The Rise of the World's First Cities
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Questions and Answers

Who conducted a small excavation in Harappa in the 1850s?

  • Alexander Cunningham (correct)
  • Charles Masson
  • Alexander Burnes
  • Macedonian invader Alexander
  • What did Charles Masson believe about Harappa?

  • It was the place where Alexander defeated king Porus in battle (correct)
  • It was unimpressive and lacked historical significance
  • It was an unenthusiastic site
  • It was an important site with precise significance
  • What did Alexander Cunningham miss when he obtained a seal with a bull and some strange writing?

  • The absence of hump on the bull (correct)
  • The presence of ancient pottery
  • The unenthusiastic attitude of the Archaeological Survey of India
  • The significance of railway contractors
  • What was the attitude of the officers of the Archaeological Survey of India towards Harappa and Mohenjodaro in the early 20th century?

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

    What is one of the differences between Harappan sites mentioned in the text?

    <p>Types of artefacts found and the nature of certain structures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the re-interpretation of certain structures imply about the Harappan civilization?

    <p>It has important implications for the understanding of the social and political systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one significant finding of recent excavations at Harappa?

    <p>Careful analysis of the cultural sequence and details of residential areas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one implication of the debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization?

    <p>Not all theories are equally acceptable and each needs to be carefully examined</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of the differences between Harappan sites mentioned in the text?

    <p>Types, range, and frequency of artefacts found</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do the differences in subsistence strategies, food habits, and craft traditions suggest?

    <p>Variety of religious beliefs and social customs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Gideon Sjoberg emphasize in relation to the history of cities and empires?

    <p>The crucial role of political control in maintaining empires and enabling trade and commerce</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Childe, what was a key characteristic of the world's first cities?

    <p>They were larger and more densely populated than villages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did McC.Adams emphasize in his contribution to understanding city life?

    <p>The pivotal role of political factors in the emergence of cities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was an important aspect of McC.Adams' contribution to understanding city life?

    <p>Highlighting the relationship between cities and their hinterlands</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Childe's emphasis regarding the rise of the world's first cities?

    <p>Technological advancements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Robert McC.Adams assert about the emergence of cities?

    <p>Social factors played a significant role</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Childe's criteria for identifying cities include?

    <p>Architectural features and uniform system of weights and measures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Gideon Sjoberg assert played a pivotal role in the emergence of cities?

    <p>Political factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the roles played by cities highlighted by McC.Adams?

    <p>The safe storage of agricultural surpluses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one way in which cities differed from villages, according to Childe?

    <p>Cities were larger and more densely populated than villages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one function served by monumental public buildings in cities according to Childe?

    <p>Concentration of wealth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was emphasized by Gideon Sjoberg in relation to empires?

    <p>The role of political control in maintaining social organization and stability within empires</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What allowed a greater level of protection and security in a city compared to a village?

    <p>Higher population density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did elite groups tend to be concentrated in the city and live near its centre?

    <p>To be near political decision-making and military planning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor has been suggested as playing an important role in the emergence of cities, according to the text?

    <p>Long-distance trade</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect does archaeology primarily provide direct information on regarding the emergence of the world’s first cities?

    <p>Technological factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the aspects contributing to the story of urbanization?

    <p>Expanding food resource base</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has increased enormously since the momentous discoveries at Mohenjodaro and Harappa?

    <p>Data and information about the Harappan civilization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was crucial for dating the Harappan civilization in the initial years after its discovery?

    <p>Mesopotamian links</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What bias have scholars become very conscious of and acknowledge the need to view the Harappan civilization independently?

    <p>'Mesopotamian lens' bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Lurewala' and 'Ganweriwala' are mentioned in the text as sites that are as large or even larger than which two cities?

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

    What is one feature that scholars have increasingly directed attention to, according to the text?

    <p>Smaller, less imposing sites including towns and villages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has Balu in Haryana yielded that indicates it was a rich rural settlement?

    <p>Plant remains</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of settlements have profiles available for them, according to the text?

    <p>Cities, towns, and villages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who made the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization in 1924?

    <p>John Marshall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did V. Gordon Childe describe as the city?

    <p>The result and symbol of a revolution marking a new economic stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did some scholars object to V. Gordon Childe's use of the word 'revolution' to describe urbanization?

    <p>It implies sudden, deliberate change, which they disagreed with</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was an important implication of John Marshall's announcement about the Indus or Harappan civilization?

    <p>It pushed back the beginnings of civilization in India by 2,500 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Pandit Hiranananda Sastri's initial opinion about excavating Harappa?

    <p>He thought it was unnecessary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did R.D. Banerji contribute to the excavation efforts at Mohenjodaro?

