IVC Important sites & features MCQs with Explanations
About the Topic: Indus Valley Civilization Important Sites & Features is one of the most frequently asked UPSC topics covering Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan and their unique archaeological features. Practice MCQ Questions with detailed answers and explanations.
Consider the following pairs:
How many of the pairs given above are not correctly matched?
Correct Answer:
(A) Only one
Craft production was an important part of the economy of Harappan civilization. Bead and ornament making, shell bangle making and metalworking were the major crafts.
The Harappans procured materials for craft production in various ways. For instance, they established settlements such as Nageshwar and Balakot in areas where shells were available. Hence, pair 3 is correct.
Other such sites were;
Shortughai, located in far-off Afghanistan was the best source of lapis lazuli (a blue stone that was apparently very highly valued). Hence, pair 1 is incorrect.
Lothal, located in Bharuch in Gujarat was the source of Carnelian. Hence, pair 4 is correct.
Another strategy for procuring raw materials may have been to send expeditions to areas such as the Khetri region of Rajasthan (for copper) and south India (for gold). Hence, pair 2 is correct.
Ques: 2
Which of the following is not correctly matched:
Correct Answer:
(C) Kalibangan - Haryana
Ques: 3
Indus valley civilization is known for
For its town planning
For Mohenjodaro and Harappa
For their agricultural work
For its industrialization
Codes :
Correct Answer:
(D)
All of the above
Town planning was the unique feature of the Indus Valley Civilization. The cities and towns were well planned. Harappa and Mohenjodaro were two major cities of Indus Valley Civilization. Since the Harrapa site was discovered first, that’s why it is known as Harrapan Civilization. Kalibangan in Rajasthan has given the first evidence (2800 B.C.) of the ploughed agricultural field and evidence of business has been found from Lothal. Thus, all four statements are correct.
Ques: 4
Which of the following statements about the Indus valley civilization is not true?
Correct Answer:
(D)
People knew about iron
Ques: 5
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(Harappan Settlement) (River on which located )
Harappa 1. Bhogava
Kalibangan 2. Ghaggar
Lothal 3. Ravi
Ropar 4. Sutlej
Code :
A B C D
Correct Answer:
(A) 3 2 1 4
Ques: 6
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
Harappa 1. Godavari river
Hastinapur 2. Ravi river
Nagarjuna Konda 3. Ganga river
Paithan 4. Krishna river
Code :
A B C D
Correct Answer:
(B) 2341
The correctly matched list is as follows:
Harappa Ravi river
Hastinapur Ganga river
Nagarjuna Konda Krishna river
Paithan Godavari river
Ques: 7
Which one of the following ancient towns is well- known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?
Correct Answer:
(A) Dholavira
Dholavira in Gujarat is well known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs.
Ques: 8
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
List-I List-II
Harappa 1. Cemetry R-37
Lothal 2. Dockyard
Kalibangan 3. Dancing Girl Statue
Mohenjo-Daro 4. Furrowed land
Codes :
A B C D
Correct Answer:
(D)
1 2 4 3
The correctly matched list is as follows :
List-I List-II
Harappa Cemetery R-37
Lothal Dockyard
Kalibangan Furrowed land
Mohenjo-Daro Dancing Girl Statue
Ques: 9
In which state of India is the Harappan Civilization site Mandi situated?
Correct Answer:
(D)
Uttar Pradesh
Mandi is located to the east of the Yamuna River, in Muzaffarnagar district, western Uttar Pradesh and this area has been considered peripheral to the main distribution area of the Harappan Civilization. A hoard of jewellery at Mandi was discovered during an excavation carried out by D.V. Sharma (1999-2000).
Ques: 10
The important reason to keep Indus-Valley civilization chronologically before Aryan civilization is-
Correct Answer:
(D)
Potteries
Ques: 11
The Indus Valley culture was different from the Vedic Civilization because
Correct Answer:
(D)
All of the above
The knowledge of script and town planning of Indus Valley Civilization was more developed than that of Pre-Aryans. Different archaeological pieces of evidence of pottery have been found in the early settlements of Mehrgarh from the Indus Valley Civilization. Pottery found during excavations.
Ques: 12
Which of the following is related to Harappa civilization?
Correct Answer:
(B) Indus Valley Civilization
Harappa is an archaeological site related to Indus Valley Civilization. Since the first archaeological evidence of this civilization was obtained from Harappa, Indus Valley Civilization is also known as Harappa Civilization. Along with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of the three ancient civilizations of the world.
Ques: 13
Indus Civilization existed in–
Correct Answer:
(B) Proto-historic age
Historical period is determined with respect to the available written literature. The Indus Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan civilization, existed during the proto-historic age. The proto-historic age is the period between prehistory and history, when there was cultural development but no writing. The Indus Valley Civilization is considered proto-historic because its script has not yet been deciphered.
