Important Questions: Bricks, Beads, and Bones- 1 | NCERT Textbooks (Class 6 to Class 12) - CTET & State TET PDF Download

Before moving to Important Questions of History: Class 12, Chapter - 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones", Let's have a look at some key concepts of the chapter.

Key Concepts in Nutshell

1. The Harappan CivilisationPeriod: 

• Early Harappa culture- Before 2600 BCE
• Mature Harappa culture- 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
  
• Late Harappa culture- After 1900 BCE

2. The Extent of Harappan Civilization

• Northern boundary: Manda Southern Boundary-Daimabad
• Eastern boundary: Alamgirpur Western boundary-Sutkagendor

Area Under Harappan Civilization

3. Characteristics of the Harappan Civilisation :

• Two Sections: The Citadel & The Lower Town
• Drainage System: Carefully planned drainage system.
• Burials: At burials in Harappan sites, the dead were generally laid in pits.
• Seals and Sealings: Seals and Sealings were used to facilitate long-distance communication.
• Exchanges: Exchanges were regulated by a precise system of weights, usually made of a stone called Chert and generally cubical, with no markings.
• Ruler: Some archaeologists are of the opinion that Harappan society had no rulers, whereas other archaeologists feel that there was no single ruler but several rulers.

Town Planning: Indus Valley Civilization

• Decline: Several explanations for the decline of Harappan civilization are Climatic changes, deforestation, excessive floods, the shifting and/or drying up of rivers.
• Metals knew: Gold, Silver, Copper, Bronze.
• Scripts: The Harappan scripts are undeciphered. There are 375-400 signs. The script was written from right to left.
• Craft: The place Chanhudaro was totally involved in craft production. There were experts in bead making, shell cutting, seal making, weight making. Lothal was also one of the important places for craft production.
• Modes of Transportation: Bullock carts and Boats.

Let's have a look at important questions of the chapter.

Important Questions: Bricks, Beads, and Bones

1 Marks Questions

Q1. Which of the following name is appropriate, Indus valley civilization or Harappan Culture?

Ans: Harappan Culture.

Q2. Which was the first site of the Indus valley civilization where this unique culture was discovered?

Ans: Harappa.

Q3. Where was evidence of ploughed field found in the Indus Valley civilization?

Ans: Kalibangan.

Q4: Terracotta models of the plough have been found at which sites in Indus valley civilization?

Ans: 1. Cholistan 2. Banawali = Haryana

Q5. From which traces of canals have been found in Indus valley civilization.

Ans: Shortughai = Afghanistan

Q6. What evidence suggests a break between the Early Harappan and the Harappan civilization?

Ans: Large-scale burning at some sites and the abandonment of certain settlements.

Q7: What types of archaeological cultures were present in the region prior to the Mature Harappan?

Ans: Cultures associated with distinctive pottery, evidence of agriculture and pastoralism, and crafts.

Q8: What were the subsistence strategies of the Harappan culture?

Ans: They ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including fish.

Q9: What types of grains have been found at Harappan sites?

Ans: Wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea, sesame, and millets.

Q10: What types of animals have been found at Harappan sites?

Ans: Cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, pig, and wild species such as boar, deer, gharial, fish, and fowl.

Q11: What evidence suggests the use of oxen for plowing?

Ans: Seals and terracotta sculptures, as well as terracotta models of the plow.

Q12: What evidence suggests the use of irrigation for agriculture in Harappan society?

Ans: Traces of canals found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in Afghanistan, and water reservoirs found in Dholavira, Gujarat.

Q13: What is the significance of the bull in Harappan culture?

Ans: The bull was known and oxen were used for plowing.

Q14: What was the standard size of bricks used in Harappan settlements?

Ans: The length and breadth were four times and twice the height, respectively.

Q15: What is the significance of the Citadel and the Lower Town in Mohenjodaro?

Ans: The settlement is divided into two sections, one smaller but higher (Citadel) and the other much larger but lower (Lower Town).

2 Marks Questions

Q.1. List the raw materials required for craft production in the Harappan civilization and discuss how these might have been obtained. 