    <p>He started excavating Mohenjodaro in 1921</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Pandit Hiranananda Sastri and D.R. Bhandarkar, what were their initial thoughts about the age and significance of Mohenjodaro?

    <p>They believed it could not be more than 250 years old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Urbanization' and 'civilization' are more or less synonymous because:

    <p>They both refer to cultural stages generally associated with cities and writing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Civilization' has grander connotations compared to 'urbanization' primarily because:

    <p>'Civilization' is linked to the emergence of cities and writing, while 'urbanization' has no specific connotations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Monumental architecture', specialized crafts, and long-distance trade are occasionally found in non-urban contexts as well, which raises an objection regarding:

    <p>'V. Gordon Childe's criteria for city life'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the earliest exceptions regarding urban settlements without writing?

    <p>Çatal Hüyük in Turkey during the 7th millennium BCE</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Charles Masson believed that Harappa was the place where Alexander defeated King Porus in battle.

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

    Alexander Burnes visited Harappa and fully understood its precise significance.

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

    Alexander Cunningham conducted a small excavation in Harappa in 1850s and was impressed by the remains of the structures.

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

    The officers of the Archaeological Survey of India who explored Harappa and Mohenjodaro in the early 20th century were enthusiastic about the sites.

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

    Pandit Hiranananda Sastri initially thought there was no point in excavating Harappa.

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

    D.R. Bhandarkar’s assessment was that Mohenjodaro could not be more than 250 years old.

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

    Daya Ram Sahni started excavations at Mohenjodaro in 1920.

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

    R.D.Banerji started excavating Mohenjodaro in 1921.

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

    The formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization was made by Robert McC.Adams.

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

    The word ‘urbanization’ means the disappearance of cities.

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

    Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica and the Mycenaean civilization of Greece did not have true cities.

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

    According to V.Gordon Childe (1950), the ‘urban revolution’ was sudden and violent.

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

    Childe's 10 criteria for distinguishing the first cities were all directly deducible from the archaeological data.

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

    'Urbanization' and 'civilization' are more or less synonymous because they both refer to a specific cultural stage associated with cities and writing.

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

    According to some scholars, neolithic settlements have been described as urban based on size and architecture even without writing.

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

    One trend in defining a city is to narrow down the diagnostic features such as focusing on elite groups and long-distance trade.

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

    The Harappan sites share common features but no regional or inter-site differences.

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

    The black-on-red Harappan pottery formed the majority of the total pottery finds at Allahdino.

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

    The mud-brick platforms in the southern part of the citadel complex at Kalibangan, interpreted as ‘fire altars’, occur at most other sites.

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

    Post-cremation burials were much more numerous at Mohenjodaro than at Harappa.

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

    The ‘great granaries’ at Mohenjodaro and Harappa were confirmed to be granaries after recent excavations.

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

    Recent excavations at Harappan sites have not reflected any changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of archaeology.

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

    The world’s first cities were smaller and less densely populated than villages.

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

    Specialized craftspersons, merchants, and officials were part of the city population but not full-time farmers and herdsmen.

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

    Farmers did not have to hand over their surplus produce as tax or tribute to a ruling elite.

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

    Monumental public buildings were not a characteristic feature of cities.

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

    There was no trade-off between the ruling class and the rest of society in cities.

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

    The invention of writing did not lead to the development of exact but practically useful sciences such as arithmetic and astronomy.

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

    Conceptualized and sophisticated styles of artistic expression did not make their appearance in cities.

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

    Cities did not imply a significant amount of long-distance trade.

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

    Cities did not imply a state organization based on residence in a territory rather than on kinship.

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

    The state did not provide security and materials to specialist craftspersons in cities.

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

    Gideon Sjoberg emphasized that political control was not crucial in maintaining the social organization of empires.

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

    'Lurewala' and 'Ganweriwala' are mentioned in the text as sites that are smaller than Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

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

    The concentration of population in a relatively small space in a city allowed a greater level of protection and security than possible in a village.

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

    Elite groups tended to be dispersed in the city and usually lived near its center.

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

    Archaeology provides direct information on social and political factors rather than technological aspects when reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities.

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

    The story of urbanization is one of decreasing cultural complexity and expanding craft production.

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

    Recent discoveries have not contributed to the understanding of the Harappan civilization.

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

    Scholars have not become very conscious of earlier bias and acknowledge the need to view the Harappan civilization independently.

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

    Mohenjodaro and Harappa were the only urban settlements emphasized in the initial years after their discovery.

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

    A small fortified rural settlement in Balu, Haryana, yielded a poor variety of plant remains.

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

    The emergence of cities has to be viewed as part of a shorter history of human settlements, both rural and urban.

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

    Over the years, only technological factors have been suggested as having played an important role in the emergence of cities.

