Indus Valley — Set 3
Indian History · सिंधु घाटी · Questions 21–30 of 70
Which Indus site is located on the banks of the river Dasht?
Correct Answer: B. Sutkagen Dor
• **Sutkagen Dor** = **westernmost** site of IVC; on banks of **Dasht River**, near Iran-Pakistan border (Makran coast). • Served as a **coastal trading post** for maritime trade with Mesopotamia via the Persian Gulf. • IVC extremes: West = Sutkagen Dor, East = Alamgirpur (UP), North = Manda (J&K), South = Daimabad (Maharashtra). • 💡 Alamgirpur = easternmost (UP/Hindon river); Lothal = port (Gujarat); Harappa = core site (Pakistan) — Dasht river = Sutkagen Dor.
The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the:
Correct Answer: B. Harappan Civilization
• **Harappan Civilization** = alternate name for IVC; named after **Harappa** — first site discovered in **1921**. • Archaeological practice: cultures are named after the **type-site** (first excavated site) — hence 'Harappan'. • Harappa excavated by **Daya Ram Sahni**; Mohenjo-Daro by **R.D. Banerjee** in 1922 — both under John Marshall (ASI DG). • 💡 Vedic = different, later civilization; Gangetic = Ganges valley; Iron Age = post-IVC — Harappan is the correct alternate name.
Which modern Indian state contains the largest number of Harappan sites?
Correct Answer: C. Gujarat
• **Gujarat** = largest number of Harappan sites in India; key sites: **Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, Surkotada**. • Over **1,000 Harappan sites** discovered in India post-independence; Gujarat leads due to ancient coastline access. • Before 1947, most sites were in (now) Pakistan (Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Chanhudaro); Gujarat became crucial post-partition. • 💡 Rajasthan = Kalibangan; Haryana = Banawali, Rakhigarhi; Punjab = Ropar — but total count is highest in Gujarat.
The 'Pashupati Mahadeva' seal depicts a central figure surrounded by:
Correct Answer: D. Elephant, Tiger, Rhino, Buffalo
• **Pashupati seal** = found at Mohenjo-Daro; shows a **three-faced, horned, yogic figure** — identified as proto-Shiva. • Surrounded by **Elephant, Tiger, Rhino, Buffalo**; two **deer** appear at feet; seated in **mulabandhasana** yoga pose. • 'Pashupati' = Lord of Animals; suggests IVC worship had Shaivite roots predating Hindu texts. • 💡 Only Bulls, Only Lions, Birds only — wrong; the correct grouping is Elephant + Tiger + Rhino + Buffalo.
Traces of rice cultivation have been found at:
Correct Answer: A. Lothal and Rangpur
• **Lothal and Rangpur** (both in Gujarat) = only IVC sites with evidence of **rice cultivation** (rice husk found). • Wheat + Barley were the main IVC crops; rice was a **regional crop**, possibly grown near coastal/wetland areas. • **Rangpur** is a late Harappan site — shows continuation of civilization after the core cities declined. • 💡 Harappa + Mohenjo-Daro = wheat/barley only; Kalibangan + Ropar = no rice evidence; Gujarat sites alone show rice.
The term 'Meluha' in Mesopotamian texts refers to:
Correct Answer: A. Indus Valley Region
• **Meluha** = Mesopotamian/Sumerian term for the **Indus Valley region** — found in cuneiform texts from ~2300 BCE. • Sumerians recorded trade with Meluha for **carnelian beads, copper, ivory, lapis lazuli, timber (teak)**. • Mesopotamian texts also mention **'Magan'** (Oman) and **'Dilmun'** (Bahrain) as intermediary trade ports. • 💡 Egypt = Punt in Mesopotamian texts; China = not called Meluha; Central Asia = Gutium — Meluha specifically = Indus region.
Which site shows evidence of an earthquake during the Indus period?
Correct Answer: A. Kalibangan
• **Kalibangan** = first site to show evidence of an earthquake (~**2600 BCE**) — seen in disrupted brick structures. • The earthquake may have caused **river Ghaggar to shift course**, leading to site abandonment and water scarcity. • Kalibangan also shows: ploughed field, fire altars, pre-Harappan levels, and black bangle manufacturing. • 💡 Lothal = double burial + flood evidence; Dholavira = water reservoirs; Harappa = no earthquake evidence reported.
A specialized factory for making beads was found at:
Correct Answer: A. Chanhudaro
• **Chanhudaro** = IVC's dedicated bead-making factory; crafted beads from **carnelian, steatite, lapis lazuli, faience**. • Also made **inkpots, shell bangles, and lipstick** — the only site where a tiny inkpot was found. • Chanhudaro is the only major IVC site with **no citadel**; purely an artisan/industrial town. • 💡 Harappa = granary + cemetery; Kalibangan = fire altars + ploughed field; Ropar = dog burial — bead factory = Chanhudaro.
The standard ratio of weights used in the Indus Valley Civilization was primarily:
Correct Answer: D. Multiples of 16
• **Multiples of 16** = IVC standard weight system; lower denomination binary (1, 2, 4, 8, **16**, 32, 64...). • Weights made of **chert stone**, cubical in shape — highly uniform across cities hundreds of km apart. • The unit of **16** survived in India: 16 annas = 1 rupee (pre-decimal), 16 chhataks = 1 seer — IVC legacy! • 💡 Multiples of 5, 10, 12 = not IVC; 16 is the key number — it's in India's traditional measurement even today.
Which of the following was likely the main port for the Harappans?
Correct Answer: A. Lothal
• **Lothal** = main port city; had world's first **artificial dockyard** (brick-built, 214m × 37m, 4.15m deep). • Connected to **Bhogava River** (Sabarmati tributary); location near Gulf of Khambhat enabled Arabian Sea trade. • Exported carnelian beads, ivory, copper to **Mesopotamia, Oman, Bahrain** — Persian Gulf seals found here. • 💡 Kalibangan = Rajasthan inland; Banawali = Haryana inland; Ropar = Punjab river (Sutlej) — only Lothal was a sea port.