The Harappan Civilisation - Questions & Answers

I. Multiple-Choice Questions

A. Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options.

1. The period when man used both stone and copper tools is known as:
(a) Bronze Age Period
(b) Chalcolithic Period
(c) Mesopotamian Civilisation Period
(d) Egyptian Period
(b) Chalcolithic Period

2. Name the term archaeologists use for a group of objects distinctive in style, usually found together within a specific geographic area and period of time.
(a) Civilisation
(b) Culture
(c) Period
(d) History
(b) Culture

3. Which of the following insights about the Harappan Civilisation was provided by the Citadel?
(a) There were public buildings for specific purposes.
(b) There were ports for trade.
(c) There was overseas trade.
(d) The people were literate.
(a) There were public buildings for specific purposes.

4. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Dockyard at Lothal?
(a) World's oldest dockyard
(b) Presence of mud brick platform
(c) Surrounded by wall of baked bricks
(d) Connected by channels to Gulf of Cambay.
(b) Presence of mud brick platform

5. What made the pool at the Great Bath watertight?
(a) Burnt bricks
(b) Mortar lined with bitumen and gypsum
(c) Mud brick platforms
(d) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Both (a) and (b)

6. Which of the following is a feature of the Great Bath?
(a) Tank in a courtyard.
(b) Tank surrounded by corridors.
(c) Porticos and rooms.
(d) All of the above.
(d) All of the above.

7. Bronze statues were made by a special process called _______.
(a) moulded clay process
(b) lost wax process
(c) clay wax process
(d) lost clay process
(b) lost wax process

8. Features of the Indus script include
(a) Alphabetical order
(b) Written from right to left
(c) Written from left to right
(d) All of the above.
(b) Written from right to left

9. Seals were made of
(a) Steatite
(b) Terracotta
(c) Agate
(d) All of the above.
(d) All of the above.

10. Seals are not a source of information for
(a) script
(b) trade
(c) beliefs
(d) society
(d) society

11. Bearded man, found in Mohenjo-daro is a statue of a meditative man wearing
(a) an amulet
(b) a shawl
(c) a bangle
(d) an elaborate headgear
(b) a shawl

12. The 'Dancing Girl' has which of the following features?
(a) stone sculpture
(b) heavily-bangled left arm
(c) half-closed eyes
(d) seated cross-legged.
(b) heavily-bangled left arm

B. Read the two statements given below and select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (R).

1. (A) The period when man used both stone and copper tools is known as the Chalcolithic Period.
(R) The Harappan Civilisation emerged in the Chalcolithic Period.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false

2. (A) The Harappan Civilisation is considered as the first civilisation that arose in the north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent.
(R) The Harappan civilisation is also known as the Indus Valley Civilisation.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

3. (A) The Harappan Civilisation is also known as the Harappan Culture.
(R) The term 'Culture' refers to a group of distinctive objects such as seals, weights, stone blades and baked bricks found within a specific geographical area and time period.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)

4. (A) One of the important sources of information about the Harappan Civilisation are the seals.
(R) The script used for the letters engraved on seals has not been deciphered.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

5. (A) The Great Bath has a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.
(R) The water for the Great Bath was provided by the Indus river.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false

6. (A) The Great Bath is one of the largest public buildings at Mohenjo-daro.
(R) The massive structure of the Great Bath indicates the existence of a ruling class.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

7. (A) About 2000 Harappan seals have been discovered.
(R) The seals were mainly used for religious purposes.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false

8. (A) The Bearded Man is a stone sculpture discovered from Mohenjo-daro.
(R) According to some scholars it is a statue of a common man.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false

9. (A) Overseas trade was carried out at Lothal.
(R) Lothal was a port with a dockyard.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)

10. (A) The lower town had the residential buildings where people lived and worked.
(R) The residential buildings were built on a high mound to protect them from floods.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

II. Short Answer Questions

1. Name two important sources of information about the Harappan Civilisation.
Two important sources of information about the Harappan Civilisation are the Great Bath and the seals.

