Examkin

Question

Difficulty: Very hardAncient Indian Civilizations and Early Empires

Consider the following statements regarding the archaeological sites and distinct cultural features of the Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization:

1. Dholavira, situated in Gujarat, is uniquely planned into three fortified administrative divisions—the Citadel, the Middle Town, and the Lower Town—and features a sophisticated water management system with rock-cut reservoirs.
2. Banawali, located in Haryana, contained a massive burnt-brick tidal dockyard directly connected to an ancient river estuary, serving as the central maritime trade port with Mesopotamia.
3. Kalibangan, situated in Rajasthan, has yielded archaeological evidence of a pre-Harappan and Harappan grid-pattern plowed field along with fire altars built on raised mud-brick platforms.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 3 onlyAnswer
  2. B
    1 and 2 only
  3. C
    2 and 3 only
  4. D
    1, 2, and 3

Answer

The correct evaluation is that statements 1 and 3 are correct, while statement 2 is incorrect.
Statements 1 and 3 describe verified historical and archaeological facts. Dholavira is renowned for its tripartite division and massive water storage reservoirs, while Kalibangan is well-documented for its pre-Harappan grid-plowed field and fire altars on platforms. Statement 2 falsely attributes Lothal's world-famous burnt-brick dockyard to Banawali.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1 regarding Dholavira.
Statement 1 is correct. Dholavira in the Rann of Kutch (Gujarat) is famous for its unique three-part division (Citadel, Middle Town, Lower Town), unlike the typical two-part division of most Harappan cities. It also contained 16 large water reservoirs carved out of rock.
Verify urban settlement structure and hydraulic architecture of Dholavira.
2
Analyze Statement 2 regarding Banawali and maritime infrastructure.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The burnt-brick artificial dockyard connected to the Bhogavo river is the defining feature of Lothal in Gujarat, not Banawali. Banawali in Haryana is notable for high-quality barley seeds, a terracotta toy plow, and a lack of systematic drainage in certain phases.
Identify the actual archaeological site associated with Harappan maritime trade.
3
Analyze Statement 3 regarding Kalibangan.
Statement 3 is correct. Kalibangan in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, provided the earliest evidence of a plowed field showing a grid of furrows for double cropping, as well as series of fire altars (havan kundas) suggesting ritual purification ceremonies.
Verify agricultural and ritual findings at Kalibangan.
4
Synthesize the statement evaluations to select the correct option.
Only statements 1 and 3 are true, matching the option stating '1 and 3 only'.
Match validated statements to available option combinations.

Key Concept

Harappan Archaeological Site Distribution, Architectural Features, and Urban Planning
Rate this question

Topics

Ancient Indian Civilizations and Early Empires

More questions from this topic