The variety of materials used to make beads is remarkable: stones like carnelian (of a beautiful red color), jasper, crystal, quartz, and steatite; metals like copper, bronze, and gold; and shell, faience, and terracotta or burnt clay.

Two methods of procuring materials for craft production:
1. They established settlements such as Nageshwar, Shortughai, and Balakot.
2. They might have sent expeditions to areas such as the Khetri region of Rajasthan (for Copper) and south India (for gold).

Q.2. “Our knowledge about the Indus Valley Civilization is poorer than that of the other Civilizations”. Explain it by your arguments? 

Yes, our knowledge about the Indus Valley Civilization is poorer than that of the other because of the following reasons:-

• The script of that age has hitherto not been deciphered.
• The easy method behind seeking knowledge about other Civilizations such as that of  Egypt,  Mesopotamia, China, etc. was the deciphering of their scripts. Scripts is that sole  basis through which we can gather through knowledge about the art, literature, customs,  dresses, function, and religion, etc. of any Civilizations

Q.3. What were the confusions in the mind of Cunningham while studying Harappan civilization? 

Cunningham’s Confusion was:
(i) Cunningham’s main interest was in the archaeology of the Early Historic and later periods. Cunningham tried to place Harappan seals within the time frame with which he was familiar.

Harappan Seal

(ii) He used the accounts left by Chinese Buddhist pilgrims who had visited the subcontinent between the fourth and seventh centuries CE to locate early settlement.(iii) Cunningham also collected, documented, and translated inscriptions found during his surveys. When he excavated sites he tended to recover artifacts that he thought had cultural value.
(iv) A site like Harappa which was not part of the itinerary of the Chinese pilgrims, did not fit very neatly within his framework of the investigation. Cunningham did not realize how old Harappa artifacts were.

Q.4. What were the differences in the techniques adopted by Marshall and Wheeler in studying Harappan civilization? 

• Marshall tended to excavate along with regular horizontal units, measured uniformly throughout the mound, ignoring the stratigraphy of the site.
• This meant that all the artifacts recovered from the same unit were grouped together, even if they were found at different stratigraphic layers. As a result, valuable information about the context of these finds was irretrievably lost. R.E.M. Wheeler rectified this problem. Wheeler recognized that it was necessary to follow the stratigraphy of the mound rather than dig mechanically along uniform horizontal lines

Q.5. “Burials is a better source to trace social differences prevalent in the Harappan civilization”. Discuss. 

1. Studying burials is a strategy to find out social differences.
2. At burials in Harappan sites the dead were generally laid in pits. Sometimes, there were differences in the way the burial pit was made – in some instances; the hollowed-out spaces were lined with bricks.
3. Some graves contain pottery and ornaments, perhaps indicating a belief that these could be used in the afterlife. Jewelry has been found in burials of both men and women.

Q. 6. Write a note on the Drainage system of the Harappans. (5)

One of the striking features of this town was a well-planned drainage system. The drains were made of mortar, lime, and gypsum. They were covered with big bricks and stones which could be lifted easily to clean the drains. 

Drainage SystemSmaller drains from houses on both the sides of the streets came and joined a brick-laid main channel. Bigger drains that cleared the rainwater were 2 and half feet to 5 feet in width. For sewage from the houses, pits were provided on either side of the street. All this shows that the Indus Valley people took great care to keep their cities neat and clean.

Q7: What were the subsistence strategies of the Harappan civilization? 

Answer: The Harappan civilization relied on a wide range of plant and animal products for their subsistence, including wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea, sesame, and millets as well as domesticated cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, and pig, and wild species such as boar, deer, gharial, fish, and fowl.

Q8: What evidence suggests that irrigation was likely required for agriculture in Harappan society? 

Answer: Harappan sites are predominantly located in semi-arid lands, where irrigation was probably necessary for agriculture. Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in Afghanistan, while water reservoirs found in Dholavira (Gujarat) may have been used to store water for agriculture.

Q9: What is the significance of the standardized bricks used in Harappan settlements? 

Answer: The bricks used in Harappan settlements had a standardized ratio of four times length to twice height. Such bricks were used at all Harappan settlements and suggest a high degree of standardization and planning in the construction of buildings.