2. Name one important public building of Indus Valley Civilisation and its importance.
One important public building is the Great Bath. It indicates that the art of building had reached a high degree of perfection, points to the existence of a ruling class capable of mobilizing labour, and suggests its use for religious or ceremonial bathing.

3. Give any two characteristic features of the citadel.
1. It was built on raised mud-brick platforms and separated from the lower town by a wall. 2. It housed the ruling class and contained important public buildings like the Great Bath, granary, and assembly hall.

4. How were seals used? What information do they give about Harappan trade?
Seals were used by traders for commercial purposes to stamp their goods. A layer of wet clay was applied to the knot of a tied bag, and the seal was pressed onto it; an intact seal upon arrival indicated the bag had not been tampered with. Their discovery in different regions reveals that Harappan trade had spread over a vast area.

5. Briefly describe granaries at Harappa.
At Harappa, there were two rows with six granaries each. South of the granaries, working floors made of circular brick platforms were discovered, which were believed to be meant for threshing grain. The granaries also featured ventilation systems to prevent grains from becoming mildewed.

6. Briefly describe the statue of the Dancing Girl.
The Dancing Girl is a bronze masterpiece found at Mohenjo-daro that shows a high degree of development in the art of sculpture. It depicts a girl with her right arm resting on her hip and her left arm heavily bangled, holding a small bowl against her left leg.

7. State two features of the internal trade in the Indus Valley Civilisation.
1. The Harappans carried on considerable trade in stone, metal, and shell within the Indus civilisation zone. 2. They did not use metal money, but instead carried on all exchanges through a barter system.

8. State any two evidences that show the Harappans had trade relations with foreign countries.
1. The discovery of a rectangular dockyard at Lothal suggests it was a port used for overseas trade. 2. Mesopotamian records from about 2300 BCE refer to trade relations with 'Meluha', which was the ancient name given to the Indus region.

9. Name the four animals depicted on the Pashupati seal.
The four animals depicted around the deity on the Pashupati seal are an elephant, a tiger, a buffalo, and a rhinoceros.

10. State any two causes that led to the decline of the Harappan Civilisation.
Two likely causes that led to the decline of the Harappan Civilisation are floods and earthquakes, and increased aridity (drying up of rivers).

11. What types of weights and measures did the Indus people use?
The Harappan people used a highly developed system of sets of cubical stone weights. The basic unit was 16 (equal to modern 14 grams), with larger weights being multiples of 16 (32, 48, 64) and smaller ones being fractions of 16.

12. State any two ways to show the value of seals as a source of historical information.
1. Seals provide valuable insights into the religious and mythical beliefs of the Harappans (e.g., the Pashupati seal showing belief in Shiva). 2. Seals act as proof of widespread commercial contacts and trade networks.

13. In what two respects is Harappan Civilisation our greatest heritage?
1. Their remarkable technical achievements, such as making baked pottery, bricks, beads, jewellery, and the cultivation of cotton, were adopted by later civilisations. 2. Many of their religious practices, including the worship of Pashupati Shiva, the Mother Goddess, sacred trees, and animals, have continued in India to this day.

14. How did Indus pottery reflect the potter's artistic skill?
The Indus potters crafted characteristic earthen vessels on the potter's wheel that were made glossy and shining. These were beautifully decorated with detailed black geometrical designs on a red background, showcasing their high artistic skill.

15. Name and briefly describe the process by which sculpture in metal was done.
Sculpture in metal was done using the "lost wax process". In this process, wax figures were covered with a coating of clay. The wax was then melted by heating, and the resulting hollow mould was filled with molten metal, which took the exact original shape of the object.

16. Briefly describe the social classification of Harappans as pointed out by the citadel.
The presence of specific buildings and houses on the raised Citadel indicates a clear social classification and political organisation. It shows a separation between the ruling class, who lived and conducted public affairs on the Citadel, and the common people, who lived and worked in the residential buildings of the lower town.

