Test: Bricks, Beads & Bones- 1 - Humanities/Arts MCQ

- Assertion (A) is true as archaeological evidence suggests that variations in burial practices, such as the presence of brick-lined pits and grave goods, indicate differing social statuses within the Harappan civilization.

- Reason (R) is also true because the inclusion of items like jewelry and pottery in graves does imply a belief in their usefulness in the afterlife.

- The reason provided supports the assertion by explaining how the graves reflect social differences through the artifacts included. Thus, the reason is indeed the correct explanation of the assertion.

Option D is correct - R.E.M. Wheeler.

R.E.M. Wheeler introduced a systematic grid system (often called the Wheeler box-grid method) and insisted on careful recording of contexts and finds.

He emphasised stratigraphic excavation, so that layers and their relationships were preserved and studied rather than being removed mechanically; this approach increased accuracy and control in fieldwork.

His earlier service in the Royal Artillery and his insistence on organisation and discipline in excavations led contemporaries to describe his methods as having military precision.

During his tenure as Director-General of the ASI in the mid-20th century, he applied these methods widely, helping to establish more rigorous, scientific field procedures.

Correct option: D

Mohenjodaro had a well-planned drainage system with streets laid out in a grid pattern. Each house had its own drain connected to the street drains, ensuring a hygienic and organized urban environment.

Alexander Cunningham wrote a report on a Harappan seal, which he published in the form of a drawing, in 1875.

Correct option: C - i and iii.

i is correct because the tank was specially constructed with watertight lining, steps and a surrounding paved area, features that support its interpretation as a place for ritual bathing.

iii is correct because the design with surrounding spaces and a gallery indicates communal use; scholars read this as evidence for public ceremonies or communal bathing connected with ritual activity.

ii is incorrect since the structure is sealed and there is no archaeological evidence of outlets or channels that would have distributed water for agriculture.

Sources note that several small rooms adjoined the tank (often counted as eight); these likely served as changing or washing rooms. This is a structural detail about the complex, not a statement of the Bath's purpose, so it does not change the correct purpose-based choices.

Hence the correct combination of purpose-related statements is i and iii (option C).

Correct option: B

Statement I is false. Archaeological and environmental evidence indicates that the decline was caused by multiple factors such as climate change, river-system shifts (including drying or changes of river courses), a reduction in long-distance trade, and socio-economic changes. It is not accurate to attribute the decline solely to drying rivers.

Statement II is false. The Harappan script remains undeciphered. The surviving inscriptions are typically very short and no bilingual texts exist that would allow a secure decipherment, so we do not have direct epigraphic evidence to reconstruct detailed political structures.

Conclusion: Both statements are false; therefore option B is correct.

Mohenjodaro was designed as a well-planned urban center featuring a grid layout, with streets and roads that facilitated efficient movement and drainage. The city was divided into two main sections: the Citadel and the Lower Town, which showcased advanced urban planning that included standardized brick sizes and organized building platforms. This meticulous design reflects the sophistication of the Harappan civilization.