Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was Charles Masson convinced of when he stood on the mounds of Harappa?
What was Charles Masson convinced of when he stood on the mounds of Harappa?
- That it was an ancient pilgrimage site
- That it was an important site for ancient trade
- That it was the capital of the Maurya Empire
- That it was the place where Alexander the Great defeated king Porus in battle (correct)
What was Alexander Burnes' opinion of Harappa when he visited the site?
What was Alexander Burnes' opinion of Harappa when he visited the site?
- He believed it was a burial ground for ancient kings
- He concluded that it was just an ordinary village
- He thought it was an important site, but was clueless about its precise significance (correct)
- He thought it was a site of great religious importance
What did Alexander Cunningham discover when he conducted a small excavation at Harappa?
What did Alexander Cunningham discover when he conducted a small excavation at Harappa?
- The ruins of a royal palace and a grand temple
- Evidence of a sophisticated ancient irrigation system
- Remains of some structures, stone tools, and ancient pottery (correct)
- Artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization
Why did Cunningham conclude that a seal he obtained from Harappa must be a foreign one?
Why did Cunningham conclude that a seal he obtained from Harappa must be a foreign one?
What is the significance of the differences in the layout of settlements and crops across Harappan sites?
What is the significance of the differences in the layout of settlements and crops across Harappan sites?
How do the differences in the types, range, and frequency of artifacts across Harappan sites contribute to our understanding of the civilization?
How do the differences in the types, range, and frequency of artifacts across Harappan sites contribute to our understanding of the civilization?
What implications do the re-interpretation of structures at Harappan sites have on our understanding of the civilization?
What implications do the re-interpretation of structures at Harappan sites have on our understanding of the civilization?
What is the significance of recent excavations at Harappan sites conducted by joint American and Pakistani teams?
What is the significance of recent excavations at Harappan sites conducted by joint American and Pakistani teams?
Why are debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization considered significant?
Why are debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization considered significant?
What is the primary reason for carefully examining each theory about the Harappan civilization?
What is the primary reason for carefully examining each theory about the Harappan civilization?
What is one of the specific criteria used to identify the rise of the world’s first cities?
What is one of the specific criteria used to identify the rise of the world’s first cities?
What did Childe emphasize as important factors for the rise of the world’s first cities?
What did Childe emphasize as important factors for the rise of the world’s first cities?
What key concept suggests that the world’s first cities were larger and more densely populated than villages?
What key concept suggests that the world’s first cities were larger and more densely populated than villages?
Which characteristic of cities reflects the concentration of social surplus in the hands of the elite?
Which characteristic of cities reflects the concentration of social surplus in the hands of the elite?
What did Gideon Sjoberg emphasize as crucial in maintaining the social organization of empires?
What did Gideon Sjoberg emphasize as crucial in maintaining the social organization of empires?
What led to the development of exact but practically useful sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy?
What led to the development of exact but practically useful sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy?
What is implied by 'cities implied a significant amount of long-distance trade'?
What is implied by 'cities implied a significant amount of long-distance trade'?
What did Childe conceptualize as sophisticated styles of artistic expression?
What did Childe conceptualize as sophisticated styles of artistic expression?
'They provided a permanent base for new social and political institutions that regulated the relationships between specialized producers occupying different econiches.' What does 'They' refer to in this context?
'They provided a permanent base for new social and political institutions that regulated the relationships between specialized producers occupying different econiches.' What does 'They' refer to in this context?
What was an important aspect of McC.Adams’ contribution to our understanding of city life?
What was an important aspect of McC.Adams’ contribution to our understanding of city life?
What did the rulers provide in return for living off the surplus produced by farmers?
What did the rulers provide in return for living off the surplus produced by farmers?
What did 'the state provided security and materials to specialist craftspersons' imply?
What did 'the state provided security and materials to specialist craftspersons' imply?
What was one of the main advantages of the concentration of population in a city, as mentioned in the text?
What was one of the main advantages of the concentration of population in a city, as mentioned in the text?
What role did elite groups play in the city?
What role did elite groups play in the city?
What factors are suggested by the text as having played an important role in the emergence of cities?
What factors are suggested by the text as having played an important role in the emergence of cities?
Why does the text emphasize that archaeology forms the primary source for reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities?
Why does the text emphasize that archaeology forms the primary source for reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities?
What does the text suggest as part of the longer history of human settlements?
What does the text suggest as part of the longer history of human settlements?
What is one reason provided in the text for why scholars have become conscious of the earlier bias towards Mesopotamian links in Harappan studies?
What is one reason provided in the text for why scholars have become conscious of the earlier bias towards Mesopotamian links in Harappan studies?
Why has there been an increasing focus on smaller, less imposing sites in Harappan studies?
Why has there been an increasing focus on smaller, less imposing sites in Harappan studies?
What is one outcome of the growth in information about the Harappan civilization since its initial discovery?
What is one outcome of the growth in information about the Harappan civilization since its initial discovery?
What is one reason provided in the text for emphasizing rural settlements in Harappan studies?
What is one reason provided in the text for emphasizing rural settlements in Harappan studies?
Why is it stated that there are several new interpretations based on old and new discoveries about the Harappan civilization?
Why is it stated that there are several new interpretations based on old and new discoveries about the Harappan civilization?
What is one significance of Allahdino, a village settlement mentioned in the text?
What is one significance of Allahdino, a village settlement mentioned in the text?
What does the excavation at Balu reveal about rural settlements during the Harappan civilization?
What does the excavation at Balu reveal about rural settlements during the Harappan civilization?
Which archaeologist started excavations at Harappa in 1920?
Which archaeologist started excavations at Harappa in 1920?
What did D.R. Bhandarkar assess about Mohenjodaro's age?
What did D.R. Bhandarkar assess about Mohenjodaro's age?
Who made the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization in 1924?
Who made the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization in 1924?
What did John Marshall's announcement reveal about the civilization?
What did John Marshall's announcement reveal about the civilization?
According to V. Gordon Childe, what marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society?
According to V. Gordon Childe, what marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society?
What does 'urbanization' primarily mean according to the text?
What does 'urbanization' primarily mean according to the text?
What is one criticism mentioned in the text about V. Gordon Childe's criteria for identifying the first cities?
What is one criticism mentioned in the text about V. Gordon Childe's criteria for identifying the first cities?
What feature tends to go together with 'urbanization' and 'civilization'?
What feature tends to go together with 'urbanization' and 'civilization'?
'Urban revolution' described by V. Gordon Childe was marked by a culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes rather than a ____________ change.
'Urban revolution' described by V. Gordon Childe was marked by a culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes rather than a ____________ change.
Which civilizations did not have true cities and a system of true writing, according to the text?
Which civilizations did not have true cities and a system of true writing, according to the text?
What does 'urbanization' and 'civilization' tend to be synonymous with according to the text?
What does 'urbanization' and 'civilization' tend to be synonymous with according to the text?
What is one criticism raised about V.Gordon Childe's criteria for identifying the first cities?
What is one criticism raised about V.Gordon Childe's criteria for identifying the first cities?
