkotada is an Indus Valley Civilisation archaeological site located in Rapar Taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat. 
  • It is a smaller fortified Indus Valley Civilisation site with 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres) in area.
  • Bones of horse and graveyard are found at Surkotda in Gujarat. 
• Mohenjodaro:
  • It is a planned settlement that is divided into two sections, one smaller but higher (Citadel) and the other much larger but lower (Lower Town).
  • The Citadel owes its height to the fact that buildings were constructed on mud-brick platforms.
    • It was walled, which meant that it was physically separated from the Lower Town.
    • It had structures that were probably used for special public purposes.
  • The Lower Town was also walled. Several buildings were built on platforms, which served as foundations

The correct answer is Ravi.

Key Points

Ravi river's Banks were situated on Harappa.

• The Indus Valley civilization was discovered first in 1921 at the modern site of Harappa situated in the province of West Punjab in Pakistan.
• The city lies on the banks of the river Ravi, a left-bank tributary of the river Indus.
• Harappan civilization is also known as Indus Valley Civilization for being situated on and around the banks of the Indus river.
• It flourished around 2,500 BCE in the western part of South Asia, in contemporary Pakistan, western India, and parts of Afghanistan.
• Hence, option 4 is correct.

Additional InformationIndus River :

• The Indus River is one of the main rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the Indian subcontinent.
• It flows through the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir and along the length of Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.
• Originating in the Tibetan Plateau in the vicinity of Lake Manasarovar, the river runs a course through the Ladakh region of India towards Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Then flows in a southerly direction along the entire length of Pakistan to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi in Sindh.

Luni River :

• Luni is the largest river in the Thar desert in northwest India.
  • It originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer.
  • It passes through the southeastern portion of the Thar Desert.
  • It ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, after traveling a distance of 495 km.
  • It serves as an essential source of irrigation water.
• Luni is a major west-flowing river that originates from the western slopes of Naga hills, at an elevation of 772 m in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan.

Bhogwa River :

• Bhogwa River is a river in Gujarat, India.
  • It is a major right tributary of the Sabarmati River.
• The city of Surendranagar is on the banks of the Bhogavo.
• Dholidhaja Dam is located on the river.