1. The Indus Civilisation represents which phase of Indian history?
A) First phase of urbanisation
B) First phase of industrialisation
C) First phase of colonisation
D) First phase of feudalism
Answer: A) First phase of urbanization
2. The Indus Civilisation is also known as the:
A) Vedic Civilisation
B) Harappan Civilisation
C) Mauryan Civilisation
D) Mesopotamian Civilisation
Answer: B) Harappan Civilisation
3. Why is the Indus Civilisation called the Harappan Civilisation?
A) Harappa was its capital
B) Harappa was the largest city
C) Harappa was the first site identified
D) Harappa was the last site discovered
Answer: C) Harappa was the first site identified
4. The Neolithic beginnings at Mehrgarh date back to approximately:
A) 9000 BCE
B) 8000 BCE
C) 7000 BCE
D) 5000 BCE
Answer: C) 7000 BCE
5. The Early Harappan phase is dated to:
A) 3500–3000 BCE
B) 3000–2600 BCE
C) 2600–1900 BCE
D) 1900–1500 BCE
Answer: B) 3000–2600 BCE
6. The Mature Harappan phase is dated to:
A) 3000–2600 BCE
B) 2800–2200 BCE
C) 2600–1900 BCE
D) 1900–1700 BCE
Answer: C) 2600–1900 BCE
7. The Late Harappan phase is dated to:
A) 2000–1500 BCE
B) 1900–1700 BCE
C) 1700–1500 BCE
D) 1500–1200 BCE
Answer: B) 1900–1700 BCE
8. During which phase was the urban phase of the Harappan
Civilisation prevalent?
A) Early Harappan
B) Mature Harappan
C) Late Harappan
D) Post-Harappan
Answer: B) Mature Harappan
9. Harappa was first visited by Charles Mason in:
A) 1826
B) 1831
C) 1853
D) 1875
Answer: A) 1826
10. Amri was visited by Alexander Burnes in:
A) 1826
B) 1831
C) 1856
D) 1875
Answer: B) 1831
11. Harappa was destroyed for laying the railway line from:
A) Delhi to Lahore
B) Lahore to Multan
C) Multan to Karachi
D) Lahore to Delhi
Answer: B) Lahore to Multan
12. Who was the first surveyor of the Archaeological Survey of India
mentioned in the source?
A) Mortimer Wheeler
B) John Marshall
C) Alexander Cunningham
D) Alexander Burnes
Answer: C) Alexander Cunningham
13. Who initiated important research at Harappa after becoming
Director General of ASI?
A) Alexander Cunningham
B) Sir John Marshall
C) Mortimer Wheeler
D) Charles Mason
Answer: B) Sir John Marshall
14. Who excavated Harappan sites during the 1940s?
A) Mortimer Wheeler
B) Alexander Cunningham
C) Alexander Burnes
D) John Marshall
Answer: A) Mortimer Wheeler
15. Which of the following is an Indian Harappan site?
A) Harappa
B) Mohenjo-Daro
C) Dholavira
D) Shortugai
Answer: C) Dholavira
16. The approximate geographical area covered by the Indus
Civilisation and contemporary cultures was:
A) 0.5 million sq. km
B) 1 million sq. km
C) 1.5 million sq. km
D) 2.5 million sq. km
Answer: C) 1.5 million sq. km
17. Which site represents the western boundary of the civilisation?
A) Alamgirpur
B) Daimabad
C) Sutkagen-dor
D) Shortugai
Answer: C) Sutkagen-dor
18. Which site represents the northern boundary?
A) Shortugai
B) Lothal
C) Daimabad
D) Alamgirpur
Answer: A) Shortugai
19. Which site represents the eastern boundary?
A) Sutkagen-dor
B) Alamgirpur
C) Shortugai
D) Daimabad
Answer: B) Alamgirpur
20. Which site represents the southern boundary?
A) Daimabad
B) Dholavira
C) Lothal
D) Kalibangan
Answer: A) Daimabad
21. Which of the following was part of the core area of the Indus
Civilisation?
