BRICKS BEADS & BONES CHAPTER-1
BRICKS, BEADS & BONES
CLASS-12 HISTORY Mcqs(Harappan civilisation)
BRICKS, BEADS & BONES
1.The Harappan civilization was discovered in the year?
A. 1901
B. 1921
C. 1915
D. 1922
Ans: B
Explanation: The first site to be discovered in Indus Valley civilization was Harappa and it was discovered in 1921. Hence, B is the correct option.
2.The Indus valley people traded with the─
A. Chinese
B. Mesopotamians
C. Mayans
D. Romans
Ans: B
Explanation: The Mesopotamian texts mention trade contacts with region named Meluha, possibly the Harappan Region. Hence, B is the correct option.
Bricks beads and bones
3.The bust of bearded man figure was found in which of the following archaeological site?
A. Mohenjo-Daro
B. Lothal
C. Harappa
D. Dholavira
Ans: A
Explanation: The bust of bearded man was found in Mohenjo-Daro and it’s a figure made of Steatite. Hence, A is the correct option.
4. The famous figure of a dancing girl found in the excavation of
Mohenjodaro was made up of ─
A. terracotta
B. steatite
C. bronze
D. Red Limestone
Ans: C
Explanation: The dancing girl found in the excavation of Mohenjodaro was
made up of Bronze Hence, C is the correct option.
5. The mature Harappan civilization is dated between─
A. 2700-1800 BCE
B. 2400- 1300 BCE
C. 2500-1750 BCE
D. 2600-1900 BCE
Ans: D
Explanation: There were earlier and later cultures, often called Early Harappan and late Harappan cultures, in the same area. The Harappan civilization is therefore sometimes called the Mature Harappan culture to
distinguish it from these cultures. Hence, D is the correct option.
6. According to the Archaeological finds copper in Indus valley
civilization was probably brought from
A. Dilmun
B. Mesopotamia
C. Oman
D. Bahrain
Ans: C
Explanation: The chemical analyses have shown that both the Omani
copper and Harappan artefacts have traces of nickle, suggesting a common
origin. Hence, C is the correct option.
7. The largest Harappan site in India is?
A. Rakhigarhi
B. Dholavira
C. Kalibangan
D. Daimabad
Ans: A
Explanation: : Rakhigarhi is the largest Harappan site located in India. Hence, A is the correct option.
8. An advanced water management system of Harappan times has
been unearthed at─
A. Dholavira
B. Lothal
C. Kalibangan
D. kot diji
Ans: A
Explanation: Water reservoirs found in Dholavira (Gujarat) may have been used to store water for agriculture. Hence, A is the correct option.
9.Who was the first director general of Archaeological Survey of India?
A. Alexander Cunningham
B. George Marshall
C. M.S Vats
D. R.E.M Wheeler
Ans: A
Explanation: Also the first Indian Director general of ASI was Daya Ram
Sahni. Hence, A is the correct option.
10. Who was the chief female deity worshipped by the Harappans?
A. Lakshmi
B. Priest- queen
C. Mother goddess
D. Saraswati
Ans: C
Explanation: The terracotta figurines found included a woman, heavily
jewelled, some with elaborate head-dresses and was regarded as mother
goddess. Hence, C is the correct option.
11. What was the name of the Indus region according to the
Mesopotamian script?
A. Meluha
B. Dilmun
C. Turan
D. Magan
Ans: A
Explanation: The Mesopotamian texts mention contact with region named
Meluha, possibly the Harappan Region as it was often referred to as land of
seafarers. Hence, A is the correct option.
12. The book “The Story of Indian Archaeology” was written by─
A. B. B. Lal
B. M. R. Mughal
C. M. S. Vats
D. S. N. Roy
Ans: D
Explanation: S.N. Roy noted in his book The Story of Indian Archaeology
”Marshall left India three thousand years older than he found her” Hence, D
is the correct option.
13.Harappan seals were usually made up of which material?
A. Copper
B. Bronze
C. Steatite
D. Gold
Ans: C
Explanation: Various seals found were usually made of steatite, and
occasionally of agate, copper, and terracotta, and even gold and ivory with
beautiful figures of animals, such as unicorn bull, rhinoceros, tiger, elephant,
bison, goat, buffalo, etc. It appears that the seals were also used as
amulets, carried on the persons of their owners, perhaps as modern-day
identity cards Hence, C is the correct option.
