Harappan Civilisation: Understanding the Past
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary source of evidence for understanding the Harappan civilisation?

  • Oral traditions and stories
  • Ancient texts and manuscripts
  • Material evidence such as pottery and tools (correct)
  • The Harappan script

    • Why do organic materials such as cloth and leather rarely survive?

  • Because they decompose quickly in tropical regions (correct)
  • Because they are often destroyed on purpose
  • Because they are not made of durable materials
  • Because they are not valuable

    • What is the significance of finding valuable artefacts intact?

  • They were lost in the past or hoarded and never retrieved (correct)
  • They were made of durable materials
  • They were deliberately buried for archaeological discovery
  • They were used for ritual purposes

    • What is one principle of classification used by archaeologists?

    <p>Material only</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do archaeologists determine the function of an artefact?

    <p>By examining its resemblance to present-day objects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do archaeologists classify their finds?

    <p>To understand the function and significance of the artefact</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the standard that the local 'Dilmun' weights followed?

    <p>Harappan</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the build-up of occupational debris over time?

    <p>Mound</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of studying the layers in an archaeological site?

    <p>To identify the cultural sequence of the site</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the absence of ancient materials in a layer?

    <p>Sterile layer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the occupation of the 'punka-walla' mentioned in Wheeler's account?

    <p>A servant who operated a punkah</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the claims of shamans, according to the text?

    <p>They claim to have magical and healing powers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used by archaeologists to describe a group of objects, distinctive in style, that are usually found together within a specific geographical area and period of time?

    <p>Culture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'BP' stand for in the context of archaeological dating?

    <p>Before Present</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the site where the Harappan culture was first discovered?

    <p>Harappa</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the process of understanding ancient artefacts by comparing them with present-day analogies?

    <p>Analogy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)?

    <p>Alexander Cunningham</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the period of time between c. 2600 and 1900 BCE?

    <p>Harappan Civilisation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe objects kept carefully by people, often inside containers such as pots?

    <p>Hoard</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the site where the entire settlement was fortified, and sections within the town were also separated by walls?

    <p>Dholavira</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the first use of copper in archaeology?

    <p>Chalcolithic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the seal found in Bahrain that sometimes carries Harappan motifs?

    <p>Persian Gulf Seal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the context in which an artefact was found in archaeology?

    <p>To understand the function of the artefact</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the basis of the identification of the 'priest-king' in Harappan archaeology?

    <p>Rare stone statuary of men in a standardised posture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do archaeologists often move from the known to the unknown when reconstructing Harappan religion?

    <p>Because they are attempting to find parallels with later traditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the 'proto-Shiva' seals in Harappan archaeology?

    <p>They show a figure seated cross-legged in a 'yogic' posture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the limitation of relying on later traditions to reconstruct Harappan religion?

    <p>It may not provide a accurate understanding of the religious symbols</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has been achieved after many decades of archaeological work on the Harappans?

    <p>A complete understanding of the Harappan economy and social differences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Rigveda in reconstructing Harappan religion?

    <p>It provides a description of the god Rudra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the 'unicorn' in Harappan archaeology?

    <p>It is a mythical, composite creature depicted on seals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the uncertainty regarding the Harappan cemeteries?

    <p>They show little social differentiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the uncertainty regarding the terracotta female figurines?

    <p>What they were used for is not clearly understood</p> Signup and view all the answers

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