Indus Valley — Set 5
Indian History · सिंधु घाटी · Questions 41–50 of 70
Which game was known to the Indus Valley people?
Correct Answer: A. Dice and Board games
• **Dice and Board games** = IVC leisure activities; **terracotta and stone dice** found at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. • Also found: **toy carts (bullock carts), whistles, rattles, bird-shaped toys** — shows a rich play culture. • IVC dice had **1–6 dots** like modern dice; board game grids suggest games similar to chess or pachisi. • 💡 Cricket/Hockey/Polo = modern sports, no IVC evidence — only dice and board game pieces have been excavated.
The 'Swastika' symbol is believed to have originated in which period?
Correct Answer: C. Indus Valley Civilization
• **Swastika** = originated in **IVC** (~2500 BCE); found on seals, pottery, and terracotta figurines from IVC sites. • Word 'Swastika' comes from Sanskrit: **su (good) + asti (being) + ka** = symbol of well-being and prosperity. • Swastika also appears in ancient **European (Germanic), Greek, and East Asian** cultures — a global ancient symbol. • 💡 Vedic period = uses Swastika too, but IVC predates it; Gupta + Maurya = much later — IVC is the original source in India.
Which of the following was NOT a feature of the Indus religion?
Correct Answer: D. Temple construction
• **No temples** = IVC religion had no dedicated temple structures — unique among ancient civilizations. • Worship involved: **Mother Goddess figurines** (at home), **pipal tree** (open-air), **fire altars** (community). • Great Bath may have served a **quasi-religious purification role** instead of formal temples. • 💡 Pipal worship, Animal worship, Mother Goddess worship — all IVC features; Temple construction is the only 'NOT a feature' option.
What was the main purpose of the 'Granaries' found at Harappan sites?
Correct Answer: C. Storing food grains
• **Granaries** = massive IVC storage buildings for surplus food grains; show evidence of **centralized taxation**. • Harappa granary: **6 rows of 2 granaries** near river (for boat loading); Mohenjo-Daro: one large granary on citadel. • **Ventilation ducts** below the floor prevented moisture — grain could be stored for months/years. • 💡 Housing soldiers = barracks; Marketplace = streets/shops; Religious rituals = Great Bath/fire altars — Granaries = food storage.
The massive brick wall fortification was a feature of:
Correct Answer: C. The Citadel (Upper Town)
• **Citadel (Upper Town)** = raised, fortified western part of IVC cities; surrounded by **massive brick walls**. • Citadel housed: **Great Bath, Granary, Assembly Hall, College of Priests** — centers of power and religion. • **Lower Town** = residential area (east) for common people; more densely populated, with houses and drains. • 💡 Agricultural fields = outside city; River banks = outside city; Lower Town = commoners' area — Citadel is the fortified upper zone.
Which site yielded a large signboard with ten large Indus script letters?
Correct Answer: D. Dholavira
• **Dholavira signboard** = **10 large Indus script letters** made from white gypsum inlaid in wood — longest IVC inscription. • Size of letters: ~37 cm tall each — clearly meant to be **read from a distance**, like a public announcement board. • Dholavira is also unique for **3-part division** (Citadel + Middle Town + Lower Town) unlike 2-part other cities. • 💡 Harappa = granary + cemetery; Lothal = dockyard; Mohenjo-Daro = Great Bath — 10-letter signboard = exclusively Dholavira.
The easternmost limit of the Indus Valley Civilization is generally considered to be:
Correct Answer: A. Alamgirpur
• **Alamgirpur** = Meerut district, **Uttar Pradesh**; **easternmost** site of IVC; on the banks of **Hindon River**. • Shows late Harappan phase — important for understanding IVC's eastern spread into the Gangetic plain. • IVC directional extremes: East = **Alamgirpur** (UP), West = Sutkagen Dor (Pakistan), North = Manda (J&K), South = Daimabad (MH). • 💡 Daimabad = southernmost (Maharashtra); Manda = northernmost (J&K); Sutkagen Dor = westernmost — Alamgirpur = east only.
The southernmost limit of the Indus Valley Civilization is:
Correct Answer: D. Daimabad
• **Daimabad** = Ahmednagar district, **Maharashtra**; **southernmost** IVC site; on banks of Pravara River. • Contains **late Harappan** (post-urban) phase material; shows IVC's southern reach into the Deccan. • Famous for **bronze chariot, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo** figurines found here — unique bronze hoard. • 💡 Ropar = Punjab (north); Lothal = Gujarat (west coast); Manda = J&K (far north) — Daimabad alone is Maharashtra/south.
The northernmost site of the Indus Valley Civilization is:
Correct Answer: D. Manda
• **Manda** = Akhnoor tehsil, **Jammu & Kashmir**; **northernmost** IVC site; on **right bank of Chenab River**. • IVC's northern reach — shows the civilization spread to the foothills of the Himalayas. • Manda memory trick: **M**anda = **M**ost north; **A**lamgirpur = **A**head (east); **D**aimabad = **D**own south; **S**utkagen Dor = **S**tart (west). • 💡 Banawali = Haryana (central); Harappa = Pakistan (not in J&K); Ropar = Punjab — Manda is the northern extreme in J&K.
Which stone was used to make the weights for trade?
Correct Answer: A. Chert
• **Chert** = silica-rich sedimentary rock used for IVC cubical weights; extremely hard and precise to carve. • Weights followed **binary + decimal system** (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64...); basic unit ~0.86 grams. • Uniformity of weights across all IVC cities suggests a **centralized regulatory authority** overseeing trade. • 💡 Granite = too coarse; Marble = too soft/porous; Sandstone = inconsistent density — Chert's hardness made it ideal for precision weights.