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

    The amount of data and information about the Harappan civilization has been steadily decreasing over time.

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

    Lurewala and Ganweriwala are smaller sites compared to Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

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

    What was the significance of the seal obtained by Alexander Cunningham at Harappa?

    <p>The seal had some strange writing and a bull without a hump, indicating a local origin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who was dismayed to find the mounds of Harappa badly disturbed by railway contractors?

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

    What did Charles Masson believe about Harappa?

    <p>He believed it was the very place where Alexander had defeated King Porus in battle in the 4th century BCE.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the key characteristics of the world's first cities according to V. Gordon Childe?

    <p>Long-distance trade</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are some of the differences in Harappan sites mentioned in the text?

    <p>Layout of settlements, crops grown, types and frequency of artifacts, funerary practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has been re-considered in recent years regarding certain structures at Harappan sites?

    <p>Nature and function of certain structures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What changes have been observed in recent excavations at Harappan sites?

    <p>Careful analysis of cultural sequence, greater use of scientific techniques</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the implications of the re-interpretation of structures at Harappan sites?

    <p>Implications for the understanding of the social and political systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text suggest about the debates regarding various aspects of the Harappan civilization?

    <p>Reflects the potential of archaeology as a window into the ancient past and the important role of interpretation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text highlight as a key feature of recent excavations at Harappa?

    <p>Joint American and Pakistani team, careful analysis of cultural sequence, greater use of scientific techniques</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who made the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization in 1924?

    <p>John Marshall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Childe describe as the city?

    <p>The result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'urbanization' mean?

    <p>The emergence of cities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who started excavations at Harappa in 1920?

    <p>Daya Ram Sahni</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the earliest attempts to define a city, according to the text?

    <p>V.Gordon Childe's criteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization imply?

    <p>The beginnings of civilization in India were pushed back some 2,500 years, to a time roughly contemporaneous with the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Childe describe as the result of the 'urban revolution'?

    <p>A revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who excavated Mohenjodaro in 1921?

    <p>R.D.Banerji</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the implications of Marshall's dramatic announcement?

    <p>An important and exciting fragment of India’s past had been uncovered.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the significance of the discoveries at Harappa and Mohenjodaro?

    <p>The formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization was made in in 1924 by John Marshall.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who reported that there was no point in excavating Harappa?

    <p>Pandit Hiranananda Sastri</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who contributed to the excavation efforts at Mohenjodaro?

    <p>R.D.Banerji</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Childe, what were the 10 characteristics of cities?

    <p>The 10 characteristics of cities, according to Childe were...</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Gideon Sjoberg emphasize as playing a pivotal role in the emergence of cities?

    <p>Gideon Sjoberg emphasized that political factors played a pivotal role in the emergence of cities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one important aspect of McC.Adams' contribution to understanding city life?

    <p>McC.Adams highlighted the relationship between cities and their hinterlands.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the trade-off between the ruling class and the rest of society in cities according to the text?

    <p>Rulers lived off the surplus produced by farmers and in return provided them with peace, security, planning, and organization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the ruling elite live off in cities?

    <p>The ruling elite lived off the surplus produced by farmers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What were the groups that comprised the city population?

    <p>The city population comprised full-time craftspersons, merchants, transporters, officials, and priests.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What were the monumental public buildings in cities according to Childe?

    <p>Monumental public buildings reflected the concentration of social surplus in the hands of the elite.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the significance of the invention of systems of recording according to the text?

    <p>The invention of systems of recording helped meet the needs of administration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the differences between cities and villages according to Childe?

    <p>Cities were larger and more densely populated than villages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the features scholars have increasingly directed attention to?

    <p>Scholars have increasingly directed attention to settlement size, architectural features, and a uniform system of weights and measures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was emphasized by Gideon Sjoberg in relation to the history of cities and empires?

    <p>Gideon Sjoberg emphasized the close connection between the history of cities and the rise and fall of empires.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did some scholars suggest about neolithic settlements according to the text?

    <p>According to the text, some scholars suggested that neolithic settlements have been described as urban based on size and architecture even without writing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What allowed a greater level of protection and security in a city compared to a village?

    <p>Concentration of population</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where did elite groups tend to be concentrated in the city?

    <p>Near its centre</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Apart from being centres of intellectual and commercial activity, what else did cities become centres of?

    <p>Cultural and artistic activity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What have been suggested as important factors in the emergence of cities?

    <p>Population growth, long-distance trade, irrigation, and class conflict</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source for reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities?

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

    What has increased enormously over the eight decades or so since the discoveries at Mohenjodaro and Harappa?

    <p>Information about the Harappan civilization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What have scholars become very conscious of in recent decades regarding the Harappan civilization?