Q10: What was the layout of the Harappan settlement at Mohenjodaro? 

Answer: The Mohenjodaro settlement was divided into two sections, the Citadel and the Lower Town. The Citadel was smaller but higher and was walled, while the Lower Town was larger but lower and also walled. Several buildings in both sections were constructed on mud brick platforms.

Q11: What agricultural technologies did the Harappan civilization employ? 

Answer: The Harappan civilization used oxen for plowing, as evidenced by terracotta models of plows found at sites in Cholistan and Banawali. They also likely employed irrigation for agriculture, as suggested by traces of canals and water reservoirs found at some Harappan sites.

Q12: What was the significance of the drainage system in Harappan cities? 

Answer: The planned drainage system was one of the main features of Harappan cities. Streets with drains were laid out first and then houses were built along with them. Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks, with drains connected through the wall to the street drains.

Q13: What was the purpose of the Great Bath in Mohenjodaro? 

Answer: The Great Bath was a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides. There were two steps on the north and south leading into the tank, which was made watertight by setting bricks on edge and using a mortar of gypsum. The uniqueness of the Citadel suggests that it was used for special public purposes.

Q14: How were graves of the dead made during the Harappan civilization?

Answer: The dead were generally laid in pits. Sometimes, there were differences in the way the burial pit was made, in some instances, the hollowed-out spaces were lined with bricks.

Q15: What were considered luxuries during the Harappan civilization? 

Answer: Objects were considered luxuries if they were rare or made from costly, non-local materials or with complicated technologies. Little pots of faience were probably considered precious because they were difficult to make. Rare objects made of valuable materials were generally concentrated in large settlements like Mohenjodaro and Harappa and were rarely found in smaller settlements. Gold was also rare and precious.

3 Marks Questions

Q.1. Our Knowledge about the Indus Valley Civilization is poorer than that of other civilizations, why?

Ans: Because –

• We could not read the script of that age till now.
• Dependency on only archaeological sources .i.e. buildings, seal, beads etc.
• For other civilizations literary sources are available unlike Indus Valley Civilization.

Q.2 List the raw material required for craft production in Indus Valley Civilization and how these might have been obtained?

Ans: Stone -like carnelian, jasper, crystal, quartz, and steatite.

• Metal – like- copper, bronze, gold.
• Shell , faience and terracotta
• Method of procuring material for craft production-

(A)They established settlement near the source of material -eg Nageshwar, Balakot.

(B)They might have sent expeditions to areas such as the Khetri region of Rajasthan (for copper) and south India (for gold).

Q.3 What was the confusion in the mind of Cunningham while studying Harappan Civilization?

• He used the accounts left by Chinese Buddhist pilgrims who had visited India between the fourth and seventh century.
• He thought that Indian history began with the first cities in the Ganga Valley.

Q.4 What were the differences in techniques adopted by Marshall and wheeler in studying Indus Valley Civilization.

Ans:

• Marshall tended to excavate along regular horizontal units, measured uniformly throughout the mound ignoring the stratigraphy of the site. Due to this technique valuable information about the context of these finds was irretrievably lost.
• Wheelers recognized that it was necessary to follow the stratigraphy of the mound rather than digging mechanically along uniform horizontal lines.

Q.5 What were the features of settlements of pre- Harappa period?

Ans:

• They had no large buildings.
• There was a prevalence of agriculture and cattle rearing. Some people were also engaged in sculpture.
• There was no well-planned network of roads and drainage system.

Q.6 Discuss the economic system of the Harappa civilization.

Ans:

The economic system of the Harappa civilization, also known as the Indus Valley civilization, played a crucial role in shaping their society. It was a complex and organized system that contributed to the prosperity of the civilization. Here are the key aspects of their economic system and the significance of trade and agriculture:

1. Trade:

The Harappan civilization was engaged in long-distance trade, which played a vital role in their economy. They had access to valuable resources such as copper, gold, and semi-precious stones, which were not available locally. These resources were obtained through trade with regions as far as present-day Afghanistan, Iran, and the Persian Gulf. The Harappans developed an extensive network of trade routes, both overland and maritime, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas. This trade allowed them to acquire rare and exotic items, enhancing their economic prosperity and cultural exchange.

