Master10 Proprietary Question Bank - Automated scraping, spidering, or harvesting is strictly prohibited.
India Cluster231 Verified Questions
Indus Valley Civilization GK Questions & Answers
The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE), also known as the Harappan Civilization, represents one of the earliest urbanized societies in human history alongside contemporary Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Flourishing across the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra river basins, its major urban centers—including Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, Lothal, and Dholavira—exhibited grid-pattern street layouts, standardized kiln-fired brick construction, sophisticated drainage infrastructure, civic hygiene, and extensive domestic and international maritime trade networks.
High-yield conceptual summaries for competitive exams and rapid revision.
Harappa was first excavated by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921; Mohenjo-daro was excavated by R.D. Banerjee in 1922.
Lothal in Gujarat contained an engineered tidal dockyard connected to the Gulf of Khambhat for maritime trade.
Dholavira in Kutch is celebrated for its unique tripartite division and monumental rock-cut water reservoirs.
The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro was waterproofed using natural bitumen mortar between precision-baked bricks.
Showing 25 Curated Questions231 Total in Bank
1ID: GK-HIST-00599
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The monumental 'Great Bath', featuring finely fitted gypsum-mortar brickwork and side staircases, was discovered at which Indus Valley Civilization site?
Verified Explanation
The Great Bath was excavated on the Citadel mound of Mohenjo-daro in Larkana district of Sindh, testifying to advanced Harappan engineering and ritual public bathing practices.
2ID: GK-HIST-00201
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Indus Valley Civilization site in India is famous for having a tidal dockyard connected to the Gulf of Khambhat?
Verified Explanation
Lothal in Gujarat was a prominent port city of the Indus Valley Civilization featuring a massive tidal dockyard for maritime trade.
3ID: GK-HIST-00857
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
Cuneiform commercial records from the Akkadian Empire during the reign of King Sargon of Akkad explicitly reference maritime trade with three eastern lands: Dilmun, Magan, and which third territory representing the Indus Valley?
Verified Explanation
Mesopotamian records describe merchant vessels from Dilmun (Bahrain), Magan (Oman), and Meluhha docking at Akkadian quays. Meluhha is widely identified by archaeologists and assyriologists with the Indus Valley region, which exported carnelian beads, lapis lazuli, ivory, and timber.
4ID: GK-HIST-00479
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Indus Valley site is famous for possessing a large artificial tidal dockyard connected to the Sabarmati river basin?
Verified Explanation
Lothal, situated in Gujarat near the Gulf of Khambhat, featured a rectangular tidal dockyard utilized for maritime trade.
5ID: GK-HIST-00539
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The famous 'Dancing Girl' bronze sculpture belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization was discovered at which site?
Verified Explanation
The iconic lost-wax cast bronze statuette of the Dancing Girl was excavated at Mohenjo-daro by Ernest Mackay in 1926.
6ID: GK-HIST-00572
hardAncient India & Indus Valley
In which Indus Valley Civilization settlement did archaeologists discover the earliest known evidence of trepanation (cranial surgery) on a child's skull?
Verified Explanation
Evidence of trepanation (drilling or scraping holes in the skull) was discovered on cranial remains at the Indus site of Kalibangan (Rajasthan) and Neolithic Burzahom (Kashmir).
7ID: GK-HIST-00552
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
At which Indus Valley Civilization site were ploughed field furrows and evidence of mixed cropping uncovered?
Verified Explanation
Excavations at Kalibangan in Rajasthan revealed a grid of criss-crossing agricultural furrows dating back to the Early Harappan phase, indicating double-cropping.
8ID: GK-HIST-00956
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
In the standard metrological weight system of the Indus Valley Civilization, the smaller chert cubical weights followed which mathematical progression?
Verified Explanation
Harappan metrology featured a standardized system of cubical chert weights that exhibited remarkable uniformity across distant settlements. The lower denominations followed a binary system (ratios of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 with unit weight approx. 0.85 grams, where 16 was the base standard equivalent to 13.63 grams), while higher denominations transitioned to decimal multiples (160, 200, 320, 640). This standardized system facilitated extensive inter-regional and international trade.
9ID: GK-HIST-00754
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
In ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform inscriptions from the reign of Sargon of Akkad, which toponym is widely identified by historians as referring to the Indus Valley region?
Verified Explanation
Mesopotamian records describe maritime commerce with three eastern regions: Dilmun (Bahrain), Magan (Oman peninsula), and Meluhha (the Indus civilization). Texts record imports of carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, and ivory from Meluhha. Bactria refers to Central Asia north of the Hindu Kush.
10ID: GK-HIST-00160
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The iconic "Dancing Girl" bronze figurine of the Indus Valley Civilization was excavated from which archaeological site?
Verified Explanation
The bronze statuette known as the "Dancing Girl", crafted using the lost-wax casting technique circa 2500 BCE, was discovered at Mohenjo-daro in 1926 by Ernest Mackay.
11ID: GK-HIST-00259
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The famous bronze statuette of the "Dancing Girl" was excavated from which Indus Valley Civilization site?
Verified Explanation
The famous bronze statuette of the Dancing Girl, dated to around 2300–1750 BCE, was discovered at Mohenjo-daro in 1926 by Ernest Mackay.