14. Which of the following Harappan sites was located at the banks
of river Saraswati?
A. Alamgirpur
B. Lothal
C. Banawali
D. Ropar
Ans: C
Explanation: About 1100(80%) are located on the vast planes between the
Indus and the Ganges, comprising mainly of the Saraswati river. Hence, C is
the correct option.
15. Which of the following raw material was not used by the inhabitants of Indus Valley Civilisation?
A. limestone
B. red stone
C. Bronze
D. Clay
Ans: A
Explanation: Indus Valley Civilization people used red stone, Bronze,
Terracotta, Clay and many more things as raw materials. Hence, A is the
correct option.
16.Which of the following Indus site gives evidence of a dockyard?
A. Harappa
B. Lothal
C. Mohenjodaro
D. Rakhigarhi
Ans: B
Explanation: Archaeologists found evidence of dockyard at Lothal, also a
large number of seals have been found in a warehouse close to the
dockyard, indicating lothal to be the centre of maritime trade. Hence, B is
the correct option.
17.Which of the following statements is true regarding Indus Valley
civilization?
A. Grains found at Harappan sites include wheat, barley, lentil, chickpeas
and sesame
B. Animal bones found at Harappan sites include those of cow and horses
C. Harappans did not know intercropping
D. sheep, goat, bull and pig were not known to the people of Indus valley
Ans: A
Explanation: Cow and horses were not known to Indus people. Evidence of ploughed field at Kalibangan had two sets of furrows at right angles, suggesting that two different crops were grown together. Animals bones
found include those of cattle, sheep, goat buffalo and pig, Bones of wild species such as boar, deer and gharial are also found. Archaeologists have been able to recontruct dietary practices from finds of charred grains and
seeds which include wheat, barley, lentil, chickpeas and sesame. Hence, A is
the correct option.
18. Which of the following statements is correct regarding Harappan weights─
A. Exchanges were regulated by precise system of weights.
B. The lower denomination of weights were in binary system while high
denominations followed the decimal system
C. Weights were made of a stone called chert and generally cubical
D. all of the above
Ans: D
Explanation: Exchanges were regulated by precise system of weights. Weights were made of a stone called chert and generally cubical with no markings. The lower denomination of weights were in binary
system(1,2,4,8,16….upto 12800) while high denominations followed the
decimal system. Hence,D is the correct option.
19. All of the following statements regarding the Indus Valley Civilization are correct except ─
A. The Indus Valley Civilization was an advanced urban civilization
B. Iron was not known to the people
C. It is difficult to say to which race the people belonged
D. They knew nothing about agriculture
Ans: D
Explanation: The prevalence of agriculture is indicated by finds of grains, terracotta models of plough and traces of canals. Hence, D is the correct option.
20. Which of the following animals was not represented on the seals
and terracotta art of the Harappan culture?
A. Elephant
B. Rhinoceros
C. Cow
D. Tiger
Ans: C
Explanation: The Harappan seals mostly represented animals like bull, elephant, rhinoceros, tiger and buffalo Hence, C is the correct option.
21. Which of the following artefact of the Harappa Civilisation was
mainly used for commercial purposes?
A. Bronze/metal sculpture
B. Stone sculpture
C. Seal
D. Terracotta sculpture
Ans: C
Explanation: Various seals are also found which were usually made of
steatite, and occasionally of agate, copper, and terracotta, and even gold
and ivory with beautiful figures of animals, such as unicorn bull, rhinoceros,
tiger, elephant, bison, goat, buffalo, etc. It appears that the seals were also
used as amulets, carried on the persons of their owners, perhaps as
modern-day identity cards. The purpose of producing seals was mainly
commercial. Hence, C is the correct option.
22. The Harappan writings have been found on Variety of Objects such as seals, copper and terracotta tablets and jewellery. Which of the following is correct regarding Harappan Script:
A. The Harappan script was written from left to right.
B. It has too many signs─ somewhere between 375 and 400
C. It was alpabetical
D. All of the above
Ans: B
Explanation: Although the script remains undeciphered till date, it was
evidently not alphabetical as it has just too many signs─ somewhere
between 375 and 400. It is apparent that the script was written from right to
left as seals show a wider spacing on right and cramping on left, as if the
engraver began working from right and then ran out of space. Hence,B is the
correct option.
