Indus Valley — Set 7
Indian History · सिंधु घाटी · Questions 61–70 of 70
Which site is known as the 'Manchester of the Indus Valley' due to its trade?
Correct Answer: B. Lothal
• **Lothal = 'Manchester of IVC'** — named for its industrial activity: **bead making, ivory work, and metal craft**. • Had a world-class **artificial dockyard** (214m × 37m); ships carried beads, copper, ivory to Mesopotamia. • Manchester (UK) was 19th-century global textile/trade hub — Lothal's parallel = IVC's trade/industry capital. • 💡 Ropar = dog burial; Alamgirpur = easternmost (UP); Banawali = terracotta plough — Manchester nickname = Lothal's unique tag.
The Director-General of ASI when Harappa was excavated was:
Correct Answer: D. John Marshall
• **Sir John Marshall** = Director-General, ASI (1902–1928); formally announced IVC discovery to world in **1924**. • He published the announcement in the **Illustrated London News** (September 1924) — reaching global academia. • Marshall oversaw excavations of Harappa (Daya Ram Sahni, 1921) and Mohenjo-Daro (R.D. Banerjee, 1922). • 💡 James Princep = deciphered Brahmi/Ashoka script (1837); Cunningham = early ASI, preceded Marshall; Wheeler = post-Marshall — Marshall announced IVC.
In which year was the Indus Valley Civilization formally announced to the world?
Correct Answer: B. 1924
• **1924** = year Sir John Marshall formally announced IVC to the world — via Illustrated London News article. • Based on excavations: **Harappa (1921)** by Daya Ram Sahni + **Mohenjo-Daro (1922)** by R.D. Banerjee. • This announcement proved Indian civilization is as old as Egypt and Mesopotamia — ~5,000 years old. • 💡 1921 = Harappa excavation year; 1922 = Mohenjo-Daro discovery; 1930 = Wheeler's later work — 1924 is the global announcement year.
Which of these animals is NOT depicted on the Pashupati seal?
Correct Answer: D. Lion
• **Lion = NOT depicted** on Pashupati seal; the four animals present are **Elephant, Tiger, Rhino, Buffalo**. • Lions were present in ancient India but notably **absent from IVC art** — no lion seals or figurines found. • Lion only becomes prominent in Indian iconography in the **Mauryan period** (Ashoka's lion capital). • 💡 Tiger, Elephant, Rhino — all present on Pashupati seal; Lion is the one animal conspicuously absent — exam favourite!
The site of Banawali is located in which Indian state?
Correct Answer: D. Haryana
• **Banawali** = Fatehabad district, **Haryana**; on ancient Saraswati (Ghaggar) river bed. • Famous for: **terracotta plough model** (only site), both Pre-Harappan and Harappan phases, fire altars. • Unlike Kalibangan (which has actual ploughed field), Banawali gives the **physical model/replica** of plough tool. • 💡 Rajasthan = Kalibangan; Gujarat = Lothal/Dholavira; Punjab = Ropar — Banawali is specifically in Haryana (Fatehabad).
The site of Ropar (Rupnagar) is located in which state?
Correct Answer: A. Punjab
• **Ropar (Rupnagar)** = **Punjab**, India; on **Sutlej River**; first Harappan site excavated in independent India (1953). • Famous for: **dog buried alongside human** — a unique burial practice not seen at other IVC sites. • Also known for: occupation continuing into later periods (Painted Grey Ware, NBP Ware found here too). • 💡 Haryana = Banawali/Rakhigarhi; UP = Alamgirpur; Gujarat = Lothal — Ropar is Punjab on Sutlej, dog burial site.
The main economic activity of the Indus Valley people was:
Correct Answer: A. Agriculture
• **Agriculture** = backbone of IVC economy; fertile Indus plains supported wheat, barley, sesame, cotton cultivation. • Surplus agriculture enabled **urbanization** — cities like Mohenjo-Daro had 35,000–40,000 people. • Trade was secondary but vital — both **internal** (between cities) and **external** (with Mesopotamia, Oman). • 💡 Hunting = pre-agricultural; Warfare = no clear evidence of IVC armies/weapons of war; Fishing = supplementary, not main activity.
Which material was used to make the famous 'Bearded Man' sculpture?
Correct Answer: A. Steatite
• **Bearded Man / Priest-King** = carved from **steatite (soapstone)**; found at Mohenjo-Daro; kept in Karachi Museum. • Shows trefoil (three-leaf) patterned shawl; **half-closed eyes** in meditative pose — suggests priestly authority. • This is the same as the IVC011 Bearded Priest — steatite is correct for both the bust and sculpture reference. • 💡 Terracotta = used for female figurines/toys; Gold = found as jewelry but not for this sculpture; Bronze = Dancing Girl — Bearded Man = steatite.
The houses in the Indus Valley opened onto:
Correct Answer: C. Side lanes
• **Doors opened onto side lanes** (not main streets) — a deliberate IVC urban design for privacy and dust control. • Main streets were wide (9–10 meters); houses turned their **backs and blank walls** to main roads. • Houses had **inner courtyards** for light and ventilation, with rooms arranged around the courtyard. • 💡 River banks = IVC cities were near rivers but houses didn't open there; Main streets = wrong direction for IVC; Fields = outside city.
What was the shape of the Great Bath?
Correct Answer: A. Rectangular
• **Great Bath = Rectangular** (12m × 7m × 2.4m deep); located in Mohenjo-Daro's **Citadel** (upper town). • Steps on **north and south** sides descend into it; floor and walls waterproofed with **bitumen (natural tar)**. • Earliest known **public/ritual water tank** in the world — presages later temple tanks in Hindu architecture. • 💡 Oval = not the shape; Circular = not the shape; Triangular = not any IVC structure — Great Bath is definitively Rectangular.