2. Agriculture:

Agriculture was the backbone of the Harappan economy. The civilization thrived in the fertile floodplains of the Indus River and its tributaries. The Harappans developed advanced agricultural techniques, including the construction of sophisticated irrigation systems. They cultivated a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, peas, sesame, and cotton. The surplus agricultural production enabled population growth, supported urbanization, and facilitated the development of specialized crafts and industries.

In conclusion, the economic system of the Harappa civilization, driven by trade and agriculture, played a pivotal role in shaping their society. Trade provided access to valuable resources and facilitated cultural exchange, while agriculture formed the foundation of their economy, supporting urbanization and specialization. The economic prosperity resulting from these activities contributed to the development of social hierarchies and a vibrant, cosmopolitan civilization.

5 Marks Questions

Q.1. Discuss the functions that may have been performed by rulers in Harappan society. 

Some archaeologists are of the opinion that Harappan society had no rulers and that everybody enjoyed equal status. Others feel there was no single ruler but several.

• There are indications of extraordinary uniformity of Harappan artifacts as evident in pottery seals weights and bricks.
• Notably, bricks though obviously not produced in any single centre, were of a uniform ratio throughout the region, from Jammu to Gujarat.
• Under the guidance and supervision of the ruler's plans and layouts of the city were prepared. Big buildings palaces forts, tanks wells, canals, granaries were constructed.
• Roads lanes and drains were also constructed and cleanliness was maintained under the overall supervision of the ruler.
• The ruler might have taken interest in the economy of the state or city-states. He used to inspire the farmer to increase agricultural production.
• He used to motivate the craftsmen to promote different handicrafts. Internal as well as external trade was promoted by the ruler.
• He used to issue common acceptable coins or seals, weights, and measurements.
• During natural calamities such as flood earthquakes, epidemics, etc. the ruler used to provide grains and other eatables to the affected people.
• He used to play an active role to defend cities or states from foreign attacks.

Q. 2. How can you say that the Harappan culture was an urban one? 

We can say that the Harappan culture was an urban one, due to the following reasons:

Harappan Civilization

• The cities were well planned and thickly populated.
• The roads were straight and wide.
• The houses were made of burnt bricks and contained more than one storey.
• Every house had a well and a bathroom.
• The drainage system was excellent with house drains emptying into street drains.
• The citadel of Harappa had public buildings.
• Lothal had a dockyard and was an important trading center.
• After the decline of the Harappan culture, town planning was forgotten and there was the absence of city life for about a thousand years.

Q.3. Write a note on the agricultural technology of Harappans. 

• Agriculture was the chief occupation of the Harappans. The prevalence of agriculture is indicated by finds of grains. But it is more difficult to reconstruct actual agricultural practices. Archaeologists have found evidence of a plowed field at Kalibangan. 
• Representations on seals and terracotta sculpture indicate that the bull was known, and archaeologists extrapolate from this that oxen were used for plowing. Terracotta models of the plow have been found at sites in Cholistan and at Banawali. The field had two sets of furrows at right angles to each other, suggesting that two different crops were grown together.
• Most Harappan sites are located in semi-arid lands, where irrigation was probably required for agriculture. Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in Afghanistan. It is also likely that water drawn from wells was used for irrigation. Besides, water reservoirs found in Dholavira may have been used to store water for agriculture.

Long Questions(8-10 Marks)

Q.1. Discuss how archaeologists reconstruct the past. (10)

1. Material evidence, allows archaeologists to better reconstruct Harappan life. This material could be pottery, tools, ornaments, household objects, etc.
2. Recovering artifacts is just the beginning of the archaeological enterprise. Archaeologists then classify their finds.
3. The second, and more complicated, is in terms of function: archaeologists have to decide whether, for instance, an artifact is a tool or an ornament, or both, or something meant for ritual use.
4. An understanding of the function of an artifact is often shaped by its resemblance with present-day things – beads, querns, stone blades and pots are obvious examples.
5. Archaeologists also try to identify the function of an artifact by investigating the context in which it was found
6. The problems of archaeological interpretation are perhaps most evident in attempts to reconstruct religious practices.
7. Attempts have also been made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by examining seals, some of which seem to depict ritual scenes. Others, with plant motifs, are thought to indicate nature worship.
8. Many reconstructions of the Harappan religion are made on the assumption that later traditions provide parallels with earlier ones. This is because archaeologists often move from the known to the unknown, that is, from the present to the past.
9. Remains of crops, saddle querns, or pit are studied to identify food.
10. Archaeologists observe the different layers of the site and try to find out different things which give a picture of socio-economic conditions, religions, and cultural life of the past people.

