Indus Valley Civilization — Ancient Indian History

Q.1

WBCS Prelims 2022

Match the following:
(a) Kot Diji 1. Luigi Pio Tessitori
(b) Harappa 2. Daya Ram Sahni
(c) Kalibangan 3. Rakhal Das Banerji
(d) Mohenjo-daro 4. Fazal Ahmed

A. a-4, b-2, c-1, d-3

B. a-1, b-2, c-4, d-3

C. a-4, b-3, c-1, d-2

D. a-1, b-3, c-2, d-4

Explanation

Why Correct: Kot Diji was excavated by Pakistani archaeologist Fazal Ahmed in 1955. Harappa was discovered by Indian archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni in 1921. Kalibangan was first excavated by Italian indologist Luigi Pio Tessitori in 1919. Mohenjo-daro was discovered by Indian archaeologist Rakhal Das Banerji in 1922.
Distractor Analysis: Matching Kot Diji with Tessitori incorrectly assigns the Italian scholar to the wrong site. Swapping Harappa and Mohenjo-daro discoverers confuses the two major Indus Valley sites. Pairing Kalibangan with Fazal Ahmed misattributes the Pakistani archaeologist to the Rajasthan site.
Takeaway: John Marshall first proposed the term 'Indus Valley Civilization' in 1924, while Mortimer Wheeler later established the three-phase chronology of Early, Mature, and Late Harappan periods through his excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.

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Q.2

WBCS Prelims 2020

Which of the following is a correct statement about Indus Valley civilization ?

A. Both Harappa and Mohenjodaro are located on the banks of river Ravi (Irabati).

B. Both Chanhudaro and Kalibangan were located within the boundaries of present day Rajasthan.

C. Both Surkotada and Dholavira are located in the Kutchh region of Gujarat

D. Lothal site was located on the bank of Narmada river.

Explanation

Why Correct: Surkotada and Dholavira are both located in the Kutch region of Gujarat, with Dholavira being the largest Harappan site in India and Surkotada known for horse remains.
Distractor Analysis: Harappa lies on Ravi River but Mohenjodaro is on Indus River. Chanhudaro is in Sindh (Pakistan) while Kalibangan is in Rajasthan. Lothal is located on Bhogavo River near Sabarmati, not Narmada.
Takeaway: Mohenjodaro means 'Mound of the Dead' and features the Great Bath, while Harappa gave the civilization its name and has six granaries.

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Q.3

WBCS Prelims 2018

Which among the following Harappan sites is not located in Gujarat?

A. Surkotada

B. Lothal

C. Dholavira

D. Banwali

Explanation

Why Correct: Banwali is located in Fatehabad district, Haryana, not Gujarat.
Distractor Analysis: Surkotada is in Kutch district, Gujarat. Lothal is in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. Dholavira is in Kutch district, Gujarat.
Takeaway: Major Harappan sites in Gujarat also include Rangpur, Rojdi, and Kuntasi.

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Q.4

WBCS Prelims 2017

Which of the following is a Harappan site located in Rajasthan?

A. Mohenjo Daro

B. Suktagen Dor

C. Kalibangan

D. Lothal

Explanation

Why Correct: Kalibangan is a major Harappan site located in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, on the banks of the Ghaggar river.
Distractor Analysis: Mohenjo Daro is in Sindh, Pakistan. Suktagen Dor is in Gujarat. Lothal is also in Gujarat.
Takeaway: Other Harappan sites in Rajasthan include Sothi and Baror.

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Q.5

WBCS Prelims 2016

Rice cultivation is associated with the Harappan site of :

A. Kalibangan

B. Lothal

C. Kot Diji

D. Ropar

Explanation

Why Correct: Lothal in Gujarat provides the earliest archaeological evidence of rice cultivation in the Indus Valley Civilization, with rice grains found dating to around 2500 BCE.
Distractor Analysis: Kalibangan in Rajasthan shows evidence of ploughed fields but not rice cultivation. Kot Diji in Pakistan shows pre-Harappan and Harappan phases but no rice evidence. Ropar in Punjab shows Harappan remains but not specific rice cultivation evidence.
Takeaway: Lothal was also a major port city with the world's earliest known dockyard and evidence of bead-making and shell-working industries.

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Q.6

WBCS Prelims 2015

Which was the ancient port of Indus Civilization ?

A. Harappa

B. Lothal

C. Dholavira

D. Surkotada

Explanation

Why Correct: Lothal in Gujarat contained a sophisticated dockyard with tidal lock gates, making it the primary maritime port of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Distractor Analysis: Harappa was a major urban center in Punjab but lacked port facilities. Dholavira featured impressive water management systems but was inland in the Rann of Kutch. Surkotada was a fortified settlement with evidence of horse remains but no port infrastructure.
Takeaway: Lothal's dockyard measured approximately 218 meters long and 37 meters wide, demonstrating advanced hydraulic engineering for managing tides and berthing ships.

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Q.7

WBCS Prelims 2014

Which was a major port of the Indus valley ?

