Indus Civilisation Exercise Solutions | KalviGavani

• (a) Copper, bronze, silver, gold, but not iron ✓
• (b) Iron, copper, gold
• (c) Bronze, steel, silver
• (d) Gold, iron, tin

The Indus people knew copper, bronze, silver, and gold. Iron was NOT known to them — this is why the civilisation belongs to the Bronze Age, not the Iron Age.

• (a) Old Stone Age
• (b) New Stone Age
• (c) Iron Age
• (d) Metal Age (Bronze Age) ✓

Since the Indus people used bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) extensively and did not know iron, the civilisation is classified as belonging to the Bronze Age / Metal Age.

• (a) Soil is not fertile
• (b) Transportation is difficult
• (c) They do not have adequate rainfall
• (d) Many civilisations flourished on river valleys ✓

River valleys provided fertile soil for agriculture, fresh water for drinking and irrigation, and easy transport routes — all essential for civilisations to grow and flourish.

• (a) Houses were made of mud bricks
• (b) Houses were made of burnt bricks ✓
• (c) There was no drainage system
• (d) Great Bath was made of wood

Mohenjo-daro had houses built with standardised burnt bricks — a sign of advanced construction techniques. They also had an excellent drainage system.

Q5. Consider the following statements: 1. Uniformity in layout of town, streets, and brick sizes 2. An elaborate and well laid out drainage system 3. Granaries constituted an important part of Harappan Cities

• (a) Only 1 and 2 are correct
• (b) Only 2 and 3 are correct
• (c) Only 1 and 3 are correct
• (d) All the three are correct ✓

All three features — uniform town layout, advanced drainage, and granaries — are hallmark features of Harappan civilisation.

• → Horses ✓

Oxen, sheep, buffaloes, and pigs were commonly domesticated by Indus people. Horses were NOT commonly known to the Indus people as domesticated animals.

• (a) Harappan civilisation — River Indus
• (b) Mohenjo-daro — Sindh province
• (c) Lothal — Gujarat
• (d) Harappan civilisation — River Cauvery ✓ (this is the WRONG pair)

The Harappan civilisation flourished along the River Indus, not the River Cauvery. The Cauvery is in South India and is associated with later Tamil kingdoms.

• Iron/steel is used for construction of buildings, houses, and automobile parts.
• Copper is used for electrical purposes and making ornaments.
• Gold and silver are used for making jewellery and decorative items.

• Raw food: Fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, cucumbers, bananas, etc.
• Baked food: Bread, buns, cakes, cookies, puddings, etc.

Yes. People worship trees like the Peepal tree (Bodhi tree), Banyan tree, Bel tree, Ashoka tree, and Mango tree. Animals like the cow, monkey, snake, and elephant are also considered sacred.

• River valleys have fertile soil; agriculture grows well.
• Fresh water is available for drinking, irrigation, and watering livestock.
• Easy movement of people and goods is possible through water transport.

They used wheels to move the toys instead of batteries. Toy carts with wheels and string-operated moving figures have been found at Indus sites.

Humans started breeding dogs because dogs helped with hunting, herding, standing guard, and carrying loads. Dogs were loyal companions that provided protection from wild animals.

I would study the artifacts found in the ground — tools, pottery, seals, coins — to learn about the people who lived in the past, their lifestyle, culture, and civilisation.

• Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
• Dholavira (Gujarat)
• (Also: Ropar in Punjab, Rakhigarhi in Haryana)

Town planning — straight and wide roads with a good drainage system. It shows that the Indus people valued hygiene, public health, and orderly living thousands of years ago.

A weighing scale or spring balance (the Indus people used standardised weights made of stone and metal).

Archaeologists use multiple methods to explore buried structures:

1. Studying physical objects such as bricks, stones, or bits of broken pottery found at the site. 2. Searching ancient literary sources for references to the location. 3. Looking at aerial photographs to understand topography and spot buried structures. 4. Using a magnetic scanner to detect structures under the ground. 5. RADAR and remote sensing methods can detect archaeological remains without excavation.

Indus Civilisation is called the Bronze Age civilization because it is a historical period characterised by the use of articles made of bronze — an alloy of copper and tin. The Indus people made tools, weapons, ornaments, and sculptures from bronze. They did not know the use of iron, which places them firmly in the Bronze Age.

