Chapter 1: The Harappan Civilisation

Question 1

What is a civilisation?

Answer 1

Civilisation is said to be an advanced stage in human cultural development. It implies the use of superior technology and complex economic relationships.

Question 2

What are the traits of a civilisation?

Answer 2

1. System of writing
2. Development of technology
3. Surplus food
4. Public buildings
5. Division of labour
6. Evolution of cities

Question 3

What was the first metal discovered?

Answer 3

Copper

Question 4

What was the period period when man used both stone and copper tools called?

Answer 4

Chalcolithic period

Question 5

How was Bronze formed?

Answer 5

Man mixed Copper with Tin or Zinc to form an alloy called Bronze. Bronze was more suitable for the manufacture of tools and weapons.

Question 6

Why were the civilisations during this time called bronze age civilisations?

Answer 6

Because of the importance of bronze in the growth of the first civilisations.

Question 7

What were the 4 bronze age civilisations that emerged by 2500 BC?

Answer 7

1. The Harappan Civilisation (Northern and Western India and parts of Pakistan)
2. The Egyptian Civilisation (Banks of the river Nile)
3. The Chinese Civilisation (Valley of Huang Ho and Yangtze rivers)
4. The Mesopotamian Civilisation (Banks of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq)

Question 8

Why was the discovery of the Indus valley an important event in the history of India?

Answer 8

Upto this time it was believed that the history of India began with the advent of the Aryans. However, the discovery of the Harappan Civilisation stretched back the origin of Indian history so as to put it at par with other oldest civilisations of the world, namely Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilisations.

Question 9

What is meant by the term ‘culture’?

Answer 9

The term ‘culture’ is used by archaeologists for a group of objects distinctive in style, that are usually found together within a specific geographical area and period of time.

Question 10

What are the distinctive objects in the case of Harappan culture?

Answer 10

seals, weights, stone blades and baked bricks.

Question 11

Briefly describe the physical characteristics of the Great Bath

Answer 11

It has a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.

There are 2 flights of steps one in the north and the other in the south leading into the tank

To make the pool watertight, burnt bricks and mortar lined with bitumen and gypsum were used for construction.

The water for the bath was provided by a well in an adjacent room.

Question 12

What does the great bath indicate about the Indus Valley Civilisation?

Answer 12

• The massive structure points out that there might have existed a ruling class that could mobilise labour, collect taxes and build such a huge structure for the public.
• The construction of the Great Bath indicates the art of building had reached a high degree of perfection at that time.
• Most of the scholars agree that the Great Bath might have been used for some religious purposes. This indicates the importance attached to ceremonial bathing.
• The design of the Great bath portrays the efficient planning in the structural features relating to water supply and sewage disposal.

Question 13

What was the Citadel? What did it consist of?

Answer 13

The raised area of each city was called the Citadel. The Citadel had houses of the ruling class and important buildings like the Great bath, the granary, the assembly hall and the workshops. The presence of specific houses of the ruling class, indicate some sort of social classification.

Question 14

How many seals were discovered from the Harappan Civilisation?

Answer 14

around 2000

Question 15

What were the materials used in making seals?

Answer 15

Material used in making the seals comprise terracotta, steatite, agate, etc.

Question 16

Briefly describe the physical characteristics of the seal of Pashupati.

Answer 16

It shows a three-faced deity wearing a buffalo-horned head dress, seated cross-legged on a throne and surrounded by an elephant, a tiger, a buffalo and a rhinoceros, with two deer at his feet.

Question 17

What does the seal of Pashupati indicate?

Answer 17

The seal of Pashupati indicates that people believed in lord shiva.

Question 18

What does the Unicorn seal indicate?

Answer 18

The unicorn seal indicates their mystical beliefs

Question 19

How were the seals used and for what were they used for?

Answer 19

The seals were used by traders to stamp goods. After a bag with goods was tied, a layer of wet clay was applied on the knot, and the seal was pressed on it.

Question 20

Briefly describe the physical characteristics of the bearded man.