    <p>Earlier bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What have scholars increasingly directed attention to, according to the text?

    <p>Smaller, less imposing sites, including towns and villages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the roles highlighted by McC.Adams that cities played?

    <p>Place where political decisions were taken and military strategies planned</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Childe's criteria for identifying cities include?

    <p>Monumental public buildings, social stratification, political organization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text suggest as one implication of the debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization?

    <p>Many aspects remain mysterious and subjects of vigorous debate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are profiles available for?

    <p>Different kinds of Harappan settlements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 1826, Charles Masson, an adventurer who had deserted the East India Company army, stood on the mounds of ______, a village in Sahiwal district of Punjab.

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

    When Cunningham re-visited Harappa in 1872, he came as Director General of the newly established Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He was dismayed to find the mounds badly disturbed by ______ contractors who had been busy extracting free bricks.

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

    He conducted a small excavation and discovered the remains of some structures, but was not impressed. When Cunningham re-visited Harappa in 1872, he came as Director General of the newly established Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He was dismayed to find the mounds badly disturbed by ______ contractors who had been busy extracting free bricks.

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

    The officers of the Archaeological Survey of India who explored Harappa and Mohenjodaro in the early 20th century were ______ about the sites.

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

    There are also differences in the types, range, and frequency of ______.

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

    The mud-brick platforms in the southern part of the citadel complex at Kalibangan, which have been interpreted as ‘fire altars’, do not occur at most other ______.

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

    The re-interpretation of structures has important implications for the understanding of the Harappan social and political ______.

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

    The debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization reflect both the potential of archaeology as a window into the ancient past and the important role of ______ in this discipline.

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

    There has also been greater use of scientific techniques, including the analysis of bone and teeth remains, which provide very specific information about the diet and health of the ______.

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

    Conclusions can be reached on certain issues, while in other cases, it is necessary to acknowledge the current limits of our ______.

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

    One of the earliest attempts to define a city was made by V.Gordon Childe in the year ______.

    <p>1950</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The emergence of cities and writing tend to go together, and 'urbanization' and 'civilization' are more or less ______.

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

    Childe described the city as the result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society, known as the ______ revolution.

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

    Some features, such as monumental architecture, specialized crafts, and long-distance trade, are occasionally found in non-urban contexts as well, which raises an objection regarding the criteria for defining ______.

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

    Childe identified 10 abstract criteria, all supposedly deducible from archaeological data, which distinguished the first cities from the older and contemporary ______.

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

    Pandit Hiranananda Sastri reported that he did not think there was any point in excavating ______.

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

    The formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization was made in ______ by John Marshall.

    <p>1924</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 1920, Daya Ram Sahni started excavations at ______.

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

    R.D.Banerji started excavating ______ in 1921.

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

    Childe's observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of ______ societies.

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

    Archaeologists have described neolithic settlements as urban on the basis of size and architecture, even in the absence of ______.

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

    Childe's 10 criteria seem to be a loose assemblage of overlapping features, and are not arranged in any sequence of relative ______.

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

    Childe emphasized the importance of technological and subsistence factors such as increasing food surpluses, copper-bronze technology, and the use of wheeled transport, sailboats, and ______

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

    McC.Adams also highlighted the multiple roles played by cities: They were nodes for the appropriation and redistribution of agricultural surpluses. They provided a permanent base for new social and political institutions that regulated the relationships between specialized producers occupying different ______

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

    Gideon Sjoberg emphasized the close connection between the history of cities and the rise and fall of ______

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

    Political control was crucial in maintaining the social organization of empires and providing the stability necessary for the development of trade and ______

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

    The invention of writing led to the development of exact but practically useful sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, and ______

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

    Cities implied a significant amount of long-distance ______

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

    They also implied a state organization based on residence in a territory rather than on ______

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

    Monumental public buildings were hallmarks of cities and reflected the concentration of social surplus (i.e., surplus produce and wealth generated in a society) in the hands of the ______

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

    Rulers lived off the surplus produced by farmers and in return provided them with peace, security, planning, and ______

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

    Recent excavations at Harappan sites have not reflected any changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of ______

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

    Scholars have increasingly directed attention to settlement size, architectural features (e.g., fortifications and the use of stone and brick), and a uniform system of weights and ______

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

    The various hypotheses that have been put forward to explain the rise of the world’s first cities are reflective of how different scholars view and understand the unfolding of historical ______

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

    The concentration of population in a relatively small space in a city allowed a greater level of protection and security than possible in a ______.

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

    Elite groups tended to be concentrated in the city and usually lived near its ______.

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

    Apart from being centres of intellectual and commercial activity, since elite groups were usually also patrons of the arts, cities also became centres of cultural and artistic ______.