III. Structured Questions

1. Study the picture given below and answer the following questions: (Picture of Great Bath)
(a) Identify the structure. List any two of its characteristic features.
(a) The structure is the Great Bath. Two of its characteristic features are: 1. It is a large rectangular tank situated in a courtyard and surrounded by corridors on all four sides. 2. It was made completely watertight using burnt bricks and mortar lined with bitumen and gypsum.

(b) State the importance of this structure as a source of information about Harappan Civilisation.
(b) Its massive and precise construction indicates that the art of building had reached a high degree of perfection. It also points to the existence of a ruling class that could mobilize labour to build such large public structures, and suggests the importance attached to ceremonial bathing in sacred pools for religious purposes.

(c) Name another architectural structure of this period. How does this structure show that Harappan Civilisation was highly developed?
(c) Another architectural structure of this period is the Dockyard at Lothal. It shows high development because it was scientifically designed with baked bricks to withstand the flow of water and tides. It even had a water locking system to keep water in so that ships could dock, indicating highly advanced hydraulic engineering and overseas trade capabilities.

2. With reference to Harappan Culture, answer the following questions:
(a) Name any four cities of the Harappan Civilisation and a significant feature of each city.
(a) 1. Mohenjo-daro: Known for the monumental Great Bath and the bronze Dancing Girl statue. 2. Harappa: Known for its rows of large granaries and circular brick threshing floors. 3. Lothal: Known for its ancient rectangular brick dockyard used for overseas trade. 4. Dholavira: Known for its exceptional urban planning, distinct water reservoirs, and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

(b) Why is the Harappan Civilisation so called? By which other name it is also known? Why?
(b) It is called the Harappan Civilisation because Harappa was the first major site of this civilisation to be discovered in 1921. It is also known as the Indus Valley Civilisation because some of its most important early excavated sites, such as Mohenjo-daro, are located in the valley of the river Indus.

(c) Why is our knowledge of the Harappan Civilisation mainly based on archaeological sources? State the significance of the Bearded Man and the Dancing Girl as a source of information about the Harappan Civilisation.
(c) Our knowledge is based entirely on archaeological sources because there are no adequate written records available, and the Indus script has not yet been deciphered. The Bearded Man signifies the high artistic skill of Harappan artisans and indicates the possible existence of a priest or yogi class. The Dancing Girl is a masterpiece that shows an incredibly high degree of development in three-dimensional art and bronze casting.

3. With reference to the chief features of the Harappan Civilisation, answer the following:
(a) Any three characteristic features of town planning.
(a) 1. Cities were divided into two main parts—the raised administrative 'Citadel' and the residential 'lower town'. 2. The main streets followed a strict grid pattern running from north to south or east to west, dividing the city into square or rectangular blocks. 3. The houses at street corners were rounded to easily allow carts to pass.

(b) Three special features of the houses of the people.
(b) 1. The residential buildings were built on high mounds with deep foundations in order to protect them from floods. 2. The entrances to the houses were from narrow lanes which cut the streets at right angles, meaning doors and windows never opened directly onto the main roads. 3. Each house was built of brick and wood, and featured covered drains connected to the street drains, a courtyard, a kitchen, and well chambers.

(c) Mention any two common elements between Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.
(c) 1. Both were located on river banks (Mohenjo-daro on the Indus and Harappa on the Ravi) and measured around 5.0 km in circuit. 2. Both cities shared common ground plans, including the layout of streets, blocks of houses, water supply, drainage, and granaries.

4. Study the picture of the seal given on the right and answer the following questions: (Picture for Q.No. 4 - Pashupati Seal)
(a) Identify the seal in the given picture. What is depicted on this seal? What does it reveal about the beliefs of the Harappans?
(a) This is the Pashupati Seal. It depicts a three-faced deity wearing a buffalo-horned head-dress, seated cross-legged on a throne. The deity is surrounded by an elephant, a tiger, a buffalo, and a rhinoceros, with two deer at his feet. This reveals that the Harappans had strong religious beliefs and worshipped Pashupati Mahadeva (an early form of Lord Shiva).

(b) Of what material were these seals made? Why were the seals used?
(b) These seals were made of materials like terracotta, steatite, and agate. They were produced mainly for commercial purposes and used by traders to stamp their goods. A layer of wet clay would be applied on a tied bag and stamped with the seal; an intact seal meant the goods had not been tampered with. They were also probably used as amulets.

(c) What do the seals reveal about the Harappans?
(c) The seals reveal useful information about the Harappans' undeciphered pictographic script, their mythical and religious beliefs, their exceptional artistic skills, and the fact that their trade network was vast and highly developed.

5. Look at the newspaper excerpt from Sir John Marshall's article about the discovery of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro and answer the questions that follow.
(a) Which 'Forgotten Age' is being talked about in the excerpt? Tiryns and Mycenae were long forgotten ancient cities, what are referred to as Indian "Tiryns and "Mycenae"?
(a) The 'Forgotten Age' being discussed is the period of the ancient Harappan Civilisation. The newly discovered cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro are being referred to as the Indian equivalents of "Tiryns and Mycenae".

(b) How was this 'Forgotten Age' in India revealed?
(b) This 'Forgotten Age' was revealed in the early 20th century through extensive archaeological excavations, primarily the discovery of Harappa by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921 and Mohenjo-daro by R.D. Banerjee in 1922, which pushed the history of India back by at least a thousand years.

(c) Explain briefly the significance of this 'Forgotten Age' in terms of its unique features.
(c) The significance of this 'Forgotten Age' lies in its incredibly advanced and highly organized features, setting it apart from other ancient civilisations. It showcased unique grid-based urban planning, unprecedented sanitation with covered drains and indoor plumbing, standardized weights and baked bricks, and a thriving trade economy, all existing nearly 4,500 years ago.

IV. Thinking Skills

1. Suppose you visit the ruins of a deserted ancient civilisation. What evidences would you collect and how would you trace the development of civilisation?
I would collect archaeological evidences such as physical remnants of tools, pottery shards, seals, ornaments, sculptures, and examine the ruins of buildings and drainage systems. I would trace the development of the civilisation by analyzing the materials used over time (e.g., the transition from stone to bronze tools), studying the complexity and layout of their urban planning, analyzing the social structures inferred from public versus residential buildings, and attempting to decipher any scripts or recurring symbols found on artifacts.

2. You went for an excursion to a site belonging to the Harappan Civilisation in India. From the ruins, how can you conclude the presence of granaries, the crops grown and the type of agriculture practised by them?
The presence of granaries can be concluded from the discovery of large structures built on raised platforms with specialized ventilation systems, usually situated near working floors made of circular brick platforms used for threshing. By examining the remains of grains like wheat and barley found in the crevices of these floors, we can determine the crops grown. The sheer size of the granaries suggests that they practiced a highly organized, surplus-producing form of agriculture, likely supported by the fertile floodplains of the river systems.

3. Make a list of both similar and dissimilar features that existed between the Harappan Civilisation and its contemporary Bronze Age Civilisations.
Similar features: The Harappans, like their Egyptian and Mesopotamian contemporaries, were a Bronze Age culture that settled near major river valleys (the Indus system). They all engaged in organized agriculture, maintained widespread overseas and internal trade networks, utilized bronze tools, and had developed a form of written script.
Dissimilar features: Unlike its contemporaries, the Harappan Civilisation featured a distinctly strict grid-pattern for town planning, standardized baked bricks for all constructions, and an exceptionally advanced underground drainage and sanitation system. Furthermore, Harappan cities lack evidence of massive monumental structures built for kings or gods, such as the grand pyramids of Egypt or the ziggurats of Mesopotamia.

4. Considering the town planning of the Harappans, state how the Harappans were ahead of time.
The Harappans were exceptionally ahead of their time due to their remarkably modern, scientific, and systematic town planning. They implemented a strict geometric grid layout for their streets, uniquely rounded the corners to allow smooth cart traffic, and completely standardized their building materials with burnt bricks. Most significantly, their focus on public health and sanitation—evidenced by covered street drains, private wells, indoor plumbing, and brick-lined sewage channels in nearly every household—was a level of civic engineering unparalleled in the ancient world.