IVC oneliners

What was the time period of Chalcolithic cultures?

5000–3000 BCE

What was the time period of Early Harappan phase?

3300–2600 BCE

What was the time period of Mature Harappan phase?

2600–1900 BCE

What was the time period of Late Harappan phase?

1900–1300 BCE

When did the decline of the Harappan Civilization begin?

Around 1900 BCE (gradual decline)

Who discovered Harappa?

Daya Ram Sahni (1921)

Who excavated Mohenjo-daro?

R.D. Banerji (1922)

Which theory of Harappan origin is widely accepted?

Indigenous Theory

The Harappan Civilization evolved from which cultures?

Local Chalcolithic cultures

The Harappan Civilization belonged to which age?

Bronze Age

What is the Harappan Civilization famous for besides urban planning?

Standardized weights and measures

What type of trade was well developed in Harappan Civilization?

Long-distance trade

Which metal technology was highly developed in Harappan Civilization?

Bronze technology

Which was the principal textile crop?

Cotton

What did the Greeks call cotton?

Sindon

Into which two parts were Harappan cities divided?

Citadel and Lower Town

Which Harappan city had a unique three-tier town?

Dholavira

Which Harappan site had no citadel?

Chanhudaro

What type of drainage system existed in Harappan cities?

Covered underground drainage

What water source was common in Harappan cities?

Private and public wells

What aspect of Harappan urban life was highly advanced?

Sanitation and hygiene

Which types of bricks were used in Harappan construction?

Burnt bricks and mud bricks

Mud bricks were mainly used for what?

Houses

What evidence of water conservation is found at Dholavira?

Rainwater harvesting

Was canal irrigation practiced by Harappans?

No

Which crops were cultivated by Harappans?

Wheat, barley, rice, pulses, sesame, cotton, etc

What do Harappan granaries indicate?

Surplus agricultural production

Which animals were domesticated by Harappans?

Buffalo, sheep, goat, dog, pig

Which animal motif is most common on Harappan seals?

Bull

Which animals were known to Harappans besides domestic livestock?

Camel and elephant

What method was used for Harappan bronze casting?

Lost-wax (Cire Perdue) method

Which famous Harappan artifact was made by lost-wax technique?

Dancing Girl

Which site had a bead factory?

Lothal

Which industries were highly developed in Harappan Civilization?

Pottery, shell industry, jewellery

Did Harappans use metallic currency?

No

Which economic system was prevalent in Harappan Civilization?

Barter system

What were Harappan seals mainly used for?

Identification

Which civilizations traded with Harappans?

Mesopotamia, Egypt, Oman, Persian Gulf

What was the Mesopotamian name for Harappan Civilization?

Meluhha

Which Mesopotamian ruler mentioned Meluhha?

Sargon of Akkad

What were the major Harappan exports?

Cotton textiles, beads, copper, bronze, jewellery

What does the Dancing Girl statue indicate?

Advanced metallurgy

What type of script did Harappans use?

Pictographic

In which direction was the Harappan script usually written?

Right to left

Which writing style is occasionally seen in Harappan inscriptions?

Boustrophedon

What was the approximate area covered by Harappan Civilization?

Nearly 1 million sq km

What suggests centralized authority in Harappan Civilization?

Uniform weights, bricks and planning

Which deity is associated with the Pashupati Seal?

Proto-Shiva

Which trees were worshipped by Harappans?

Peepal and Shami

Did Harappans use amulets?

Yes

Was the Swastika symbol known to Harappans?

Yes

Name two climatic causes of Harappan decline.

Climate change and aridification

Which river system is believed to have dried up?

Ghaggar-Hakra

What geological factor contributed to Harappan decline?

River shifts due to tectonic activity

Which city shows evidence of repeated floods?

Mohenjo-daro

Which economic factor contributed to Harappan decline?

Decline in Mesopotamian trade

Name two environmental causes of Harappan decline.

Ecological degradation and deforestation

How did Harappan culture continue after decline?

Through assimilation

Had Mature Harappans declined before Indo-Aryan arrival?

Yes

Which cultures overlapped with Late Harappan?

OCP and PGW

Which sites show Harappan–OCP overlap?

Bargaon and Ambakheri

Which site shows Harappan–PGW overlap?

Bhagwanpura

What does the Aryan migration debate suggest?

Cultural continuity rather than destruction

Which site had no citadel?

Chanhudaro

Which site was the bead-making centre?

Chanhudaro

Why is the Great Bath significant?

Earliest known public water tank in the Indian subcontinent

Which countries did the Harappan Civilization span?

Present-day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan