TNPSC Group 2 / 2A - Indus Valley Civilization and ancient Indian history. Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. Which of the following Indus Valley Civilization sites is located in present-day Pakistan?

A) Lothal B) Harappa C) Kalibangan D) Dholavira

2. The Great Bath, a significant structure of the Indus Valley Civilization, has been excavated at which site?

A) Mohenjo-daro B) Chanhudaro C) Ropar D) Banawali

3. What is the primary material used for seals found in the Indus Valley Civilization?

A) Bronze B) Copper C) Terracotta D) Steatite

4. Which Indus Valley Civilization site is known for its dockyard, suggesting maritime trade?

A) Harappa B) Mohenjo-daro C) Lothal D) Kalibangan

5. The script of the Indus Valley Civilization is primarily:

A) Alphabetic B) Syllabic C) Pictographic and Undeciphered D) Cuneiform

6. The people of the Indus Valley Civilization were primarily:

A) Pastoral nomads B) Hunter-gatherers C) Agriculturalists D) Merchants and artisans

7. Which of the following metals was NOT known to the Indus Valley Civilization?

A) Copper B) Bronze C) Iron D) Gold

8. The distinctive feature of town planning in the Indus Valley Civilization was:

A) Concentric circles B) Grid pattern with well-laid roads C) Radial layout D) Organic growth

9. Which deity is most frequently depicted on Indus seals, often interpreted as a proto-Shiva?

A) Indra B) Varuna C) Pashupati D) Agni

10. The discovery of a unicorn motif on Indus seals suggests:

A) Worship of animals B) Symbolic representation of power C) Connection with Mesopotamian mythology D) The presence of mythical creatures

11. Which site is known for the discovery of the 'Dancing Girl' statue, a masterpiece of bronze casting?

A) Harappa B) Mohenjo-daro C) Lothal D) Surkotada

12. The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the:

A) Vedic Civilization B) Harappan Civilization C) Maurya Civilization D) Gupta Civilization

13. What was the main grain cultivated by the Indus people?

A) Rice B) Wheat and Barley C) Millets D) Maize

14. The artificial dock at Lothal was built using:

A) Mud bricks B) Stone blocks C) Baked bricks D) Timber

15. Which Indus site has yielded evidence of fire altars?

A) Mohenjo-daro B) Harappa C) Kalibangan D) Dholavira

16. The system of weights and measures in the Indus Valley Civilization was based on:

A) Decimal system B) Binary system C) A binary system with multiples of 16 D) A variable system depending on the region

17. What is the probable reason for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

A) Aryan invasion B) Floods and environmental changes C) Internal conflict D) Volcanic eruptions

18. Which animal was NOT commonly depicted in Indus Valley Civilization art?

A) Bull B) Tiger C) Elephant D) Horse

19. The citadel at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa was likely used for:

A) Residential purposes B) Public gatherings and administrative functions C) Marketplaces D) Craft production

20. The discovery of terracotta figurines of women in the Indus Valley Civilization suggests:

A) Patriarchal society B) Matriarchal society C) Worship of a mother goddess D) Focus on warrior culture

21. Which Indus site shows evidence of a planned city with a stadium and a large water reservoir?

A) Lothal B) Harappa C) Mohenjo-daro D) Dholavira

22. The earliest evidence of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent is found at:

A) Mehrgarh B) Chirand C) Paiyampalli D) Koldihwa

23. The period of the Indus Valley Civilization is generally dated between:

A) 3000-1500 BCE B) 2500-1750 BCE C) 1500-500 BCE D) 500-200 BCE

24. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the mature Harappan phase?

A) Standardized weights and measures B) Urban planning C) Extensive use of iron tools D) Well-developed trade networks

25. The Indus people had trade relations with which of the following regions?

A) Ancient Egypt B) Mesopotamia C) China D) Greece

26. The discovery of a large number of dice at various Indus sites indicates:

A) Advanced mathematical knowledge B) The importance of gambling and leisure activities C) Ritualistic practices D) Trade in gaming equipment

27. What was the primary purpose of the extensive drainage system in Indus cities?

A) Irrigation B) Water supply C) Sanitation and hygiene D) Flood control

28. The Indus script is considered:

A) Deciphered and understood B) An early form of Sanskrit C) Dravidian in origin D) Undeciphered

29. Which Indus site is famous for its 'burial ground' with skeletons found in pits?

A) Harappa B) Mohenjo-daro C) Kalibangan D) Lothal

30. The Indus people used burnt bricks for construction, indicating:

A) A lack of stone resources B) Advanced construction techniques C) A preference for aesthetics D) Religious significance of fire

31. The discovery of a bronze chariot at Daimabad suggests:

A) Extensive use of chariots in warfare B) Early evidence of bronze technology C) Trade with Central Asia D) Possible connections with later Vedic culture

32. What does the uniformity of weights and measures across different Indus sites indicate?

A) Centralized administration B) Independent city-states C) Loose confederation of tribes D) Limited trade

33. Which of the following is considered a major urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization?

A) Pataliputra B) Vidisha C) Taxila D) Mohenjo-daro

34. The Indus seal depicting a horned deity surrounded by animals is often identified as:

A) Brahma B) Vishnu C) Shiva (Pashupati) D) Ganesha

35. The earliest evidence of rice cultivation in India is found at:

A) Harappa B) Kalibangan C) Koldihwa D) Lothal

36. The Indus Valley Civilization is classified as a:

A) Neolithic culture B) Chalcolithic culture C) Bronze Age civilization D) Iron Age civilization

37. Which Indus site has evidence of a planned water management system, including reservoirs?

A) Harappa B) Mohenjo-daro C) Lothal D) Dholavira

38. The practice of Sati, though debated, has been claimed to have its earliest evidence at which Indus-related site?

A) Harappa B) Mohenjo-daro C) Kalibangan D) Lothal

39. The Indus people were proficient in the art of:

A) Sculpture B) Metal casting C) Pottery D) All of the above

40. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Vedic period that followed the Indus Valley Civilization?

A) Worship of nature deities B) Use of iron tools C) Development of a script D) Pastoral economy

41. The term 'Veda' means:

A) Knowledge B) Prayer C) Ritual D) Song

42. The Rigveda is the:

A) Oldest of the Vedas B) Latest of the Vedas C) Veda dealing with spells D) Veda dealing with rituals

43. The early Vedic period is primarily associated with the:

A) Indus Valley Civilization B) Ganga Valley C) Saraswati River region D) Deccan Plateau

44. The most important deity in the Rigveda is:

A) Agni B) Varuna C) Indra D) Surya

45. The social structure in the early Vedic period was characterized by:

A) Rigid caste system B) Varna system based on occupation C) Tribal organization D) Feudalism

46. The later Vedic period saw the development of:

A) Monarchy and kingdoms B) Tribal chiefdoms C) Anarchy D) Nomadic lifestyle

47. Which of the following Vedas contains hymns, prayers, and chants?

A) Rigveda B) Samaveda C) Yajurveda D) Atharvaveda

48. The Upanishads represent:

A) Early Vedic rituals B) Philosophical and speculative thought C) Epic poems D) Legal codes

49. The concept of 'Ashramas' (stages of life) is discussed in:

A) The Vedas B) The Brahmanas C) The Upanishads D) The Puranas

50. Which of the following is NOT one of the four Vedas?

A) Rigveda B) Samaveda C) Yajurveda D) Puranas

Indus Valley Civilization and ancient Indian history. - Online Test

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