Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: Modern oceanographers have observed that the Harappans must have possessed great knowledge relating to tides in order to build such a dock on the ever-shifting course of the Sabarmati, as well as exemplary hydrography and maritime engineering. Lothal was the earliest known dock found in the world, equipped to berth and service ships. It is speculated that Lothal engineers studied tidal movements, and their effects on brick-built structures, since the walls are of kiln-burnt bricks.

Statement 2 is correct: The lengthy coastline of Gujarat is dotted with several ports, which have been engaged in overseas trade since the 3rd millennium B.C. Dwarka and Bhrigukachchha (Broach) were active trading ports during the Vedic times. Many more ports came into existence during the later centuries. Any flourishing maritime trade requires good communication with the hinterland. Thus, the routes leading to the Deccan, to the eastern end of the Ganga plain, to the middle and the western part of the Aryavart, and into Rajasthan were in use since early historical times. This, in turn, further gave a fillip with the commercial activities in these regions. Though ports have been in use since ancient times, the emergence of ports as gateways of international trade became important after the coming of the European traders and colonization of the country by the British. This led to a variation in the size and quality of ports. There are some ports which have a very vast area of influence and some have a limited area of influence. At present, India has 12 major ports and 200 minor or intermediate ports. In the case of the major ports, the central government decides the policy and plays regulatory functions. The minor ports are there whose policy and functions are regulated by state governments. The major ports handle a larger share of the total traffic.

Ans: B

Exp:

Pair 1 is correctly matched: The Sindhu identical with Indus is the river par excellence of Aryans and it is repeatedly mentioned. This river was known to the ancient Indians in Sanskrit as Sindhu and the Persians as Hindu which was regarded by both of them as “the border river”.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Battle of ten kings was fought on the river Parushni, identical with river Ravi, and gave its victory to Sudas. The Ravi River is a transboundary river crossing northwestern India and eastern Pakistan.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: The Chenab River was called Asikni in the Rig-Veda. The name meant that it was seen to have darkcoloured waters. Knowledge Base: Rivers, such as the Sapta Sindhavah (“seven rivers”), play a prominent part in the hymns of the Rig Veda, and consequently in early Hindu religion. Vedic texts have a wide geographical horizon, speaking of oceans, rivers, mountains and deserts. “Eight summits of the Earth, three shore or desert regions, seven rivers.”

Ans: B

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: The Harappans were well-versed in the craft of making implements out of bronze. Bronze is created by adding tin and copper. The Harappans had to import these raw materials because of a lack of relevant mines in the IVC region. The use of bronze is one of the factors for the rise of the Harappan economy and society.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Boat-making was an important activity practised by Harappans. They built boats to carry their produce to far-off regions across the Arabian Sea. In fact, “Meluha”, the term given to the people of the IVC, means “the land of sea-farers”. Indus people were the first to produce cotton in the ancient world. Greek referred to the Indus zone as “Sindhen”, which means “fine cotton-producing zone”.

Ans: A

Exp:

Option A is the correct answer: Chirand is an archaeological site in the Saran district of Bihar, India, situated on the northern bank of the Ganga River. It has a large pre-historic mound which is known for its continuous archaeological record from the Neolithic age (about 2500–1345 BC) to the reign of the Pal dynasty who ruled during the premedieval period. The excavations in Chirand have revealed stratified Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Iron Age settlements, and transitions in human habitation patterns dating from 2500 BC to 30 AD. Recently, it was in news due to threat of erosion and losing its existence as the water level in the river is rising due to heavy rains.

Option B is incorrect: Utnur is located in Telangana.

Option C is incorrect: Kanispur is located in Kashmir.

Option D is incorrect: Maski is located in Karnataka.

Ans: C

Exp:

The Harappan civilization shared several cultural elements such as subsistence strategies with the early Harappan cultures. The Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including fish. 

Statement 1 is incorrect: Wheat and barley were the two important crops of the Indus Valley Civilization. In some places, particularly Gujarat, they also cultivated some native millets. They fed local wild rice to their animals and probably began to cultivate it, though rice does not become an important crop until post-Harappan times.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Use of plough was observed during the Harappan age. Primitive ploughs were made of wood, and wood is a perishable material. Hence there is no possibility of finding an actual wooden plough from a Harappan site. However, a terracotta model of a plough has been discovered from Mohenjodaro. This shows that the Harappan people were aware of the plough. Apart from this, a ploughed field was also excavated in kalibangan.

Statement 3 is correct: Archaeologists have found evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan (Rajasthan), associated with Early Harappan levels. The field had two sets of furrows at right angles to each other, suggesting that two different crops were grown together. Thus, providing evidences of multi-cropping during this period. The research also confirms that Indus populations were the earliest people to use complex multi-cropping strategies across both seasons, growing foods during summer and winter, which required different watering regimes.