Ques: 14
Indus Valley civilization was Non-Aryan because -
Correct Answer:
(A) It was an Urban Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization was an earliest known urban civilization of Indian subcontinent whereas Aryan Civilization was rural civilization.
Ques: 15
Consider the following pairs:
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Material
Site or Source
1. Lapis lazuli
Madhya Pradesh
2. Copper
Rajasthan
3. Shell
Maharashtra
4. Carnelian
Lothal
Correct Answer:
(B) Only two
Only, pairs 2 and 4 are correct.
1. lapis lazuli : Shortughai, located in far-off Afghanistan
2. Copper : Khetri region of Rajasthan
3. Shells : Nageshwar and Balakot
4. Carnelian : Lothal in Bharuch in Gujarat
The Harappan culture belongs to the Bronze Age, as the people were very well acquainted with the manufacture and use of bronze. They manufactured not only images and utensils but also various tools and weapons such as axes, saws, knives and spears.
Weavers wore clothes of wool and cotton. Leather was also known to them but no evidence of silk has been found. Harappans used to make seals, stone statues, terracotto figurines, etc. Selas were the greatest artistic creation of India valley People.
The structures made up of burnt bricks and mud bricks suggest that brick laying was an important craft.
Harappans didn’t know about Iron.
The potters wheel was used to produce their characteristic pottery which was made glossy and shining. They knew boat making also, as it is evident from their seals.
The goldsmiths made jewellery of gold, silver and precious stones.
Bangle making and shell ornament making was also practised which is evident from the findings of Chanhudaro, Balakot and Lothal.
Traders brought the materials workers needed, and took away finished goods to trade in other cities. Goods included terracotta pots, beads, gold and silver, colored gem stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, carnelian, metals, flints (for making stone tools), seashells and pearls.
Ques: 16
Which of the following throw light on Harappan culture?
Correct Answer:
(B) Archaeological excavations
While inscriptions and seals (option c) provide some insights, archaeological excavations reveal a wealth of information about the urban planning, architecture, trade, and daily life of the Harappan people. They offer a comprehensive view of the civilization’s material culture, social organization, and economic activities. Options (a) and (d) are less relevant, as there are no well-documented religious texts or significant inscriptions from the Harappan period that illuminate their culture
Ques: 17
Which of the following match is not correct regarding the origin of Harappan civilization?
M. Rafique Mughal - Harappan civilization was inspired by Mesopotamian civilization
Correct Answer:
(A) E.J.H. Mackay - Migration of people from Sumer
About the origin of the Harappan civilization, many scholars have presented different views. E.J.H. Mackay has considered that the origin of the Harappan civilization was due to the migration of people from Sumer (Southern Mesopotamia), while historian D.H. Gordon and Mortimer Wheeler considered that the Harappan civilization was the result of migration of idea of civilization from Western Asia. In this context, Amalananda Ghosh considered that pre- Harappan culture matured into Harappan civilization. M.F. Rafique Mughal consider that the development of Harappan civilization occurred in the region of Ravi River at Harappa. He refutes the old belief that Harappan civilization was inspired by Mesopotamian civilization.
Ques: 18
The earliest evidence of silver in India is found in the-
Correct Answer:
(A) Harappan culture
silver was known to Harappans. The evidence of its proper use has been found from Mohanjodaro and Harappa. These people used to get silver from mines of Zawar and Ajmer in Rajasthan. Other sources of silver were Afghanistan and Iran for Harrapa and Mohenjodaro.
Ques: 19
The earliest evidence of animal domestication and agriculture in India has come from:
Correct Answer:
(D)
Mehargarh
Mehrgarh is a Neolithic site located near the Bolan Pass on the Karachi Plain of Balochistan (Pakistan) to the west of the Indus River valley. Mehrgarh is now seen as a precursor to the Indus valley civilisation displaying the whole sequence from earliest settlement and the start of agriculture, to the mature Harappan civilization. Mehrgarh is one of the earliest sites with pieces of evidence of farming and herding in South Asia.
Ques: 20
Match
List- I List- II
(Ancient site) (Archaeological finding)
Lothal 1. Ploughed field
Kalibangan 2. Dockyard
Dholavira 3. Terracotta replica of a Plough
Banawali 4. An inscription comprising ten large-sized signs
of the Harappan script.
Select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
Code: A B C D
Correct Answer:
(B) 2 1 4 3
The archaeological remains of the Harappan port-town of Lothal are located along the Bhogava River, a tributary of Sabarmati, in the Gulf of Cambay. Kalibangan town is located on the bank of Ghaggar River (Saraswati River) in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan. Kalibangan has given the evidence of the earliest ploughed agricultural field ever revealed through excavation. An inscription comprising ten large-sized signs of the Harappan scripts were found from Dholavira of Harappan script. Banawali is located in Hisar district of Haryana from where a terracotta replica of a plough was found.