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139. The site of Dabarkot in north Baluchistan is believed to have been a settlement related to which activity?
a) Resource procurement or trade
b) Textile manufacturing
c) Agricultural production
d) Maritime trade
Answer: a) Resource procurement or trade
140. The expansion of the Indus civilization into regions like Sind, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat occurred around which time, according to radiocarbon evidence?
a) 2000 BC
b) 2500 BC
c) 3000 BC
d) 1500 BC
Answer: b) 2500 BC
141. In which area is the most dense concentration of Indus civilization sites found?
a) Saurashtra peninsula
b) Cholistan
c) Sind
d) Gujarat
Answer: b) Cholistan
142. Which geographical feature played a key role in the distribution of Indus civilization sites, particularly along the Ghaggar-Hakra system?
a) The Kirthar mountains
b) The Ganga-Yamuna Doab
c) The Ghaggar-Hakra river course
d) The Makran coast
Answer: c) The Ghaggar-Hakra river course
143. Which area is associated with the first movement of the Indus civilization, around 2500 BC, according to the evidence?
a) Kutch
b) Rajasthan
c) Sind
d) Cholistan
Answer: d) Cholistan
144. The movement of the Indus civilization to the Saurashtra peninsula and mainland Gujarat is believed to have occurred from which region?
a) Punjab
b) Sind
c) Kutch
d) Rajasthan
Answer: b) Sind
145. Which of the following sites in Gujarat is believed to have been a manufacturing center for semi-precious stone objects?
a) Nageshwar
b) Nagwada
c) Khandaria
d) Chanhudaro
Answer: b) Nagwada
146. What is suggested by the presence of large granaries at Harappa and Mohenjodaro?
a) The Harappans had a surplus of
agricultural products.
b) The Harappans only produced enough crops for immediate consumption.
c) There was no surplus of crops during Harappan times.
d) The granaries were used solely for storage of livestock.
Answer: a) The Harappans had a surplus of agricultural products.
147. Which of the following is true about the plough used by the Harappans?
a) It was a metal plough.
b) It was drawn by camels.
c) It was drawn by bullocks.
d) It was used only for irrigated fields.
Answer: c) It was drawn by bullocks.
148. Which crop was NOT commonly cultivated by the Harappans?
a) Wheat
b) Barley
c) Rice
d) Sugarcane
Answer: d) Sugarcane
149. What evidence suggests that the Harappans might have practiced irrigation?
a) The discovery of large-scale
irrigation canals.
b) The channelling of overflowing rainwater and possible lift irrigation.
c) Evidence of water-well systems.
d) Widespread use of pumps for irrigation.
Answer: b) The channelling of
overflowing rainwater and possible lift irrigation.
150. Which animals were commonly domesticated by the Harappans?
a) Horses, camels, and elephants.
b) Sheep, goats, and Indian humped cattle.
c) Lions, tigers, and rhinoceroses.
d) Dogs, cats, and wild boar.
Answer: b) Sheep, goats, and Indian humped cattle.
151. Where have evidence of pastoral campsites been found, suggesting the importance of pastoralism in the Harappan economy?
a) In the plains of Sind.
b) In the Hakra valley and northern Gujarat.
c) In the hills of Baluchistan.
d) In the deserts of Rajasthan.
Answer: b) In the Hakra valley and northern Gujarat.
152. Which of the following craft items was NOT typically produced in Harappan workshops?
a) Beads from semi-precious stones.
b) Shell objects.
c) Iron tools.
d) Bronze vessels.
Answer: c) Iron tools.
153. What was a significant feature of the Harappan pottery from the mature period?
a) It was uniformly polychrome.
b) It had a red slip and black-painted decoration.
c) It was only made of ivory.
d) It was plain, with no decorative motifs.
Answer: b) It had a red slip and black-painted decoration.
154. What evidence supports the idea that Harappans were engaged in international trade?
a) Harappan pottery was found in
Egypt.
b) Evidence of Harappan goods such as beads and inscribed sherds in the Gulf
and Mesopotamia.
c) The discovery of trade routes extending to the Americas.
d) The presence of Harappan seals in China.
Answer: b) Evidence of Harappan goods such as beads
and inscribed sherds in the Gulf and Mesopotamia.
155. Which of the following materials was used for making Harappan seals?
a) Gold
b) Ivory
c) Steatite
d) Silver
Answer: c) Steatite
156. Where were Harappan bead-making shops discovered?
a) Lothal and Chanhudaro.
b) Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
c) Kalibangan and Rangpur.
d) Balakot and Kutch.
Answer: a) Lothal and Chanhudaro.
157. What is the primary method used by the Harappans to extract gold?
a) Mining of gold.
b) Panning or washing of gold dust.
c) Smelting gold from ore.
d) Importing gold from Egypt.