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

    The story of urbanization is one of increasing cultural complexity, a widening food resource base, greater technological sophistication, expanding craft production, social ______, and the emergence of a level of political organization that can be described as a ______.

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

    New sites have been discovered, old sites re-excavated, and there are several new interpretations based on the old and new ______.

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

    Since archaeology forms the primary source for reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities, there is more direct information on the technological aspect rather than other ______, which can be understood only in very general terms.

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

    The emergence of cities has to be viewed as part of a longer history of human settlements, both ______ and urban.

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

    Another feature of the early decades of Harappan studies was an emphasis on urban settlements, especially Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Apart from being the first sites of the culture to be excavated, these two cities seemed to stand out by virtue of their size and ______ features.

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

    Scholars have increasingly directed attention to the smaller, less imposing sites, including ______ and villages.

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

    Recent Discoveries and Changing Perspectives Over the eight decades or so since the momentous discoveries at Mohenjodaro and Harappa, information about the Harappan civilization has increased ______.

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

    In recent decades, scholars have become very conscious of the earlier bias and acknowledge the need to view the Harappan civilization independently rather than through a ______ lens.

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

    Profiles of different kinds of Harappan settlements are now available, and the understanding of the networks that connected cities, towns, and ______ is slowly growing.

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

    There are also differences in the types, range, and frequency of ______.

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

    The mud-brick platforms in the southern part of the citadel complex at Kalibangan, which have been interpreted as ‘fire altars’, do not occur at most other ______.

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

    Recent excavations at Harappan sites reflect the changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of ______.

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

    The debates about various aspects of the Harappan civilization reflect both the potential of archaeology as a window into the ancient past and the important role of interpretation in this ______.

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

    The re-interpretation of structures has important implications for the understanding of the Harappan social and political ______.

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

    The story of urbanization is one of increasing cultural complexity, a widening food resource base, greater technological sophistication, expanding craft production, social ______, and the emergence of a level of political organization that can be described as a ______.

    <p>differentiation, state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The various hypotheses that have been put forward to explain the rise of the world’s first cities are reflective of how different scholars view and understand the unfolding of historical ______.

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

    Childe emphasized the importance of technological and subsistence factors such as increasing food surpluses, copper-bronze technology, and the use of wheeled transport, sailboats, and ______.

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

    Cities implied a significant amount of long-distance ______.

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

    Scholars such as Robert McC. Adams emphasized social factors, while Gideon Sjoberg asserted that political factors played the pivotal role in the emergence of ______.

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

    Rulers lived off the surplus produced by farmers and in return provided them with peace, security, planning, and ______.

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

    Childe's 10 criteria seem to be a loose assemblage of overlapping features, and are not arranged in any sequence of relative ______.

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

    The state provided security and materials to specialist craftspersons, enabling them to live a settled rather than an itinerant ______.

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

    Monumental public buildings were hallmarks of cities and reflected the concentration of social surplus (i.e., surplus produce and wealth generated in a society) in the hands of the ______.

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

    Recent Discoveries and Changing Perspectives Over the eight decades or so since the momentous discoveries at Mohenjodaro and Harappa, information about the Harappan civilization has increased ______.

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

    Cities and village are not two opposite poles, but interdependent and interacting parts of a larger cultural and ecological ______.

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

    The invention of writing led to the development of exact but practically useful sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy, and the creation of a ______.

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

    The story of urbanization is one of decreasing cultural complexity and expanding craft ______.

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

    The concentration of population in a relatively small space in a city allowed a greater level of protection and security than possible in a ______.

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

    Elite groups tended to be concentrated in the city and usually lived near its ______.

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

    Since archaeology forms the primary source for reconstructing the emergence of the world’s first cities, there is more direct information on the technological aspect rather than other ______, which can be understood only in very general terms.

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

    Recent discoveries at Harappan sites have reflected changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of ______.

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

    Scholars have increasingly directed attention to the smaller, less imposing sites, including ______ and villages.

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

    Childe's 10 criteria seem to be a loose assemblage of overlapping features, and are not arranged in any sequence of relative ______.

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

    What was one of the key characteristics of the world's first cities according to V. Gordon Childe? - Monumental public buildings were hallmarks of cities and reflected the concentration of social surplus (i.e., surplus produce and wealth generated in a society) in the hands of the ______.

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

    The amount of data and information about the Harappan civilization has been steadily ______ over time.

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

    Gideon Sjoberg emphasized the close connection between the history of cities and the rise and fall of ______.

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

    The emergence of cities has to be viewed as part of a longer history of human settlements, both rural and ______.

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

    The state did not provide security and materials to specialist craftspersons in ______.

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

    Monumental public buildings were hallmarks of cities and reflected the concentration of social surplus (i.e., surplus produce and wealth generated in a society) in the hands of the ______.

