Static Quiz – May 6th, 2022

Answer: A
• The Mauryan Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power based in Magadha and founded by Chandragupta Maurya which dominated the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BCE.
• The decline of the Maurya Dynasty in 232 B.C. was rather rapid after the death of Ashoka. The last king was Brihadratha was assassinated by his general Pushyamitra Shunga who was a Brahmin. Whereas, in 326 B.C., Alexander invaded India, after crossing the river Indus he advanced towards
• Taxila. Alexander was then challenged by king Porus, ruler of the kingdom between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab.The Indians were defeated in the fierce battle (Battle of Hydaspes). Alexander captured Porus and, like the other local rulers he had defeated, allowed him to continue to govern his territory.
• Dhanananda was the ruler of Magadha during the Alexander’s invasion of India. Hence, option A is not correct.

Answer: B

• Statement 1: Located in present day UP, this site represents three occupational levels: the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Iron Age phases.
• Statement 2: Mehrgarh is located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus River valley and between the now Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi.
• Mehrgarh is supposedly the most sophisticated, indigenous and best planned ancient farm villages of ancient India.
• Statement 3: It is known for the excavation remains of neolithic and megalithic periods.

Answer: D

• Despite the use of copper and bronze, the use of stone tools was not given up. Some of the micro-lithic tools continued to be essential items.
• People began to travel for a long distance to obtain metal ores.
• This led to a network of Chalcolithic cultures and the Chalcolithic cultures were found in many parts of India.

Answer: D

Statement 1 and 3: Hunting-gathering pattern of life was prevalent since Old Stone Age to Mesolithic and Neolithic.

• However, there seems to have been a shift from big animal hunting to small animal hunting and Fishing. This is how bows and arrows were used in this period. Both 1 and 3 are thus wrong.
• Statement 2: Domestication of animals, horticulture and primitive cultivation started during Mesolithic period itself. However, during Neolithic period, domestication of sheep, goats and cattle was widely prevalent. Cattle were used for cultivation and for transport.
• Statement 4: During Neolithic age, wheels were used to make pottery. Pottery was used for cooking as well as storage of food grains. So, 4 is wrong.
• During the Neolithic phase, the cultivation of plants and domestication of animals led to the emergence of village communities based on sedentary life. There was a great improvement in technology of making tools and other equipments used by man. Stone tools were now polished. Mud brick houses were built instead of grass huts.
• Large urns were used as coffins for the burial of the dead. Wheat, barely, rice, millets were cultivated in different areas at different points of time. Rice cultivation was extensive in eastern India. The people of Neolithic Age used clothes made of cotton and wool.

Answer: C

• People evolved into their current form some 200,000 years ago (see human evolution), yet they did not begin to engage in agriculture until about 15,000–10,000 years before the present.
• Wild grains were collected and eaten from at least 20,000 BC. So, D is wrong
• The first agriculture appears to have developed at the closing of the last Pleistocene glacial period, or Ice Age (about 11,700 years ago).
• From around 9,500 BC, the Neolithic founder crops such as emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas etc were cultivated in the Levant. Rice was domesticated in China between 11,500 and 6,200 BC.

Answer: A

Nearly one hundred sites of the culture have been located along its principal axis, i.e., the

• valleys of river Banas and its tributaries and subtributaries in Banswara, Udaipur etc.
• The technology at Ahar was based mainly on copper and very few microblades and microliths have

been discovered.

• Ahars were a separate culture from GJs. Located in northeast Rajasthan, the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura

complex which was an early centre of agriculture and copper metallurgy in the subcontinent.

Answer: A

• Nearly one hundred sites of the culture have been located along its principal axis, i.e., the
• valleys of river Banas and its tributaries and subtributaries in Banswara, Udaipur etc.
• The technology at Ahar was based mainly on copper and very few microblades and microliths have
• been discovered.
• Ahars were a separate culture from GJs. Located in northeast Rajasthan, the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura
• complex which was an early centre of agriculture and copper metallurgy in the subcontinent.

Answer: B

• Explanation: Option A was a common feature.
• The evidence of domesticating animals has been shown in a previous explanation. Bones of dog, cattle, sheep were found in Harappan sites in Kashmir.
• Great bath and other storage structures were used by the community.
• We do not have any Harappan scripture which can testify the claim of animism being practiced in Indus valley civilization. However, they did have deities like Pashupati which they even inscribed on seals.

Answer: B

• Please refer NCERT Class XI Theme 1 Map 1 for more information.

Answer: C

Statement 1: The Harappans probably got copper from present-day Rajasthan, and even from Oman in West Asia.

Statement 2: Tin, which was mixed with copper to produce bronze, may have been brought from present-day Afghanistan and Iran. So, 2 is wrong.

Statement 3: Gold could have come all the way from present-day Karnataka, and precious stones from present-day Gujarat, Iran and Afghanistan.