23. Consider the following statements about Harappan seals
A. Seals and sealings were used to facilitate long distant communication
B. The purpose of seals was to ensure that if the sealing was intact one
could be sure that the goods have arrived safely
C. Only A
D. Both A and B
Ans: D
Explanation: A bag of goods being sent from one place to another, its
mouth was tied with rope and on the knot was affixed some wet clay on
which one or more seals were pressed, leaving an impression. If the bag
reached with its sealing intact, it meant that it had not been tampered with.
Hence, D is the correct option.
24. During the archaeological excavation of the Harappan
Civilization, what types of the civic planning representation were seen?
A. Houses, markets, storage facilities, offices and almost every basic thing
are organized in a grid-like pattern.
B. Roads were cut crossways each other’s at 90-degree and the city was
organized into blocks design.
C. Only A
D. Both A and B
Ans: D
Explanation: In architectural field Harappa Civilisation had made significant
progress. It is the first known urban culture in India. Houses, markets,
storage facilities, offices and almost every basic thing are organized in a
grid-like pattern. Roads were cut crossways each other’s at 90-degree and
the city was organized into blocks design and also an extremely developed
drainage system. Hence, D is the correct option.
25. Consider the following statements:
I. Most Harappan sites are located in arid lands
II. Harappans practiced irrigation
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about Harappans?
Code:
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
Explanation: Most Harappan sites are located in semi-arid lands, where irrigation was required for agriculture, traces of canals have been found at
Shortughai in Afghanistan. Besides, water reservoirs have been found in Dholavira. Hence, C is the correct option.
26. Consider the following the statement (s):
I. Harappans built the earliest cities complete with town planning, sanitation,
drainage system and broad well-laid roads.
II. Harappans built double storied houses of burnt bricks each one of which
had a bathroom, a kitchen and a well.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about Harappan Civilisation?
Code:
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
Explanation: Harappan civilisation is the first known urban culture in India.
They built the earliest cities complete with town planning, sanitation,
drainage system and broad well-laid roads. They also built double storied
houses of burnt bricks each one of which had a bathroom, a kitchen and a
well. Hence, C is the correct option.
27. Consider the following statement (s):
I. It consists chiefly of very fine wheelmade wares, very few being handmade.
II. Polychrome pottery is rare and mainly comprises small vases decorated
with geometric patterns.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are related to the Indus Valley pottery?
Code:
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
Explanation: The Indus Valley pottery consists chiefly of very fine
wheelmade wares, very few being hand-made. Polychrome pottery is rare
and mainly comprises small vases decorated with geometric patterns. Red
and black pottery of various types is also found. Plain pottery dominates
over painted pottery. Hence, C is the correct option.
28. Consider the following statement (s):
I. It was found in Mohenjo-Daro and shows a human figure placed cross
legged.
II. An elephant and a tiger are revealed at the right side of the figure and a
rhinoceros and a buffalo are seen on the left.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about the Seals of Pashupati
Mahadeva?
Code:
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
Explanation: The Seals of Pashupati Mahadeva shows a seated figure of a
Yogi, probably Shiva Pashupati, surrounded by four animals – a rhino, a
buffalo, an elephant and a tiger. There are two deer shown under the
throne. Pashupati means the lord of animals. This seal may throw light on
the religion of the Harappan age. Most of these seals have a knob at the
back through which runs a hole and it is believed that they were used by
different guilds or merchants and traders for stamping purposes. When not
in use they could be worn round the neck or the arm like an amulet. It was
found in Mohenjo-Daro. Hence, C is the correct option.
29. Consider the following statement (s):
I. On the whole, it appears Harappans believe in burying precious things
with the dead.
II. Jewellery has been found in burials of women only.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about the Burials of
Harappan civilization?
Code:
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: D
Explanation: Some graves contain pottery and ornaments, perhaps
indicating a belief that these could be used in the afterlife. Jewellery has
been found in burials of both men and women. But On the whole, it appears
Harappans did not believe in burying precious things with the dead. Hence,
D is the correct option.
30. Consider the following pairs , which of the pair is/are correct:
- Shortughai : Afghanistan
- Banawali : Rajasthan
- Kalibangan: Rajasthan
A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 2 and 3 only
Ans: C Explanation: Banawali is in Haryana. Hence, C is the correct option.
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