In the citadel and lower-town areas of which one of the following Harappan cities, have several large cisterns and reservoirs been found?
Dholavira
Harappan Cities and Advanced Water Management
The Harappan civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, was renowned for its sophisticated urban planning and infrastructure, including impressive water management systems. Many cities had advanced features for collecting, storing, and distributing water. The question asks about a specific feature: where several large cisterns and reservoirs were found in both the citadel and lower-town areas.
Identifying the Harappan City with Extensive Water Storage
Among the major Harappan sites discovered, one stands out for its elaborate water management system that included numerous large reservoirs spread across different parts of the city, including the citadel and lower town. This city is Dholavira.
Archaeological excavations at Dholavira have revealed a remarkable system of dams, channels, and massive reservoirs carved into the ground or built with stone masonry. These structures were designed to collect rainwater and water from nearby streams, ensuring a perennial water supply for the inhabitants even in the arid environment of the Rann of Kutch.
- Dholavira's Water System: The city plan of Dholavira included a unique tripartite division: the Citadel, a Middle Town, and a Lower Town. Large reservoirs were found in all these areas. Some were massive, indicating a significant capacity for water storage.
- Location and Purpose: These reservoirs were strategically located to capture water from the surrounding landscape and channel it into the city. They were crucial for agriculture, domestic use, and possibly even maintaining humidity in the hot climate.
Comparing Options for Water Management Structures
Let's consider the other options provided:
- Banawali: This site in Haryana also shows evidence of planning, but its water management features, while present, are not as extensively documented or as massive in scale and distribution across different city sections (like citadel and lower town) as those found in Dholavira.
- Mohenjodaro: Located in Sindh, Pakistan, Mohenjodaro is famous for the Great Bath, a large public tank, and an extensive network of drains and wells. While it had sophisticated water facilities, the presence of numerous large reservoirs spread across both the citadel and lower town in the manner of Dholavira is not its most defining feature.
- Rakhigarhi: Another large Harappan site in Haryana, Rakhigarhi has revealed complex drainage systems and evidence of water use, but the discovery of multiple large cisterns and reservoirs specifically across both citadel and lower-town areas is more characteristic of Dholavira.
Based on archaeological findings, Dholavira is particularly noted for its elaborate water harvesting and storage system, featuring numerous large cisterns and reservoirs found in both the citadel and other parts of the city.
| Harappan City | Key Water Features Noted | Large Cisterns/Reservoirs in Citadel & Lower Town? |
|---|---|---|
| Banawali | Evidence of drains, planned layout | Less prominent compared to Dholavira |
| Mohenjodaro | Great Bath, wells, extensive drainage | Fewer large reservoirs spread widely compared to Dholavira |
| Dholavira | Numerous large reservoirs, dams, channels | Yes, a defining characteristic across city zones |
| Rakhigarhi | Complex drains, water use evidence | Less prominent compared to Dholavira |
Conclusion on Harappan Water Storage
Therefore, the Harappan city where several large cisterns and reservoirs have been found in both the citadel and lower-town areas is Dholavira. This reflects the city's advanced approach to water conservation and management.
Revision Table: Key Harappan City Facts
| Feature | Dholavira | Mohenjodaro | Banawali | Rakhigarhi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Gujarat, India (Rann of Kutch) | Sindh, Pakistan | Haryana, India | Haryana, India |
| City Structure | Tripartite (Citadel, Middle Town, Lower Town) | Bipartite (Citadel/Upper Town, Lower Town) | Planned layout | Large mound site |
| Water Management Highlight | Extensive Reservoirs/Cisterns | Great Bath, Drainage, Wells | Drainage systems |
Additional Information: Harappan Water Management Techniques
The Harappans developed various methods to manage water, crucial for survival and prosperity in their environment.
- Rainwater Harvesting: Collecting rainwater was a primary method, especially in cities like Dholavira where reservoirs were designed for this purpose.
- Wells: Wells were common in almost all Harappan cities for accessing groundwater.
- Drainage Systems: Covered drains in cities like Mohenjodaro and Harappa indicate a focus on sanitation and managing wastewater.
- Dams and Embankments: Structures were built to control water flow from rivers or streams and channel it into storage areas.
These techniques demonstrate the advanced engineering and planning capabilities of the Harappan civilization in adapting to their specific environmental conditions and ensuring the well-being of their urban populations.
Similar Questions
Name the site that gives us valuable information about India's maritime links on the Coromandel coast.
Which one of the following statements about the Harappan Culture is not correct?
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :
no List-I (Harappan Site) NO List-II (Modem Name) A Dholavira 1 Saurashtra B Rakhigarhi 2 Hisar C Bhirrana 3 Kadir Island D Bhogavo 4 Haryana Consider the following statements about Harappan cities:
1. Roads were not always absolutely straight and did not always cross one another at right angles.
2. A striking feature is a uniformity in the average size of the bricks for houses and for city walls.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?Consider the following statements with reference to Paleolithic tools:
1. Isampur was a well - known center of stone tool manufacture located in Gulbarga district of Karnataka and was situated along a small seasonal stream known as Kamta Halla.
2. A Paleolithic blade is a flake tool, the length of which is more than twice its width.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?Who among the following archaeologists was the first to identify similarities between a pre-Harappan culture and the mature Harappan culture?
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Levallois Technique':
1. It refers to making perforated Harappa pottery.
2. It refers to making prehistoric flake tools.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements about the Stone Age in India:
1. Different periods are identified on the basis of the type and technology of stone tools.
2. There are no regional variations in the type and technology of tools in different periods.
3. Stone Age cultures of different periods evolved uniformly in a near unilinear fashion all over the subcontinent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
From which one of the following factory sites were limestone and chert blades mass produced and sent to various Harappan settlements in Sindh?
The Harappan site at Kot Diji is close to which one of the following major sites of that civilization?
Important Questions from Prehistoric period
Which one among the following Harappan towns was almost exclusively devoted to craft production:
Who had firstly discovered the rock paintings of Chitwadongri in Chhattisgarh?
Which are the two Indus valley sites, having evidence of cultivation of rice, which may possibly the oldest ?
1. Amri
2. Koldihwa
3. Mehargarh
4. Gumla
Select the answer from the codes given below :
Consider the following pairs:
(Historical Place) : (Well known for)
1. Burzahom : Rock cut shrines
2. Chandra ketugarh : Terracotta art
3. Ganeshwar : Copper artefacts
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Which one of the following ancient towns is well known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?