The Indus Civilisation is called an urban civilisation because of these remarkable features:

1. Well-conceived town planning — Cities were laid out in a grid pattern with streets crossing at right angles. 2. Astonishing masonry and architecture — Houses were built with standardised burnt bricks of uniform size. 3. Priority for hygiene and public health — Covered drains with manholes, soak pits, and separate bathrooms in every house. 4. Standardised weights and measures — Uniform systems across all Indus cities. 5. Solid agricultural and artisanal base — Granaries, crafts, and trade supported urban life.

1. Covered drains — Drains were covered with slabs or bricks so that dirt would not accumulate on top. 2. Gentle slope — Each drain had a gentle slope so that water could flow naturally without blockage. 3. Manholes at regular intervals — Manholes were provided for cleaning and maintenance of the drains. 4. Soak pits in every house — Each house had its own soak pit that collected sediments and allowed only water to flow into the street drain. 5. Connected system — House drains passed below many lanes before emptying into main drains on the street.

The Great Bath is one of the most remarkable structures of the Indus Civilisation, found at Mohenjo-daro:

1. It is a large, rectangular tank in a courtyard — possibly the earliest waterproof structure in the world. 2. It was lined with bricks and coated with plaster on all sides. 3. It was made watertight using layers of natural bitumen, preventing any leakage. 4. Steps on the north and south sides led down into the tank. 5. Rooms surrounded the bath on three sides — likely used by priests or for changing clothes. 6. Water was drawn from a well in the courtyard and drained out after use. 7. It is believed to have been used for ritual bathing or religious ceremonies.

Several pieces of evidence show that the Indus people had international trade:

1. Indus seals found in Mesopotamia — Harappan seals have been discovered as far away as Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), indicating trade relations. 2. King Naram-Sin's record — The Akkadian king Naram-Sin wrote about buying jewellery from "Melukha" (the Indus Valley region). 3. Cylindrical seals — Seals similar to those found in the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia were discovered in Indus sites, showing cultural and trade exchange. 4. Dockyard at Lothal — A naval dockyard was discovered at Lothal (Gujarat), providing evidence of maritime trade activities.

Key insight: The Indus people had some urban planning features (standardised bricks, drainage, lamp posts) that were more advanced than what we see in many modern Indian cities!

Multiple archaeological findings prove that agriculture was a major occupation:

1. Granaries — Large grain storage buildings found at sites like Rakhigarhi (Haryana) and Harappa. 2. Terracotta ploughs — Models of ploughs have been unearthed, showing they used ploughs for farming. 3. Grain remains — Remains of wheat, barley, millets, sesame, and pulses have been found at various sites. 4. Irrigation evidence — Proximity to rivers and canals suggests irrigation systems. 5. Sickles and harvesting tools — Tools used for cutting crops have been excavated.

1. Pottery was made using the potter's wheel — showing skill and technology. 2. The pottery was well-fired and durable. 3. Red pottery with beautiful black designs is a distinctive feature of Indus pottery. 4. Broken pieces have animal figures and geometric designs painted on them. 5. The designs show their artistic skill, colour concept, and rich imagination. 6. Different types of pottery served different purposes — storage, cooking, and decorative. 7. Some pottery had decorative motifs that indicate cultural and religious beliefs.

1. Large ships could enter the harbour, indicating advanced maritime engineering. 2. It was designed to berth 20–30 boats at a time. 3. Boats of 60–75 tonnes capacity could enter the dockyard. 4. It is considered the first naval dockyard of the world. 5. The dockyard was built after a careful study of tides, waves, and currents — showing remarkable engineering skill. 6. It proves that the Indus people engaged in sea trade with distant lands like Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf.

The Harappan civilisation declined by around 1800 BCE. Several theories exist:

1. Repeated floods — The Indus River may have caused devastating floods that destroyed cities. 2. Ecological changes — Changes in the course of rivers may have made agriculture unsustainable. 3. Invasions — Some historians suggest invasions by foreign tribes (though this theory is debated). 4. Natural calamity — Earthquakes or other natural disasters may have destroyed the cities. 5. Climatic changes — A long period of drought may have forced people to abandon cities. 6. Deforestation — Excessive use of wood for baking bricks may have led to environmental degradation. 7. Epidemic — A widespread disease may have wiped out the population.

Most scholars believe that a combination of these factors, rather than a single cause, led to the decline of the civilisation.