Answer: b) Panning or washing of gold dust.
158. What role did pastoralists play in the Harappan civilization?
a) They were primarily responsible
for agriculture.
b) They were responsible for the production of textiles.
c) They likely provided goods and information linking various settlements.
d) They were the primary metal workers in Harappan society.
Answer: c) They likely provided goods and information linking various settlements.
159. Which of the following materials was NOT used in Harappan bead-making?
a) Carnelian
b) Jasper
c) Lapis lazuli
d) Obsidian
Answer: d) Obsidian
160. What was a significant contribution of Harappan society in the development of cotton?
a) They were the first civilization
to cultivate rice.
b) They were the first to domesticate cotton.
c) They developed techniques for spinning wool into yarn.
d) They introduced cotton to the Mediterranean.
Answer: b) They were the first to
domesticate cotton.
161. Which of the following was a
key export from the Harappan civilization?
a) Gold
b) Cotton goods
c) Tin
d) Lapis lazuli
Answer: b) Cotton goods
162. What was the primary form of currency in Harappan trade?
a) Coins
b) Barter system
c) Silver ingots
d) Paper money
Answer: b) Barter system
163. Where were many Indus-type seals discovered, providing
evidence of trade links between the Harappans and Mesopotamians?
a) Only in Harappa
b) In Mesopotamia, including cities like Ur and Kish
c) In the Indus Valley, particularly at Mohenjodaro
d) In Egypt and Anatolia
Answer: b) In Mesopotamia, including cities like Ur and Kish
164. Which of the following was an import into the Harappan
civilization?
a) Carnelian beads
b) Gold from Afghanistan, Persia, and South India
c) Lapis lazuli from Saurashtra
d) Carnelian beads from Mesopotamia
Answer: b) Gold from Afghanistan, Persia, and South India
165. What was the likely method used for trading between the
Harappans and the Mesopotamians?
a) Direct financial transactions with coins
b) Trade through barter
c) Use of gold bars as currency
d) Exchange of agricultural land
Answer: b) Trade through barter
166. Which of the following was used for land transport in the
Harappan civilization?
a) Camel caravans
b) Bullock carts and pack-oxen
c) Horse-drawn chariots
d) Automated vehicles
Answer: b) Bullock carts and pack-oxen
167. What is the significance of the dockyard at Lothal in the
context of Harappan trade?
a) It was a religious site.
b) It served as an important center for sea and river transport.
c) It was a residential area.
d) It was a location for the production of pottery.
Answer: b) It served as an important center for sea and river transport.
168. Which of the following items were part of the evidence
found at Lothal that links it to Mesopotamian trade?
a) Silver coins
b) Copper ingots and reserved slip ware
c) Indus seals and jewelry
d) Mesopotamian bronze statues
Answer: c) Indus seals and jewelry
169. What is suggested by the discovery of a terracotta model of
a ship from Lothal?
a) The Harappans used ships for oceanic exploration.
b) The Harappans likely engaged in overseas trade using boats and ships.
c) The Harappans only traveled by foot.
d) The Harappans had no interest in maritime transport.
Answer: b) The Harappans likely engaged in overseas trade using boats and
ships.
170. What does the presence of caravan transport by pack-oxen
suggest about Harappan trade?
a) The Harappans only traded in the immediate vicinity of their settlements.
b) The Harappans were highly dependent on horse-drawn vehicles for transport.
c) Long-distance trade was conducted across rough and wooded areas, often using
pack-oxen.
d) The Harappans had no need for transport over long distances.
Answer: c) Long-distance trade was conducted across rough and wooded areas, often using pack-oxen.
171. Which of the following semi-precious stones was imported
into the Harappan civilization?
a) Carnelian
b) Jade from Central Asia
c) Agate from Harappa
d) Lapis lazuli from Lothal
Answer: b) Jade from Central Asia
172. What evidence suggests that Harappan merchants may have
visited and resided in Mesopotamia?
a) Harappan pottery found in Mesopotamia.
b) The discovery of Sumerian texts referring to trade with the Indus region.
c) The large number of seals of Mesopotamian type found in Harappa.
d) No evidence suggests any Harappan contact with Mesopotamia.
Answer: b) The discovery of Sumerian texts referring to trade with the Indus
region.
