UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims): Indus Valley Civilisation | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Correct Answer is Option (a)

• Dholavira was known for the Water Management.
• Surrounded by 2 channels, the natives had built dam, reservoir, step well and canal for effective water management.

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Sohgaura Copper Plate: The earliest known copper plate, known as the Sohgaura copper plate, is a Mauryan record that mentions famine relief efforts. So it can't be a Harappan site, the answer is c.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

• Statemet 1: They possessed great palaces and temples.
  Incorrect – No evidence of grand palaces or temples has been discovered at Indus Valley sites. The structures found were primarily civic in nature, such as the Great Bath and granaries. Unlike Mesopotamia or Egypt, no monumental religious or royal buildings have been found.
• Statement 2: They worshipped both male and female deities.
  Correct – Archaeological findings such as the Pashupati seal (believed to represent a proto-Shiva figure) and numerous female figurines (possibly representing a Mother Goddess) suggest that both male and female deities were worshipped.
• Statement 3: They employed horse-drawn chariots in warfare.
  Incorrect – There is no conclusive evidence of the use of horses or horse-drawn chariots in the Indus Valley Civilization. The domesticated horse and chariot are more closely associated with the later Vedic period.

Correct Answer is Option (c)

• Statement 1: It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element, though present, did not dominate the scene
  Correct – The Indus Valley Civilization is considered largely secular in nature. The focus of urban planning, public utilities (like drainage systems and granaries), and absence of grand temples or religious monuments supports the idea that religion did not dominate public life. Though artifacts indicate the presence of religious beliefs (e.g., seals, figurines), they did not overshadow civic life.

• Statement 2: During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India
  Correct – This is a well-established fact. The Indus Valley Civilization is among the earliest known cultures to cultivate cotton and use it in textile production, as confirmed by archaeological findings like spindle whorls and impressions of cotton cloth.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

• Lothal – Dockyard (2): Lothal, in Gujarat, is famous for its dockyard, which indicates the maritime trade practiced by the Harappans.

• Kalibangan – Ploughed field (1): Kalibangan, located in Rajasthan, is notable for the discovery of furrowed fields, suggesting early agricultural practices.

• Dholavira – Inscription of ten large signs (4): Dholavira (Gujarat) revealed a large inscription with ten prominent Harappan script signs, providing significant insight into their writing system.

• Banawali – Terracotta replica of a plough (3): Banawali (Haryana) yielded a terracotta model of a plough, pointing to agricultural tools used during the Harappan era.

Correct Answer is Option (a)
Cow, camel, horse, and lion were not depicted on seals. Unicorn (bull) was the animal most commonly represented on the seals.

Correct Answer is Option (d)
In India Indus Valley Civilization appeared the first signs of urbanization between 2500 and 2000 BCE. According to researchers, it is a hard fact that the earliest known specimen of iron ploughshare comes from Ganwaria in District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh and dates from ca. 700 BC. The first documented coinage is deemed to start with 'Punch Marked' coins issued between the 7th-6th century BC and 1stcentury AD. It was the Indo Greeks who ruled a large part of NorthWestern India around 200 BC (2218 years ago) that first introduced coins made of Pure Gold in India before Kushans. Therefore, according to the question the correct chronological order of the event that appeared in India is 4, 3, 2 and 1.