80 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Indus Valley Civilisation test sites, extent, town planning, crafts, trade and the script. The extreme sites of the civilisation, the features that make Dholavira and Lothal unusual and the way Harappans planned their towns come up repeatedly, and each explanation links the fact to its site.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 21–30 of 80 questions
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q21. Match the theory of decline in List I with its proponent scholar in List II and select the correct answer.
Theory of Decline
Proponent Scholar
A. Aryan Invasion
i. H.T. Lambrick
B. Ecological Imbalance
ii. Mortimer Wheeler
C. Tectonic Disturbances
iii. Fairservis
D. Shifting of the Indus River
iv. Robert Raikes
Explanation
Various scholars have proposed theories for the decline of the Harappan civilization. Mortimer Wheeler suggested an Aryan invasion based on skeletal remains. Fairservis emphasized ecological imbalance due to resource depletion. Robert Raikes proposed tectonic disturbances causing floods, while H.T. Lambrick suggested that the shifting of the Indus River course deprived the cities of their essential water source and transport.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q22. What was the most critical factor that facilitated the extensive internal and external trade networks of the Indus Valley Civilisation?
Explanation
The extensive internal and external trade of the Indus Valley Civilisation was primarily fueled by an agricultural surplus and highly specialized craft production. Farmers produced enough food to support non-agricultural specialists like potters, bead-makers, and metallurgists. This economic foundation allowed for the export of finished goods and the import of raw materials, sustaining a prosperous and interconnected urban network.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q23. Identify the correct sequence of Harappan sites from North to South geographically.
Explanation
Geographically, the Harappan sites are spread across a vast area. Manda in Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost site. Moving south, Harappa is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Further south lies Kalibangan in Rajasthan, India. Finally, Lothal is situated in Gujarat, near the Arabian Sea coast, representing the southern extent among the major urban centers listed.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q24. Consider the following statements regarding the findings at Kalibangan: I. Evidence of fire altars indicates the practice of a fire cult. II. It has yielded clear evidence of both pre- Harappan and mature Harappan phases. III. A massive granary comparable to that of Mohenjo-daro was discovered here. Which of the combination of statements given above is correct?
Explanation
Kalibangan is notable for providing evidence of both pre-Harappan and mature Harappan cultural phases. The discovery of fire altars suggests that the inhabitants practiced specific ritualistic fire cults. While the site features significant urban structures and agricultural evidence like ploughed fields, it does not possess a massive granary comparable in scale to those found at Harappa or Mohenjo-daro.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q25. Which of the following statements about Harappan pottery is incorrect?
Explanation
Harappan pottery was predominantly utilitarian and mass-produced using the potter’s wheel. The most characteristic type was red ware, often decorated with black painted designs featuring motifs like pipal leaves and intersecting circles. While polychrome or multi-colored pottery was produced, it was quite rare and not a common feature found in the majority of households across the different settlements.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q26. In the context of Harappan town planning, the grid system primarily refers to which of the following?
Explanation
The hallmark of Harappan urbanism was the grid system of town planning. This involved laying out main streets and smaller lanes so that they intersected at right angles, dividing the city into rectangular blocks. This systematic organization ensured efficient movement and drainage, reflecting a high level of municipal planning and control that was virtually unparalleled in other ancient contemporary civilizations.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q27. Match the crop or agricultural evidence in List I with its associated Harappan site in List II and select the correct answer.
Crop/Agricultural Evidence
Associated Harappan Site
A. Rice husks
i. Kalibangan
B. Terracotta plough
ii. Shortughai
C. Ploughed field surface
iii. Banawali
D. Traces of canals
iv. Lothal
Explanation
Agricultural evidence varies across Harappan sites. Rice husks have been found at Lothal, indicating cultivation in the Gujarat region. A terracotta plough was discovered at Banawali, while the earliest evidence of a ploughed field surface comes from Kalibangan. In the arid region of Shortughai in Afghanistan, archaeologists found traces of canals, suggesting a sophisticated irrigation system for farming.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q28. The discovery of numerous terracotta female figurines with elaborate headdresses in the Indus Valley heavily implies the existence of which religious phenomenon?
Explanation
The discovery of numerous terracotta female figurines, often heavily adorned with jewelry and elaborate headdresses, is a significant feature of Harappan archaeology. These figurines are widely interpreted by scholars as representations of a Mother Goddess. This suggests that the worship of a female deity associated with fertility and creation was a widespread and integral aspect of Harappan religious life.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q29. Consider the following statements about Harappan trade mechanisms: I. Trade was heavily reliant on the barter system. II. Weights were usually made of chert and followed a binary system in the lower denominations. III. Metal money and minted coins were the primary mediums of exchange. IV. Seals were widely used to stamp clay tags on bales of goods for authentication. Which of the combination of statements given above is correct?
Explanation
Harappan trade relied on a sophisticated system of weights and measures, using chert weights that followed a binary system for lower values. Since no minted coins have been discovered, trade was likely conducted through a barter system. Seals were essential for this process, used to create impressions on clay tags attached to trade goods to ensure their authenticity.
RAS PrelimsAncient Indian History · Indus Valley Civilisation
Q30. Given below are two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Select the correct option from the choices given below: Assertion (A): Rakhigarhi is currently considered the largest known city of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Reason (R): Recent excavations in Haryana have revealed its extent to be much larger than Mohenjo-daro.
Explanation
Recent excavations at Rakhigarhi in Haryana have significantly expanded our understanding of the civilization’s scale. Findings indicate that Rakhigarhi’s total area exceeds that of Mohenjo-daro, previously thought to be the largest site. Consequently, Rakhigarhi is now recognized by archaeologists as the largest known city of the Indus Valley Civilisation, providing new insights into the scale of Harappan urbanism.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
21
(c) A-ii, B-iii, C-iv, D-i
22
(b) An agricultural surplus and highly developed specialized craft production
23
(a) Manda, Harappa, Kalibangan, Lothal
24
(a) I and II only
25
(c) Polychrome pottery was common and found in almost every household.
26
(a) The layout of streets and lanes intersecting at right angles to form blocks
27
(d) A-iv, B-iii, C-i, D-ii
28
(b) The widespread veneration of a Mother Goddess associated with fertility
29
(c) I, II and IV
30
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Key facts from Indus Valley Civilisation
Manda on the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost site; Sutkagen Dor is the westernmost; Alamgirpur on the Hindon is the easternmost; Daimabad is the southernmost.
The bronze Dancing Girl was found at Mohenjo-daro, and the discovery of the civilisation was announced in 1924 by John Marshall, then Director-General of the ASI.
Dholavira is unusual for its stone architecture and its elaborate water reservoirs.
Lothal, near the Gulf of Khambhat, was a seaport and a centre of bead-making and export.
Harappan towns were laid out on a grid, with streets crossing at right angles to form blocks.
Harappans obtained copper from the Khetri region of Rajasthan and from Oman.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Indus Valley Civilisation?
This page has 80 practice MCQs on Indus Valley Civilisation (Ancient Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which is the northernmost site of the Indus Valley Civilisation?
Manda, on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. The other extreme sites are Sutkagen Dor in the west, Alamgirpur on the Hindon in the east and Daimabad in the south. These four are frequently asked together.
What is special about Dholavira?
Dholavira is notable for its use of stone in building and its sophisticated water storage reservoirs. Most Harappan towns used baked brick, so the stone architecture and the water system make Dholavira distinctive among mature Harappan sites.
Why was Lothal important?
Lothal lay near the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat. This position made it a seaport and a centre for making and exporting beads, which is why it is linked with Harappan overseas trade.