12ID: GK-HIST-00325
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
The unique water reservoir system and stadium architecture were excavated at which Indus Valley Civilization site?
Verified Explanation
Dholavira in the Rann of Kutch (Gujarat) features sophisticated rainwater harvesting reservoirs, stone architecture, and a huge ceremonial ground (stadium).
13ID: GK-HIST-00351
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
At which Indus Valley Civilization site was the famous bronze figurine of the 'Dancing Girl' discovered?
Verified Explanation
The iconic bronze 'Dancing Girl' figurine dating to circa 2300-1750 BCE was unearthed from the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in 1926 by Ernest Mackay.
14ID: GK-HIST-00391
hardAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Indus Valley Civilization site has yielded the only known evidence of a signboard containing ten large-sized Harappan script characters?
Verified Explanation
At Dholavira in the northern gateway of the citadel, excavators found a wooden board with ten large inscriptions made of gypsum crystal inlay.
15ID: GK-HIST-00421
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Indus Valley Civilization site in Rajasthan has yielded prominent evidence of ploughed agricultural fields?
Verified Explanation
Kalibangan, situated along the dried riverbed of the Ghaggar in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, yielded the earliest discovered furrowed/ploughed field surface.
16ID: GK-HIST-00441
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
Which is the southernmost known Indus Valley Civilization settlement discovered on the banks of the Pravara River in Maharashtra?
Verified Explanation
Daimabad in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, on the Pravara River (a Godavari tributary), marks the southernmost extent of the Harappan culture, famous for bronze sculptures.
17ID: GK-HIST-00531
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Harappan site is famous for being the only Indus Valley site with an artificial brick dockyard?
Verified Explanation
Lothal in Gujarat features a massive tidal dockyard connected to the Bhogavo river, serving as an ancient port of the Harappan civilization.
18ID: GK-HIST-00853
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The Indus Valley settlement of Rakhigarhi, recognized as one of the largest Harappan urban centres, is situated in which district of Haryana?
Verified Explanation
Rakhigarhi is located in the Hisar district of Haryana along the paleochannel of the ancient Drishadvati River. Extensive excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India revealed expansive residential mounds, specialized lapidary workshops, and planned drainage networks.
19ID: GK-HIST-00621
mediumAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Harappan site located on the bank of the dried Ghaggar river in Rajasthan provided the earliest archaeological evidence of a ploughed agricultural field?
Verified Explanation
Excavations at Kalibangan in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan by B.B. Lal and B.K. Thapar revealed an Early Harappan ploughed field showing furrow marks in two perpendicular directions.
20ID: GK-HIST-00641
hardAncient India & Indus Valley
The mature Harappan metropolis of Rakhigarhi, which spans over 350 hectares, is situated along the paleo-channel of the Drishadvati river in which district of Haryana?
Verified Explanation
Rakhigarhi is located in Hisar district, Haryana; extensive excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (led by Amarendra Nath and Vasant Shinde) have established it as one of the largest Harappan sites.
21ID: GK-HIST-00951
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which coastal basin feature at the Harappan port city of Lothal allowed cargo ships to enter the dockyard from the Bhogavo river during high tide?
Verified Explanation
Excavations directed by S. R. Rao at Lothal revealed a rectangular burnt-brick tidal dockyard equipped with a sluice gate and inlet channel connected to the ancient course of the Bhogavo river. This hydraulic system allowed merchant ships to enter during high tide and maintain water levels for loading cargo. The discovery confirmed Lothal as an active maritime trading hub linked with the Persian Gulf.
22ID: GK-HIST-00952
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
At which Harappan archaeological site in northern Rajasthan were a series of raised mud-brick platforms containing seven aligned clay fire altars discovered?
Verified Explanation
Excavations led by B. B. Lal and B. K. Thapar at Kalibangan on the southern bank of the dry Ghaggar-Hakra bed revealed a row of seven clay fire altars (havan kundas) on a raised mud-brick platform in the citadel. These altars contained charcoal, ash, and a central cylindrical clay stele, providing evidence of sacrificial or ritual fire worship. Kalibangan is also noted for yielding the earliest evidence of a furrowed ploughed field.
23ID: GK-HIST-00953
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
The monumental water management system unearthed at the Harappan metropolis of Dholavira primarily utilized which geological engineering method?
Verified Explanation
Excavations by R. S. Bisht at Dholavira in the Rann of Kutch uncovered at least sixteen monumental rock-cut water reservoirs flanking the city walls. Stone dams across seasonal streams (Manhar and Mansar) diverted monsoon runoff through stone-paved channels into deep rock-hewn storage cisterns. This sophisticated water harvesting network supported an urban population in an arid environment.
24ID: GK-HIST-00002
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
Which Harappan city had a famous dockyard connected to the Gulf of Khambhat?
Verified Explanation
Lothal in Gujarat was an important port city of the Indus Valley Civilization.
25ID: GK-HIST-00151
easyAncient India & Indus Valley
At which Harappan site was evidence of ploughed agricultural fields discovered?
Verified Explanation
Kalibangan in Rajasthan yielded archaeological evidence of furrowed/ploughed agricultural fields dating to the Indus Valley Civilization.