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

    Charles Masson, an adventurer who had deserted the East India Company army, stood on the mounds of ______, a village in Sahiwal district of Punjab. He was convinced that this must have been the very place where, in the 4th century BCE, the Macedonian invader Alexander had defeated king Porus in battle. A few years later, a traveller named Alexander Burnes visited ______. He thought it was an important site, but was clueless about its precise significance. Many decades later, in the 1850s, ______ was visited by Alexander Cunningham, a military engineer with the East India Company who was keenly interested in archaeology. He conducted a small excavation and discovered the remains of some structures, but was not impressed. When Cunningham re-visited ______ in 1872, he came as Director General of the newly established Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He was dismayed to find the mounds badly disturbed by railway contractors who had been busy extracting free bricks. Cunningham found stone tools and ancient pottery, and also obtained a seal with a bull and some strange writing. He was intrigued, but concluded that since the bull did not have a hump, the seal must be a foreign one. He missed a very important clue. The officers of the Archaeological Survey of India who explored ______ and Mohenjodaro in the early 20th century were unenthusiastic about the sites.

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

    Cunningham found stone tools and ancient pottery, and also obtained a seal with a bull and some strange writing. He was intrigued, but concluded that since the bull did not have a hump, the seal must be a foreign one. He missed a very important clue. The officers of the Archaeological Survey of India who explored Harappa and Mohenjodaro in the early 20th century were unenthusiastic about the ______.

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

    In 1826, Charles Masson, an adventurer who had deserted the East India Company army, stood on the mounds of Harappa, a village in Sahiwal district of Punjab. He was convinced that this must have been the very place where, in the 4th century BCE, the Macedonian invader Alexander had defeated king Porus in battle. A few years later, a traveller named Alexander Burnes visited ______. He thought it was an important site, but was clueless about its precise significance.

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

    When Cunningham re-visited Harappa in 1872, he came as Director General of the newly established Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He was dismayed to find the mounds badly disturbed by railway contractors who had been busy extracting free bricks. Cunningham found stone tools and ancient pottery, and also obtained a seal with a bull and some strange writing. He was intrigued, but concluded that since the bull did not have a hump, the seal must be a ______ one.

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

    The sites were eventually excavated. In 1920, Daya Ram Sahni started excavations at Harappa and in 1921, R.D.Banerji started excavating ______

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

    The formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization was made in in 1924 by John Marshall, Director General of the Archaeological Survey, almost a century after Charles Masson had wandered over the mounds of Harappa and sensed that there was something significant about the place. The implications of Marshall’s dramatic announcement were enormous. An important and exciting fragment of India’s past had been uncovered, and the beginnings of civilization in India were pushed back some 2,500 years, to a time roughly contemporaneous with the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. JOHN MARSHALL, DIRECTOR GENERAL, ASI, 1902–28 Civilization and Urbanization: Definitions and Implications The word ‘urbanization’ means the emergence of cities. ‘Civilization’ has more abstract and grander connotations, but refers to a specific cultural stage generally associated with cities and writing. In a few instances, archaeologists have described neolithic settlements as urban on the basis of size and architecture, even in the absence of writing. This is the case with 8th millennium BCE Jericho in the Jordan valley and the 7th millennium BCE settlement at Çatal Hüyük in Turkey. It has also been pointed out that the Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica and the Mycenaean civilization of Greece did not have true cities, while the Inca civilization of Peru did not have a system of true writing. However, apart from a few such exceptions, cities and writing tend to go together, and ‘urbanization’ and ‘civilization’ are more or less synonymous. One of the earliest attempts to define a city was made by V.Gordon Childe (1950). Childe described the city as the result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society. Like the earlier ‘neolithic revolution’, the ‘urban revolution’ was neither sudden nor violent; it was the culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes. Childe identified 10 abstract criteria, all supposedly deducible from archaeological data, which distinguished the first cities from the older and contemporary villages. RAKHALDAS BANERJI, WHO EXCAVATED ______ IN 1921 Childe’s observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of urban societies.