A. Lothal

B. Kalibangan

C. Chanhudaro

D. Mehargarh

Explanation

Why Correct: Lothal was a major port city of the Indus Valley Civilization located in present-day Gujarat, featuring an artificial dockyard for maritime trade.
Distractor Analysis: Kalibangan was an inland city in Rajasthan known for fire altars. Chanhudaro was a manufacturing center in Sindh without major port structures. Mehargarh is a Neolithic site in Balochistan predating the Indus Valley Civilization.
Takeaway: Other important Indus Valley sites include Harappa and Mohenjo-daro as major urban centers, and Dholavira for its sophisticated water management system.

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Q.8

WBCS Prelims 2013

The great Bath was found in

A. Lothal

B. Harappa

C. Mohen-jo-daro

D. Kalibangan

Explanation

Why Correct: The Great Bath is a large, waterproof public bathing structure excavated at Mohenjo-daro, the largest Indus Valley Civilization site in present-day Pakistan.
Distractor Analysis: Lothal was a major port city with a dockyard but no Great Bath. Harappa had granaries and residential areas but lacked this specific structure. Kalibangan had fire altars and a unique lower town layout but no Great Bath.
Takeaway: Mohenjo-daro also features the Great Granary, the College of Priests, and the iconic Dancing Girl bronze statue.

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Q.9

WBCS Prelims 2010

With the people of which country Harappan people carried trade ?

A. China

B. Iran

C. Russia

D. Sumer

Explanation

Why Correct: Harappan civilization traded extensively with Sumer, a region in southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), evidenced by archaeological finds of Harappan seals and artifacts in Sumerian sites.
Distractor Analysis: China had no direct trade links with Harappan civilization. Iran had cultural interactions but not major trade networks. Russia was geographically distant with no evidence of Harappan contact.
Takeaway: Harappan trade extended to Oman, Bahrain, and Mesopotamia, exporting cotton, beads, and ivory while importing metals and semi-precious stones.

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Q.10

WBCS Prelims 2009

Who discovered the Indus Valley Civilization?

A. Sir Leonard Wooley

B. V. S. Agarwal

C. Rakhaldas Banerjee

D. A. L. Basham

Explanation

Why Correct: Rakhaldas Banerjee discovered the Indus Valley Civilization in 1921-22 during excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, identifying it as a pre-Vedic urban culture.
Distractor Analysis: Sir Leonard Wooley excavated the Mesopotamian city of Ur, not Indus Valley sites. V. S. Agarwal was an Indian archaeologist who worked on later historical periods. A. L. Basham authored 'The Wonder That Was India' but was not involved in the initial discovery of the civilization.
Takeaway: John Marshall, the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, supervised the early excavations and coined the term 'Indus Valley Civilization', while Dayaram Sahni conducted the first systematic excavation at Harappa in 1921.

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Q.11

WBCS Prelims 2009

Which metal was unknown to the Indus people ?

A. Copper

B. Iron

C. Bronze

D. Gold

Explanation

Why Correct: The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1300 BCE) was a Bronze Age culture that extensively used copper, bronze (an alloy of copper and tin), and gold for tools, ornaments, and artifacts. Iron metallurgy developed later, during the Vedic period (c. 1500–500 BCE).
Distractor Analysis: Copper was widely used for tools and vessels. Bronze was the primary metal for advanced tools and weapons. Gold was used for jewelry and decorative items.
Takeaway: The Indus Valley Civilization is characterized by urban planning, standardized weights, a script (undeciphered), and the absence of iron tools.

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Q.12

WBCS Prelims 2006

Indus-valley civilization is called

A. Urban

B. Rural

C. Stone Age

D. Iron Age

Explanation

Why Correct: Indus Valley Civilization featured planned cities with grid layouts, drainage systems, public baths, and multi-story houses, representing India's first urban culture around 2600-1900 BCE.
Distractor Analysis: Rural describes village-based agrarian societies without urban planning. Stone Age refers to prehistoric periods using stone tools before metalworking. Iron Age denotes later periods when iron tools became widespread, post-dating the Indus civilization.
Takeaway: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the largest Indus cities, with standardized bricks, granaries, and citadels indicating centralized administration.

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Q.13

WBCS Prelims 2002

The Indus Valley Civilization belongs to the

A. Neolithic Period

B. Paleolithic period

C. Mesolithic period

D. Chalcolithic period

Explanation

Why Correct: The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1300 BCE) was a Bronze Age civilization that used copper and bronze tools, placing it in the Chalcolithic period, which marks the transition from stone to metal use.
Distractor Analysis: The Neolithic period refers to the New Stone Age with polished stone tools and early agriculture. The Paleolithic period is the Old Stone Age with crude stone tools and hunter-gatherer societies. The Mesolithic period is the Middle Stone Age with microliths and transitional hunting-gathering.
Takeaway: The Harappans were skilled in metallurgy, producing bronze, copper, gold, and silver artifacts, and their urban planning included grid-patterned cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.

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