72 Questions
What was the characteristic of the settlements during the Early Harappan period?
They were small and had no large buildings
What is evident from the large-scale burning at some sites and the abandonment of certain settlements?
A break between the Early Harappan and the Harappan civilization
What is the primary basis for reconstructing dietary practices of the Harappans?
Finds of charred grains and seeds
What type of specialists study ancient plant remains?
Archaeo-botanists
Which of the following grains is found in relatively rare quantities at Harappan sites?
Rice
What type of specialists study animal bones found at Harappan sites?
Archaeo-zoologists
What was found mostly in Mohenjodaro and Harappa?
Miniature pots of faience
What was the purpose of the tiny settlement of Chanhudaro?
Craft production
What was the material used to make beads that was easily worked and could be moulded into various shapes?
Steatite
What was the technique used to obtain the red colour of carnelian?
Firing the yellowish raw material
What was the purpose of the settlements of Nageshwar and Balakot?
Making shell objects
What is one of the best indicators of craft work?
Waste material
How did the Harappans transport goods and people across land routes?
By bullock carts
What was the source of lapis lazuli, a highly valued blue stone?
Afghanistan
What was the location of the source of carnelian?
Gujarat
What was the purpose of the settlements established near sources of raw materials?
Procuring materials for craft production
What feature was present in every house in Mohenjodaro?
A bathroom paved with bricks
How many wells were estimated to be present in Mohenjodaro?
700
What was the significance of the Great Bath?
It was a ritual bath for special purposes
What strategy do archaeologists use to find out about social differences?
Studying burial practices
What indicates social differences in burials in Harappan sites?
Variations in burial pit construction
What is a characteristic of 'luxury' artefacts?
Made from costly, non-local materials
What is a type of artefact that is difficult to classify as utilitarian or luxury?
Spindle whorls made of faience
Where are rare and valuable objects concentrated?
In large settlements like Mohenjodaro and Harappa
What was a distinctive feature of the Great Bath's construction?
Bricks were set on edge with gypsum mortar
What was found near the skull of a male in a Harappan burial site?
An ornament consisting of three shell rings, a jasper bead, and hundreds of micro beads
What motivates Indian archaeologists to search for Harappan sites in India?
To compensate for the loss of major sites to Pakistan after the partition
What has been a significant outcome of the surveys and explorations in Kutch, Punjab, and Haryana?
The revelation of a number of Harappan settlements in India
What is a current area of focus in Harappan archaeology?
Understanding the functions of various artefacts
What has contributed to the growing international interest in Harappan archaeology?
The use of modern scientific techniques in archaeology
What is a benefit of the joint efforts of specialists from the subcontinent and abroad?
The promise of yielding interesting results in the future
What is a characteristic of the ongoing explorations in Harappan archaeology?
The use of modern scientific techniques, including surface exploration
What was the primary interest of Cunningham, the first Director-General of the ASI?
The archaeology of the Early Historic period
What did the Harappan seals discovered by Daya Ram Sahni and Rakhal Das Banerji suggest?
That these sites were part of a single archaeological culture
What was the significance of John Marshall's announcement in 1924?
The discovery of a new civilisation in the Indus valley
What was the limitation of John Marshall's excavation technique?
He did not follow the stratigraphy of the site
What was the contribution of R.E.M. Wheeler to Indian archaeology?
He rectified the limitation of John Marshall's excavation technique
What was the significance of the Chinese Buddhist pilgrims' accounts?
They helped locate early settlements in India
What did the Harappan artefacts found by Cunningham suggest to him?
That they were not significant
What was the characteristic of the archaeologists who worked in India during the early 20th century?
They were mostly professional archaeologists
Why did Cunningham fail to realise the significance of the Harappan artefacts?
Because he was focused on the archaeology of the Early Historic period
What was the impact of John Marshall's announcement in 1924 on Indian archaeology?
It made India three thousand years older
What is the probable source of copper, as suggested by chemical analyses of Harappan artefacts?
Oman
What is the significance of the thick layer of black clay coating on large Harappan jars found at Omani sites?
It prevents the percolation of liquids
What is the name of the region mentioned in Mesopotamian texts, which is possibly the Harappan region?
Meluhha
What is the significance of the depiction of ships and boats on Harappan seals?
It suggests that communication with Oman, Bahrain, or Mesopotamia was by sea
What is the probable purpose of the seals and sealings used in the Harappan civilization?
To facilitate long-distance communication
What is the characteristic of the Harappan script?
It has too many signs, between 375 and 400
What is the material used to make the weights in the Harappan civilization?
Chert
What is the characteristic of the lower denominations of weights in the Harappan civilization?
They are based on a binary system
What is the significance of the finding of Harappan artefacts in the Khetri region of Rajasthan?
It suggests that the inhabitants of this region supplied copper to the Harappans
What is the mythological significance of the haja-bird in Mesopotamian texts?
It is a bird whose call is heard in the royal palace
What is the most likely explanation for the uniformity of Harappan artefacts?
The presence of a single ruler
What is the significance of the stone statue labelled as the 'priest-king'?
It is a cultural parallel to Mesopotamian history
What is the characteristic of the Harappan weights?
They were used for weighing jewellery and beads
What is the timeline of the abandonment of most Mature Harappan sites in regions like Cholistan?
c. 1800 BCE
What is the feature of the 'Late Harappan' or 'successor cultures'?
The disappearance of distinctive artefacts
What is the likely reason for the collapse of the Harappan civilisation?
The collapse of the Harappan state
What is the significance of the brick size in Harappan society?
It indicates the uniform ratio of bricks throughout the region
What is the characteristic of the settlements in the Late Harappan period?
They were characterised by a rural way of life
What is the significance of the seals in Harappan society?
They disappeared in the Late Harappan period
What is the likely explanation for the absence of depictions of people in power in Harappan archaeological records?
The Harappan society did not have rulers
What is inferred about the Harappan agricultural practices based on the representations on seals and terracotta sculpture?
They used oxen for ploughing.
What is unique about the urban centres of the Harappan civilization?
Their development of urban centres.
What can be inferred about the settlement of Mohenjodaro?
It was planned and then implemented.
What is a distinctive feature of the Harappan cities?
Their carefully planned drainage system.
What can be inferred about the buildings in the Lower Town of Mohenjodaro?
They were built on mud brick platforms.
Why were houses built along streets with drains in the Lower Town of Mohenjodaro?
So that domestic waste water could flow into the street drains.
What is a characteristic of the residential buildings in the Lower Town of Mohenjodaro?
They were centred around a courtyard.
Why were there no windows in the walls along the ground level of the residential buildings?
To maintain privacy.
What is indicated by the finding of grain at Harappan sites?
The presence of agricultural technologies.
What is suggested by the lack of canals at Harappan sites in Punjab and Sind?
Ancient canals silted up long ago.
Explore the characteristics of the Mature Harappan settlements, including their archaeological features, agriculture, and crafts. Learn about the break between the Early Harappan and the Harappan civilisation.
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