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Difficulty: HardAncient Indian Civilizations and Early Empires

With reference to the economic activities, settlement features, and long-distance trade networks of the Harappan Civilization, consider the following statements:

1. Shortugai, located in northern Afghanistan, was established as a Harappan trading colony primarily to exploit sources of lapis lazuli.
2. Chanhudaro was an urban center devoted almost exclusively to craft production—such as bead-making, shell-cutting, and seal-engraving—and lacked a fortified citadel.
3. Banawali in Haryana provided archaeological evidence of terracotta models of the plough as well as a radial pattern of town streets.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3Answer

Answer

All three statements are correct (1, 2 and 3).
All three statements are historically accurate: Shortugai was a dedicated lapis lazuli procurement colony in Afghanistan; Chanhudaro was an unfortified manufacturing hub for beads, seals, and weights; and Banawali in Haryana yielded both terracotta plough models and a distinctive radial road layout.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Statement 1 regarding Shortugai
Shortugai in northern Afghanistan (near Badakhshan) was an isolated Harappan trading outpost established specifically to control the procurement of lapis lazuli and tin.
Harappan long-distance overland trade required specialized frontier outposts.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding Chanhudaro
Chanhudaro (in present-day Sindh, Pakistan) was a small settlement exclusively concentrated on craft specialized activities including bead-making, shell-cutting, seal-making, and weight-making. Unlike major Harappan cities like Mohenjo-daro or Harappa, Chanhudaro had no separate fortified citadel structure.
Distinct urban functional specialization existed across Harappan settlements.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding Banawali
Excavations at Banawali (in Fatehabad district, Haryana) yielded important agricultural evidence in the form of a complete terracotta model of a plough, alongside a unique town planning variation displaying a radial street pattern.
Banawali provides key evidence for Harappan agricultural technology and non-standard urban layouts.

Key Concept

Harappan Economic Organization, Craft Specialization, and Site Specificity
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Ancient Indian Civilizations and Early Empires

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