Q.2. Passage based question: 
Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:    (8)
“Evidence of an “invasion”
Deadman Lane is a narrow alley, varying from 3 to 6 feet in width … At the point where the lane turns westward, part of a skull and the bones of the thorax and upper arm of an adult were discovered, all in very friable condition, at a depth of 4 ft 2 in. The body lay on its back diagonally across the lane. Fifteen inches to the west were a few fragments of a tiny skull. It is to these remains that the lane owes its name. FROM JOHN MARSHALL, Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilisation, 1931. Sixteen skeletons of people with the ornaments that they were wearing when they died were found from the same part of Mohenjodaro in 1925. Much later, in 1947, R.E.M. Wheeler, then Director-General of the ASI, tried to correlate this archaeological evidence with that of the Rigveda, the earliest known text in the subcontinent. He wrote: The Rigveda mentions pur, meaning rampart, fort or stronghold. Indra, the Aryan war god is called purandara, the fort-destroyer.
Where are – or were – these citadels? It has in the past been supposed that they were mythical. The recent excavation of Harappa may be thought to have changed the picture. Here we have a highly evolved civilization of essentially non-Aryan type, now known to have employed massive fortifications … What destroyed this firmly settled civilization? Climatic, economic or political deterioration may have weakened it, but its ultimate extinction is more likely to have been completed by deliberate and large-scale destruction. It may be no mere chance that at a late period of Mohenjodaro men, women, and children, appear to have been massacred there. On circumstantial evidence, Indra stands accused. FROM R.E.M. WHEELER, “Harappa 1946”, Ancient India, 1947. In the 1960s, the evidence of a massacre in Mohenjodaro was questioned by an archaeologist named George Dales. He demonstrated that the skeletons found at the site did not belong to the same period: Whereas a couple of them definitely seem to indicate a slaughter,….the bulk of the bones were found in contexts suggesting burials of the sloppiest and most irreverent nature. There is no destruction level covering the latest period of the city, no sign of extensive burning, no bodies of warriors clad in armor and surrounded by the weapons of war. The citadel, the only fortified part of the city, yielded no evidence of the final defense.
FROM G.F. DALES, “The Mythical Massacre at Mohenjodaro”, Expedition, 1964. As you can see, a careful re-examination of the data can sometimes lead to a reversal of earlier interpretations".

(i) Name the archaeologist who presented this source? (1)

John Marshall

(ii) Which argument of the destruction of Harappa civilization, this excerpt indicates? 1

This exert indicates that the Harappa civilization was destroyed by foreign invasion.

(iii) Who co-relate this evidence with Rigveda? Why? (3)

R.E.M. Wheeler. Because, the Rigveda mentions pur, meaning rampart, fort, or stronghold. Indra, the Aryan war-god is called purandara, the fort-destroyer.

(iv) Who and how propounded the theory opposite to this? (3)

George Dales. He hesitates to accept that this invasion was carried on by the Aryans. He demonstrated that the skeletons found at the site did not belong to the same period: Whereas a couple of them definitely seem to indicate a slaughter, the bulk of the bones were found in contexts suggesting burials of the sloppiest and most irreverent nature. There is no sign of extensive burning, no bodies of warriors clad in armour and surrounded by the weapons of war.

Value-Based Question

Q:- What value do you attach to the work of Sir John Marshall in leaving India three thousand years older than he had found her?

Ans:

• He was the director general of Archaeological Survey of India
• By his effort it was proved that there existed a great civilization in India which was contemporary of Mesopotamia.
• For this great – work we attach the value of thank fullness, indebtedness