Answer 20

This statue has a shawl worn over the left shoulder and the eyes are half closed. Some scholars believe that this is a statue of a yogi.

Question 21

Briefly describe the physical characteristics of the dancing girl.

Answer 21

The figurine shows vigour, variety and ingenuity. The right arm of the dancing girl rests on the hip and the left arm is heavily bangled. It holds a small bowl against her left leg.

Question 22

Where was the dockyard discovered?

Answer 22

A rectangular dockyard was discovered in Lothal in Gujarat.

Question 23

What was the dockyard at Lothal used for?

Answer 23

The dockyard made of baked bricks was connected by channels to the gulf of Cambay The dockyard at Lothal was used to carry out overseas trade.

Question 24

How many signs are there in the Harappan script?

Answer 24

between 375 and 400.

Question 25

On what basis do certain scholars believe that the Harappan civilisation was formed through foreign origin?

Answer 25

Some scholars believe that this civilisation came into existence as a result of sudden migration of people with an urban civilisation to the Indus basin. According to these scholars, the Harappan civilisation was an offshoot of the Mesopotamian Civilisation.

Question 26

On what basis do some scholars believe that the Harappan civilisation was formed through Indigenous origin?

Answer 26

The recent researches show that roots of the Harappan Civilisation lie deep in the Indian soil. According to some historians, the urban Harappan culture was only an outgrowth of the extensive local village cultures and not of foreign origin.

Question 27

How much area did the civilisation cover?

Answer 27

1.3 million square km

Question 28

What was the extent of the civilisation?

Answer 28

It extended from Sutkagendor (on the sea-coast of south Baluchistan) in the west, to Alamgirpur (in the upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab in western UP) in the east and from Manda (in Jammu) in the north to Bhagatrav in Narmada estuary in the south.

Question 29

What was the difference between the urban planning of the Sumerian cities and Harappan cities?

Answer 29

While Sumerian cities developed around a temple and followed a circular pattern, the Indus cities followed a grid pattern. This is indicated by the regularity of the divisions, the alignment of the streets, planning of the houses and public buildings with provisions for thoroughfares.

Question 30

What were the main characteristics of urban planning?

Answer 30

• Each city was divided into 2 parts - the raised area, called the ‘citadel’ and the ‘lower town’.
• The main streets followed a grid pattern, running from north to south and east to west.
• The houses at street corners were rounded to allow carts to pass easily.
• House drains emptied all the water into street drains.
• The streets crossed the main road at right angles, dividing the city into square or rectangular blocks.

Question 31

What were the main characteristics of the houses?

Answer 31

• The residential buildings were built according to a set plan on a high mound in order to protect them from floods. Their foundations were deep.
• There were variations in the size of houses. Each house had covered drains connected with street drains.
• The entrances to the houses were through narrow lanes which cut the streets at right angles.
• The kitchen was placed in a sheltered corner of the courtyard and the ground floor contained storerooms and well chambers.
• The houses were made of brick and wood.

Question 32

What was the name given to the Harappan civilisation by Mesopotamia?

Answer 32

Meluha. It was referred to as the land of seafarers.

Question 33

What were the 2 intermediate trading stations between Meluha and Mesopotamia?

Answer 33

The Mesopotamian texts refer to 2 intermediate trading stations called Dilmun and Makan.

Question 34

What is Dilmun in today’s world?

Answer 34

Bahrain

Question 35

What was the lost wax process?

Answer 35

In this process, the wax figures were covered in a coating of clay. Then, the wax was melted by heating and the hollow mould thus created would be filled with molten metal which took the original shape of the object.

Question 36

When did the civilisation decline?

Answer 36

around 1800 BC

Question 37

What were the likely causes of the decline of the civilisation?

Answer 37

• Floods and earthquakes (earthquakes raising the flood plains of the Indus river)
• Increased aridity (Drying up of the river Ghagar)
• Deforestation (enormous amounts of wood had to be used to make bronze.)
• Attack (the aryans might have destroyed this civilisation).