173. What materials did the Harappans import from regions like Afghanistan,
Persia, and South India?
a) Gold, copper, and tin
b) Bronze, shells, and ivory
c) Wheat, barley, and peas
d) Silver, jade, and pottery
Answer: a) Gold, copper, and tin
174. The discovery of which items in both Harappan and
Mesopotamian sites provides evidence of reciprocal trade?
a) Gold coins
b) Reserved slip ware and copper ingots
c) Pottery from Egypt
d) Wooden sculptures
Answer: b) Reserved slip ware and copper ingots
175. How did the Harappans transport goods for overseas trade?
a) Only by overland caravans
b) By sea and river using ships and boats
c) Only by pack-oxen
d) Using horse-drawn carts across the seas
Answer: b) By sea and river using ships and boats
176. Which area is mentioned as a significant location for the
internal trade of raw materials in the Harappan civilization?
a) Rajasthan
b) Gujarat
c) Punjab
d) Sind
Answer: b) Gujarat
177. What indicates the scale and importance of Harappan
internal trade?
a) The occurrence of various raw materials at different Harappan sites
b) The development of the currency system
c) Large-scale pottery production
d) The use of metal currency for trade
Answer: a) The occurrence of various raw materials at different Harappan
sites
178. Which route connected the Karachi region with Mohenjodaro
and Chanhudaro?
a) Coastal route through the Arabian Sea
b) Overland route through the Indus river banks
c) Route from Multan to Harappa
d) Maritime route via the Persian Gulf
Answer: b) Overland route through the Indus river banks
179. What route connected Rajasthan to regions to its north and
west?
a) The Ghaggar/Hakra stretch
b) The Kantli river route
c) The Sind-Punjab route
d) The coastal route to the Oman Peninsula
Answer: a) The Ghaggar/Hakra stretch
180. What kind of evidence suggests a strong network of trade
between the Indus Valley and regions such as Turkmenistan and Mesopotamia?
a) Common pottery designs
b) Cylinder seals with Indus motifs found in foreign regions
c) Gold and copper imports from these regions
d) Written records of trade transactions
Answer: b) Cylinder seals with Indus motifs found in foreign regions
181. Which region is cited as having had a special niche in
Harappan external trade, with finds of Harappan-related objects?
a) Bactria (northeast Afghanistan)
b) Mesopotamia
c) Iran
d) Turkmenistan
Answer: a) Bactria (northeast Afghanistan)
182. What is the significance of the term ‘Meluhha’ in
Mesopotamian literature?
a) It refers exclusively to the area of the Harappan civilization.
b) It refers to the region to the east of Khujestan, possibly including the
Indus area.
c) It refers to a trade network established by the Sumerians.
d) It represents the name of a Mesopotamian city.
Answer: b) It refers to the region to the east of Khujestan, possibly
including the Indus area.
183. What type of trade route was used to connect the Gulf
region to Mesopotamia?
a) Overland route through Afghanistan
b) Maritime route from the Makran coast to the Oman Peninsula
c) Overland route through the Sind plains
d) Sea route from the Arabian Peninsula to the Indus Valley
Answer: b) Maritime route from the Makran coast to the Oman Peninsula
184. What is suggested by the discovery of Harappan-related
objects in looted graves in Bactria?
a) The objects were part of a local trade network.
b) The Harappans may have established settlements in Bactria.
c) Bactrian traders were importing goods from the Indus Valley.
d) The Harappans never traded with Bactria.
Answer: c) Bactrian traders were importing goods from the Indus Valley.
185.Which of the following areas had a maritime connection to
the Harappan civilization for trade purposes?
a) The Makran coast and the Oman Peninsula
b) Central Asia and Afghanistan
c) The Himalayas
d) The Deccan Plateau
Answer: a) The Makran coast and the Oman Peninsula
186. What was the role of the Hindukush region in Harappan
external trade?
a) It served as a destination for trade goods from the Indus Valley.
b) It facilitated the movement of seasonal nomads who played a role in trade.
c) It was mainly used for agricultural production for trade.
d) It had no significant role in Harappan trade.
Answer: b) It facilitated the movement of seasonal nomads who played a role
in trade.
187. What evidence of Harappan trade has been found in the Gulf
region?
a) Indus script on pottery
b) Harappan gold and silver artifacts
c) Cylinder seals with Mesopotamian motifs
d) Large quantities of Indus pottery
Answer: a) Indus script on pottery
188. Which region had an overland route used to reach
Mesopotamia through Iran and Afghanistan?
a) Bactria
b) Turkmenistan
c) Khujestan
d) Rajasthan
Answer: c) Khujestan
189. What external material has been found in Quetta, Mehrgarh,
and Sibri that links them to Harappan trade?
a) Copper ingots from the Mesopotamian region
b) Bactrian trade goods
c) Pottery from the Indus Valley
d) Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan
Answer: d) Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan
190. Which of the following was a key external route from the
Indus region used to reach Mesopotamia?