A) Kerala
B) Gujarat
C) Tamil Nadu
D) Odisha
Answer: B) Gujarat
22. The early Harappan phase witnessed the development of:
A) Only large cities
B) Villages and towns
C) Only ports
D) Only temples
Answer: B) Villages and towns
23. Urban centres developed during the:
A) Early Harappan phase
B) Mature Harappan phase
C) Late Harappan phase
D) Neolithic phase
Answer: B) Mature Harappan phase
24. Which of the following was a major Harappan city in Gujarat?
A) Lothal
B) Harappa
C) Banawali
D) Rakhigarhi
Answer: A) Lothal
25. Which Harappan city was located in Haryana?
A) Kalibangan
B) Rakhigarhi
C) Dholavira
D) Mohenjo-Daro
Answer: B) Rakhigarhi
26. Harappan towns were characterised by:
A) Random streets
B) Grid-pattern streets and systematic drainage
C) Circular roads only
D) Underground houses
Answer: B) Grid-pattern streets and systematic drainage
27. The houses of Harappan towns were generally built of:
A) Stone only
B) Mud bricks
C) Wood
D) Marble
Answer: B) Mud bricks
28. The drains were generally constructed using:
A) Wood
B) Mud
C) Burnt bricks
D) Stone slabs only
Answer: C) Burnt bricks
29. Mohenjo-Daro was divided into two distinct areas called:
A) Upper town and port
B) Citadel and lower town
C) Palace and temple
D) Fort and market
Answer: B) Citadel and lower town
30. The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro was situated:
A) Inside a courtyard
B) Outside the city
C) Inside a temple
D) Near the city gate
Answer: A) Inside a courtyard
31. The Great Bath had stairs on its:
A) Eastern and western sides
B) Northern and southern sides
C) Northern and eastern sides
D) Southern and western sides
Answer: B) Northern and southern sides
32. Agriculture was an important source of ______ for the Harappans.
A) Entertainment
B) Subsistence
C) Religion
D) Administration
Answer: B) Subsistence
33. Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a Harappan crop?
A) Wheat
B) Barley
C) Lentil
D) Tea
Answer: D) Tea
34. The Harappans adopted a:
A) Single cropping system
B) Double cropping system
C) Triple cropping system
D) Four-season cropping system
Answer: B) Double cropping system
35. Ploughed fields have been found at:
A) Harappa
B) Kalibangan
C) Lothal
D) Dholavira
Answer: B) Kalibangan
36. The Harappans used which methods of irrigation?
A) Canal and well irrigation
B) Tank and drip irrigation
C) River and sprinkler irrigation
D) Rainwater harvesting only
Answer: A) Canal and well irrigation
37. Which animal was NOT known to the Harappans according to the
source?
A) Buffalo
B) Elephant
C) Horse
D) Pig
Answer: C) Horse
38. Harappan cattle are called:
A) Zebu
B) Yak
C) Mithun
D) Bos indicus only
Answer: A) Zebu
39. Which of the following was a major Harappan craft?
A) Bead and ornament making
B) Silk weaving only
C) Paper making
D) Glass blowing
Answer: A) Bead and ornament making
40. Harappan beads were made using materials such as:
A) Carnelian and steatite
B) Paper and wood
C) Silver and platinum only
D) Coal and iron
Answer: A) Carnelian and steatite
41. Harappan pottery generally had:
A) Blue slip and white paintings
B) Deep red slip and black paintings
C) Green slip and yellow paintings
D) Black slip and red paintings
Answer: B) Deep red slip and black paintings
42. The Harappan Civilisation belonged to the:
A) Stone Age
B) Bronze Age
C) Iron Age
D) Modern Age
Answer: B) Bronze Age
43. Which metal was NOT known to the Harappans?
A) Copper
B) Bronze
C) Gold
D) Iron
Answer: D) Iron
44. Which of the following was a Harappan weapon?
A) Arrowhead
B) Gun
C) Cannon
D) Iron sword
Answer: A) Arrowhead
45. The Harappans had knowledge of:
A) Cotton and silk
B) Wool and nylon
C) Linen and nylon
D) Synthetic fibres
Answer: A) Cotton and silk
46. The Harappan script has:
A) Been completely deciphered
B) Not yet been convincingly deciphered
C) Been translated into Sanskrit
D) Been translated into Tamil
Answer: B) Not yet been convincingly deciphered
47. Approximately how many Harappan texts have been documented?
A) 500
B) 1,000
C) 5,000
D) 10,000
Answer: C) 5,000
48. The Harappans used which system in their weights?
A) Decimal system
B) Binary system
C) Roman system
D) Duodecimal system
Answer: B) Binary system
49. The term “Meluhha” in Mesopotamian cuneiform inscriptions refers
to the:
A) Egyptian region
B) Indus region
C) Iranian region
D) Chinese region
Answer: B) Indus region
50. Which of the following is mentioned as a reason for the decline
of the Indus Civilisation?
A) Industrial revolution
B) Decline of trade with Mesopotamia
C) Discovery of iron
D) Rise of the Mauryan Empire
Answer: B) Decline of trade with Mesopotamia
