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Question

Which one of the following statements about the Harappan Culture is not correct?

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2017 General Knowledge Previous Year Paper (05-Feb-2017)
The correct answer is

It marks the earliest known use of iron as a medium for the art of sculpting.

Let's analyze the statements about the Harappan Culture to determine which one is not correct. The Harappan Culture, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, was a Bronze Age civilization that flourished in the northwestern regions of South Asia.

Analyzing Statements on Harappan Culture

We will examine each statement provided in the options based on our knowledge of the Harappan Culture:

  1. Statement 1: It witnessed the first cities in the subcontinent.

    This statement is correct. The Harappan Civilization is renowned for its well-planned urban centers like Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Lothal, etc. These are considered among the earliest cities in the Indian subcontinent, marking a significant shift towards urban life.

  2. Statement 2: It marks the first use of script, written from right to left.

    The Harappan Civilization developed a script, although it remains undeciphered. Archaeological evidence, particularly from seal inscriptions, suggests that the script was often written from right to left, especially in the first line. While other early forms of communication existed, the Harappan script is considered one of the earliest known scripts in the subcontinent. So, this statement is largely considered correct in the context of the development of writing systems in the region.

  3. Statement 3: It marks the earliest known use of iron as a medium for the art of sculpting.

    This statement is not correct. The Harappan Culture belonged to the Bronze Age. Their tools, weapons, and artifacts were primarily made of copper, bronze, stone, and terracotta. Iron usage became prevalent in the Indian subcontinent much later, generally associated with the subsequent Vedic Period (around 1000 BCE onwards). Therefore, the Harappans did not use iron for sculpting or any other significant purpose. Their sculpting was done using materials like stone (e.g., the 'Priest King' statue, male torsos), bronze (e.g., the 'Dancing Girl'), and terracotta.

  4. Statement 4: It marks the earliest known use of stone as a medium for the art of sculpting.

    The Harappans certainly used stone for sculpting, as evidenced by various finds like the stone statues from Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. While simpler forms of stone carving might have existed in earlier prehistoric periods, the Harappan Culture produced more sophisticated stone sculptures in the context of urban civilization. So, this statement is plausible in the context of established artistic practices in the subcontinent's early urban phase.

Identifying the Incorrect Statement about Harappan Culture

Based on the analysis, the statement that is not correct about the Harappan Culture is the one claiming the earliest use of iron for sculpting. The Harappan Civilization predates the Iron Age in the subcontinent.

The incorrect statement is: "It marks the earliest known use of iron as a medium for the art of sculpting."

Statement Correctness for Harappan Culture Reason
Witnessed first cities Correct Harappa, Mohenjo-daro etc. were major early urban centers.
First use of script (R to L) Largely Correct Harappan script is one of the earliest, often written R to L.
Earliest use of iron sculpting Incorrect Harappan Culture was Bronze Age; iron came much later.
Earliest use of stone sculpting Plausible/Correct Stone sculptures found; key artistic medium in early urban phase.

Revision Table: Key Facts on Harappan Culture

Aspect Harappan Culture Fact
Period Bronze Age (approx. 2600-1900 BCE)
Economy Agriculture, Trade (internal & external)
Technology Copper, Bronze, Pottery, Metallurgy, Urban Planning
Script Undeciphered, pictographic, often R to L
Art/Sculpting Mediums Terracotta, Stone, Bronze, faience
Iron Use Absent during this period

Additional Information on Harappan Archaeology

The archaeology of the Harappan Culture provides vast insights into early South Asian civilization. Key sites like Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, and Rakhigarhi have revealed sophisticated urban planning, including grid patterns, drainage systems, and standardized weights and measures. The presence of seals, pottery, beads, and metal objects indicates advanced craftsmanship and extensive trade networks stretching to Mesopotamia and beyond. While the Harappan script remains a mystery, ongoing research continues to uncover more about this fascinating early urban society and its place in history.

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Similar Questions

  1. Consider the following statements about the Jorwe culture of the Deccan:

    1. It covers, practically, the whole of modern Maharashtra except the coastal Konkan district.

    2. The Pravara-Godavari valleys seem to have been the nuclear zone.

    3. The large sites of this culture yield evidence of shifting agriculture.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

  2. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

    noList-I (Harappan Site)NO List-II (Modem Name)
    ADholavira1Saurashtra
    BRakhigarhi2Hisar
    CBhirrana3Kadir Island
    DBhogavo4Haryana
  3. Who among the following archaeologists was the first to identify similarities between a pre-Harappan culture and the mature Harappan culture?

  4. 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?
  5. 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?

  6. 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?

  7. In the citadel and lower-town areas of which one of the following Harappan cities, have several large cisterns and reservoirs been found?

  8. 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?

  9. Name the site that gives us valuable information about India's maritime links on the Coromandel coast.

  10. The Harappan site at Kot Diji is close to which one of the following major sites of that civilization?


Important Questions from Prehistoric period

  1. An inscription comprising ten large sized signs of Harappan script was found at:

  2. Which of the followings was NOT a Harappan city?

  3. What is the first age in the prehistoric period called?

  4. Which of the following statements about the Indus Valley Civilization is NOT true?

  5. In which of the following Indus Valley Civilisation sites was the ‘Great Bath’ discovered?

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