a) Through the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf
b) Through the Himalayas and the northern passes
c) Overland through Sind and the Persian Gulf
d) Overland via the Ghaggar–Drishadvati divide and Haryana
Answer: a) Through the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf
191. According to D.D. Kosambi, who constituted the ruling class
in the Harappan civilization?
a) Merchants
b) Priests
c) Kings
d) Military leaders
Answer: b) Priests
192. What is the main question regarding the political
organization of the Harappan civilization?
a) Whether there was a centralized monarchy
b) Whether it was a theocracy ruled by priests
c) Whether the Harappan state was an empire or several regional states
d) Whether it had a system of democracy
Answer: c) Whether the Harappan state was an empire or several regional
states
193. Which of the following is NOT a possibility discussed
regarding the nature of Harappan political organization?
a) Several small, regional states with their own capitals
b) A single centralized empire covering the entire Harappan region
c) A unified democracy
d) A state-like system of petty chiefdoms
Answer: c) A unified democracy
194. What alternative political scenario suggests that one of
the Harappan chiefdoms may have dominated the others to form an 'empire'?
a) Harappa became the largest trading hub and centralized power
b) Ganweriwala emerged as the strongest state
c) Dholavira expanded its influence through military conquest
d) Lothal established an economic and political monopoly
Answer: a) Harappa became the largest trading hub and centralized power
195. What argument is made against the idea of a centralized
'empire' in the Harappan civilization?
a) The lack of a uniform material culture
b) The absence of a well-organized army with weapons
c) The existence of several distinct languages across the region
d) The lack of evidence of trade and commerce
Answer: a) The lack of a uniform material culture
196. What historical period is referenced to argue that a
uniform culture can exist without an empire?
a) The 5th century BC
b) The 6th century BC
c) The 1st millennium BC
d) The 4th century BC
Answer: b) The 6th century BC
197. What would the presence of kings or emperors in Harappan
civilization imply?
a) A high degree of military control
b) The presence of palaces and royal tombs
c) A bureaucratic system
d) The use of democratic elections
Answer: b) The presence of palaces and royal tombs
198. What does the lack of evidence for 'palaces' and 'royal
tombs' lead to questions about?
a) The possibility of a monarchy
b) The existence of trade routes
c) The role of the priestly class in governance
d) The size of the Harappan cities
Answer: a) The possibility of a monarchy
199. What alternative form of governance is suggested in the
absence of kings and emperors in the Harappan polity?
a) An oligarchical system
b) A direct democracy
c) A military dictatorship
d) A feudal system
Answer: a) An oligarchical system
200. What role is speculated for the priestly class in Harappan
governance?
a) They may have had no influence in politics
b) They may have played a significant role in governance
c) They may have been the primary rulers, alongside kings
d) They were likely isolated from political decision-making
Answer: b) They may have played a significant role in governance
201. What is one challenge in establishing whether Harappan
civilization had a monarchy or an emperor?
a) The lack of evidence for a military presence
b) The absence of monumental religious structures
c) The lack of archaeological evidence for palaces or royal tombs
d) The lack of written records on politics
Answer: c) The lack of archaeological evidence for palaces or royal tombs
202. What is the main source of information about Harappan
religion?
a) Written texts
b) Artefacts, seals, and pottery
c) Architectural remains
d) Oral traditions
Answer: b) Artefacts, seals, and pottery
203. What is a possible explanation for the zoomorphic deities
in Harappan seals?
a) They represent totems of clans
b) They are symbols of wealth
c) They are purely decorative
d) They are symbols of water deities
Answer: a) They represent totems of clans
204. What does the ‘Pasupati Mahadeva’ seal from Mohenjodaro depict?
a) A goddess surrounded by animals
b) A three-faced deity in human form, surrounded by animals
c) A human deity performing rituals with priests
d) A king on a throne surrounded by animals
Answer: b) A three-faced deity in human form, surrounded by animals
205. What interpretation has been suggested for the posture of
the deity in the ‘Pasupati Mahadeva’ seal?
a) It represents a god in meditation
b) It imitates the posture of a Proto-Elamite bull-deity
c) It signifies a royal figure in a ceremonial pose
d) It represents a warrior preparing for battle
Answer: a) It represents a god in meditation
206. What is the significance of the goddess depicted on a
cylinder seal from Kalibangan?
a) She is associated with fertility rituals
b) She prevents two spearmen from fighting and has animal attributes
c) She represents a deity of water and agriculture
d) She is a protective figure for merchants
Answer: b) She prevents two spearmen from fighting and has animal attributes
207. In Harappan seals, what recurring theme involves animals
and trees?
a) Animal sacrifices at tree shrines
b) The meeting of animal and tree spirits
c) Animal forms of gods protecting trees
d) Priests gathering under sacred trees
Answer: c) Animal forms of gods protecting trees