All Exams Test series for 1 year @ ₹349 only
Question

The famous female figurine known as ‘Dancing Girl’, found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

The correct answer is

bronze

Analyzing the Dancing Girl Figurine from Mohenjo-daro

The question asks about the material used to create the famous 'Dancing Girl' figurine found at Mohenjo-daro.

Understanding the Dancing Girl Figurine

The 'Dancing Girl' is one of the most iconic artifacts recovered from the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro, a major urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization). This small sculpture, standing about 10.5 cm tall, is renowned for its dynamic pose and artistic quality.

Found in 1926, the figurine provides valuable insights into the craftsmanship, artistry, and possibly even cultural practices of the people living in the Indus Valley region over 4,500 years ago.

Material of the Dancing Girl

The 'Dancing Girl' figurine is made of bronze. This is a crucial detail, as it demonstrates that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization possessed advanced knowledge of metallurgy, specifically the technique of bronze casting. The sculpture was created using the lost-wax casting method (also known as cire perdue), a complex process that allows for intricate details.

Why Bronze is Significant

The use of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, signifies a technological advancement. Bronze is harder and more durable than pure copper. The ability to create bronze objects, especially sculptures like the 'Dancing Girl', indicates a sophisticated level of metalworking skill and organization within the Indus Valley Civilization.

Evaluating the Given Options

Let's consider the options provided:

  1. Carnelian: Carnelian is a reddish-brown gemstone. While carnelian beads and ornaments were indeed found in the Indus Valley Civilization, the 'Dancing Girl' figurine is not made of this material.
  2. Clay: Clay was widely used in the Indus Valley Civilization for making pottery, bricks, and terracotta figurines. Many smaller figurines were made of terracotta. However, the 'Dancing Girl' is distinct in its material and casting method, indicating it is not clay.
  3. Bronze: As discussed, the 'Dancing Girl' is a well-known example of bronze casting from the Indus Valley Civilization. Its material is widely recognized by archaeologists as bronze.
  4. Gold: Gold was also known and used for ornaments in the Indus Valley Civilization, but large figurines like the 'Dancing Girl' were typically not made of gold. Gold artifacts from this period are usually smaller items like beads, pendants, or small ornaments.

Based on archaeological evidence and widely accepted facts about Indus Valley artifacts, the 'Dancing Girl' is confirmed to be made of bronze.

Revision Table: Dancing Girl Mohenjo-daro

Feature Detail
Name Dancing Girl
Found At Mohenjo-daro
Civilization Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization)
Material Bronze
Technique Lost-wax casting (Cire Perdue)
Height Approx. 10.5 cm

Additional Information: Indus Valley Civilization Metallurgy

The discovery of bronze artifacts like the 'Dancing Girl' and bronze tools at sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa highlights the significant metallurgical skills of the Indus Valley people. They were among the earliest civilizations to develop and utilize bronze casting techniques. This ability allowed them to produce not just artistic pieces but also more durable tools, weapons, and household items than those made solely from copper or stone.

The sophisticated metalwork is another testament to the advanced nature of the urban centers and technological capabilities of the Indus Valley Civilization, demonstrating trade networks that likely supplied copper and tin from various regions.

Was this answer helpful?

Similar Questions

  1. Consider the following types of vehicles:
    I. Full battery electric vehicles
    II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
    III. Fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles
    How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles?

  2. With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:
    I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing.
    II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering.
    III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

  3. In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements:
    I. Cobalt
    II. Graphite
    III. Lithium
    IV. Nickel
    How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes?

  4. Consider the following:
    I. Cigarette butts
    II. Eyeglass lenses
    III. Car tyres
    How many of them contain plastic?

  5. Consider the following substances:
    I. Ethanol
    II. Nitroglycerine
    III. Urea
    Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

  6. What is the common characteristic of the chemical substances generally known as CL-20, HMX and LLM-105, which are sometimes talked about in media?

  7. Consider the following statements:
    I. It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing.
    II. Majorana 1 chip has been introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
    III. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

  8. With reference to monoclonal antibodies, often mentioned in news, consider the following statements:
    I. They are man-made proteins.
    II. They stimulate immunological function due to their ability to bind to specific antigens.
    III. They are used in treating viral infections like that of Nipah virus.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

  9. Consider the following statements:
    I. No virus can survive in ocean waters.
    II. No virus can infect bacteria.
    III. No virus can change the cellular transcriptional activity in host cells.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  10. Consider the following statements:
    Statement I: Activated carbon is a good and attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent streams and to remediate contaminants from various industries.
    Statement II: Activated carbon exhibits a large surface area and a strong potential for adsorbing heavy metals.
    Statement III: Activated carbon can be easily synthesized from environmental wastes with high carbon content.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?


Important Questions from GS (Miscellaneous)

  1. Consider the following types of vehicles:
    I. Full battery electric vehicles
    II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
    III. Fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles
    How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles?

  2. With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:
    I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing.
    II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering.
    III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

  3. In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements:
    I. Cobalt
    II. Graphite
    III. Lithium
    IV. Nickel
    How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes?

  4. Consider the following:
    I. Cigarette butts
    II. Eyeglass lenses
    III. Car tyres
    How many of them contain plastic?

  5. Consider the following substances:
    I. Ethanol
    II. Nitroglycerine
    III. Urea
    Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

Need Expert Advice?
Upcoming Exams
UPSC CMS
August 02, 2026
IAS Exam
August 21, 2026
UPSC SO Steno
December 12, 2026
Test Series
IAS img
UPSC
UPSC CSE (IAS) 2027 Prelims Mock Test Series
654 Tests 3 Tests Free
681 Attempts
4.8(182)
English, Hindi

Start Your Preparation with Prepp Mobile App

Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Prepp Mobile App