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

    One of the earliest attempts to define a city was made by V.Gordon Childe in the year ______

    <p>1950</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Childe described the city as the result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society. Like the earlier ‘neolithic revolution’, the ‘urban revolution’ was neither sudden nor violent; it was the culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes. Childe identified 10 abstract criteria, all supposedly deducible from archaeological data, which distinguished the first cities from the older and contemporary villages. RAKHALDAS BANERJI, WHO EXCAVATED MOHENJODARO IN 1921 Childe’s observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of urban societies. Some scholars did not agree with his use of the word ‘revolution’ to describe urbanization, as it suggests sudden, deliberate change. Further, his 10 criteria seem to be a loose assemblage of overlapping features, and are not arranged in any sequence of relative importance. For instance, were sophisticated artistic styles as important as an agricultural surplus or a state structure? Further, all 10 features (e.g., exact and predictive sciences) are not directly deducible from the archaeological data. Another objection is that some features, such as monumental architecture, specialized crafts, and long-distance trade are occasionally found in non-urban contexts as well. However, if we consider the 10 characteristics collectively instead of individually, it has to be conceded that Childe did succeed in identifying the most significant features and implications of city life. Over the years, there have been three different sorts of trends in defining the city. One is to narrow down the diagnostic features, focusing, for instance, on writing, monumental structures, and a large population. RAKHALDAS BANERJI, WHO EXCAVATED MOHENJODARO IN ______ Childe’s observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of urban societies.

    <p>1921</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The word ‘urbanization’ means the emergence of ______

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

    ‘Civilization’ has more abstract and grander connotations, but refers to a specific cultural stage generally associated with ______ and writing.

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

    An important and exciting fragment of India’s past had been uncovered, and the beginnings of civilization in India were pushed back some 2,500 years, to a time roughly contemporaneous with the civilizations of ______ and Egypt.

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

    Childe described the city as the result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society. Like the earlier ‘neolithic revolution’, the ‘urban revolution’ was neither sudden nor violent; it was the culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes. Childe identified 10 abstract criteria, all supposedly deducible from archaeological data, which distinguished the first cities from the older and contemporary villages. RAKHALDAS BANERJI, WHO ______ MOHENJODARO IN 1921 Childe’s observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of urban societies.

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

    Childe described the city as the result and symbol of a revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society. Like the earlier ‘neolithic revolution’, the ‘urban revolution’ was neither sudden nor violent; it was the culmination of centuries of gradual social and economic changes. Childe identified 10 abstract criteria, all supposedly deducible from archaeological data, which distinguished the first cities from the older and contemporary villages. Some scholars did not agree with his use of the word ‘revolution’ to describe ______, as it suggests sudden, deliberate change.

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

    The formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or ______ civilization was made in in 1924 by John Marshall, Director General of the Archaeological Survey, almost a century after Charles Masson had wandered over the mounds of Harappa and sensed that there was something significant about the place.

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

    Over the years, there have been three different sorts of trends in defining the city. One is to narrow down the diagnostic features, focusing, for instance, on writing, monumental structures, and a large ______.

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

    ______’s observations proved to be the starting point of an important debate on the diagnostic features of urban societies. Some scholars did not agree with his use of the word ‘revolution’ to describe urbanization, as it suggests sudden, deliberate change. Further, his 10 criteria seem to be a loose assemblage of overlapping features, and are not arranged in any sequence of relative importance. For instance, were sophisticated artistic styles as important as an agricultural surplus or a state structure? Further, all 10 features (e.g., exact and predictive sciences) are not directly deducible from the archaeological data. Another objection is that some features, such as monumental architecture, specialized crafts, and long-distance trade are occasionally found in non-urban contexts as well. However, if we consider the 10 characteristics collectively instead of individually, it has to be conceded that ______ did succeed in identifying the most significant features and implications of city life.

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

    Match the following individuals with their contributions to the excavation efforts at ancient sites:

    <p>Daya Ram Sahni = Excavations at Harappa R.D.Banerji = Excavations at Mohenjodaro Charles Masson = Early recognition of significance of Harappa V. Gordon Childe = Defining criteria for identifying cities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following civilizations with their characteristics:

    <p>Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica = Absence of true cities Mycenaean civilization of Greece = Absence of true cities Inca civilization of Peru = Absence of true writing Indus or Harappan civilization = Pushing back the beginnings of civilization in India</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their definitions:

    <p>Urbanization = Emergence of cities Civilization = Cultural stage associated with cities and writing Neolithic settlement = Described as urban based on size and architecture City = Result and symbol of a revolution marking a new economic stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following scholars with their emphasis on factors in the emergence of cities:

    <p>Gideon Sjoberg = Political factors Robert McC. Adams = Social factors V. Gordon Childe = Technological and subsistence factors V.Gordon Childe = Revolution marking a new economic stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the individuals with their contributions to the excavation efforts at Harappa and Mohenjodaro:

    <p>Charles Masson = First speculated about the historical significance of Harappa and Mohenjodaro Alexander Burnes = Visited Harappa and recognized its importance as a site Alexander Cunningham = Obtained a seal with a bull and some strange writing at Harappa John Marshall = Made the formal announcement of the discovery of the Indus or Harappan civilization in 1924</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the civilizations with their characteristics according to V. Gordon Childe:

    <p>Neolithic settlements = Described as urban based on size and architecture, even without writing Mayan civilization = Did not have true cities Mycenaean civilization = Did not have true cities Inca civilization = Did not have a system of true writing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the terms with their descriptions according to the text:

    <p>Civilization = Specific cultural stage generally associated with cities and writing Urbanization = The emergence of cities Neolithic revolution = Gradual social and economic changes culminating in the urban revolution Urban revolution = A revolution that marked a new economic stage in the evolution of society</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the characteristics with their implications for the emergence of cities according to the text:

    <p>Cultural complexity and widening food resource base = Increasing craft production and social organization Greater technological sophistication = Emergence of a level of political organization that can be described as a state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with the characteristics of the world's first cities according to V. Gordon Childe:

    <p>Monumental public buildings = Hallmarks of cities Surplus food produced by farmers = Supported city population Conceptualized and sophisticated styles of artistic expression = Made their appearance in cities Trade-off between the ruling class and the rest of society = Rulers lived off the surplus produced by farmers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with the contributions to understanding city life according to McC.Adams:

    <p>Appropriation and redistribution of agricultural surpluses = Nodes for Permanent base for new social and political institutions = Regulated relationships between specialized producers Safe storage of surpluses, concentration of wealth = Expenditure on public building programmes Centres for learning, artistic creativity, philosophical debate = Development of religious ideas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with the implications of political control in Gideon Sjoberg's view:

    <p>Maintaining social organization of empires = Providing stability necessary for trade and commerce Connection between the history of cities and rise and fall of empires = Political control crucial Elaborated on city's functions and features = Many facets of city's functions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their roles in city life according to McC.Adams:

    <p>Nodes for appropriation and redistribution of agricultural surpluses = Specialized producers occupying different econiches Permanent base for new social and political institutions = Regulated relationships between specialized producers Safe storage of surpluses, concentration of wealth = Expenditure on public building programmes by elite groups Centres for learning, artistic creativity, philosophical debate = Development of religious ideas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their roles in the emergence of cities:

    <p>Population concentration = Allowed greater level of protection and security in a city Long-distance trade = Facilitated communication and exchange of goods and services among specialists Irrigation = Played an important role in the emergence of cities Class conflict = One of the factors suggested as having played an important role in the emergence of cities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their contributions to understanding city life:

    <p>Archaeology = Provides direct information on the technological aspect rather than other factors Elite groups = Tended to be concentrated in the city and lived near its centre Political decisions = Taken in the city Military strategies = Planned in the city</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their characteristics related to Harappan settlements:

    <p>Mohenjodaro and Harappa = The first sites of the culture to be excavated Lurewala and Ganweriwala = As large or even larger than Mohenjodaro and Harappa Allahdino = A village settlement that reveals all main features of the Harappan civilization Balu = A small fortified rural settlement that has yielded a rich variety of plant remains</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their association with the study of cities:

    <p>Childe's observations = Starting point of an important debate on diagnostic features of urban societies V. Gordon Childe = Described city as a result and symbol of a revolution marking a new economic stage R.D.Banerji = Started excavating Mohenjodaro in 1921 Pandit Hiranananda Sastri = Initially thought there was no point in excavating Harappa</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their implications for understanding the Harappan civilization:

    <p>Variety of subsistence strategies, food habits, craft traditions, religious beliefs, cultic practices, and social customs = Differences in the types, range, and frequency of artefacts Layout of settlements and crops grown and consumed = Differences in the frequency of various funerary practices across sites Mud-brick platforms in the southern part of the citadel complex at Kalibangan = The nature and function of certain structures Recent excavations at Harappa = Changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of archaeology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their descriptions of urbanization and civilization:

    <p>Urbanization = Emergence of cities Civilization = Specific cultural stage generally associated with cities and writing Neolithic settlements described as urban based on size and architecture even without writing = Exceptional cases where neolithic settlements are considered urban</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their characteristics attributed to V. Gordon Childe's concept of city:

    <p>Monumental public buildings as hallmarks of cities = Concentration of social surplus in the hands of ruling class 10 abstract criteria for distinguishing first cities from older villages = Revolution marking a new economic stage in society</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their implications for understanding urban societies:

    <p>Debate on diagnostic features of urban societies = Different scholars' views on historical unfolding Concentration of population in a relatively small space = Greater level of protection and security than rural areas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their implications for understanding archaeological data:

    <p>Re-interpretation of structures = Important implications for understanding Harappan social and political systems Recent excavations at Harappan sites = Reflecting changes in approaches, goals, and techniques within the discipline of archaeology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following with their findings or contributions to understanding city life:

    <p>Profiles of different kinds of Harappan settlements = Understanding networks that connected cities, towns, and villages Concentration of population in a relatively small space = Greater level of protection and security than possible in rural areas</p> Signup and view all the answers

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