The Indus Valley Civilisation Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bronze Age

As can be deduced from its name, the Indus Valley Civilisation flourished in the plains of the Indus River, covering parts of the modern day countries of India and Pakistan. The lack of written records makes it hard to determine the exact time when it started. However, most historians agree that it is classified as a Bronze Age civilisation that existed from around 3300 BC to 1300 BC. At its peak, it ranged from northeast Afghanistan to northwest India.

The Industrial Age came much later, starting in the mid-18th century.

Answer: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro

Harappa was the first to be excavated with work commencing in the 20th century. At the time, it was part of the Punjab province of British India. The Indus Valley Civilisation is sometimes also called the Harappan Civilisation. Mohenjo-daro was discovered shortly afterwards and is considered to be the largest settlement of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Both sites are now located within Pakistan.

Answer: D.R Sahni

While Sir Alexander Cunningham conducted brief excavations in the late 19th century, it was Daya Ram Sahni of the Archaeological Survey of India who carried out the first extensive excavation of the sites in 1921. Since then, nearly a hundred sites have been excavated which have yielded characteristic elements of this civilisation.

Sahni later became the first Indian to be appointed as Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1931.

Answer: Both of these

Dholavira and Lothal are both located within the western Indian state of Gujarat. Dholavira is situated on the Tropic of Cancer and is considered one of the five major sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation. In 2021, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its association with the Harappan civilisation. Lothal is believed to have been a major trade centre due to the presence of a dockyard in this location.

Answer: Mound of the dead

Archaeological evidence places the settlement of Mohenjo-daro at around 2500 BC. At its peak, the settlement is estimated to have had a population of around 40,000. The city's urban planning and civil infrastructure is considered to be one of the most advanced of its time.

While the original name of the city is unknown, it was named Mohenjo-daro after its discovery. The name translates to "Mound of Death" in the local Sindhi language.

Based on the historical importance of the discovery, Mohenjo-daro was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, making it the first such site in South Asia.

Answer: Yes

The Indus Script, sometimes also called the Harappan Script, has been found on various objects. A seal with these symbols was first discovered by Sir Alexander Cunningham in the late 19th century. However, no bilingual or multilingual inscription has been discovered to date which could help decipher the script. It therefore remains classified as an unknown language.

Answer: Shiva

Shiva is a principal deity of Hinduism, one of the three gods constituting the Trimurti. The Pashupati seal was discovered at Mohenjo-daro. The seal depicts a three-headed seated figure surrounded by animals. As Shiva is known as the "Lord of animals", the horned deity is attributed to an early depiction of this god.

Answer: Rana Ghundai

This discovery would indicate that horse riding nomads had found their way to north-western India in small numbers long before the Aryan invasion. However, there is no evidence to prove that the Harappa people possessed domestic horses themselves.

Answer: Great Bath

The great bath was situated in the citadel area of Mohenjo-daro. This is an oblong bathing pool 39 x 23 feet in area and 8 feet deep, constructed of beautiful brickwork made watertight with bitumen. It could be drained by an opening in one corner and was surrounded by a cloister, on to which opened a number of small rooms.

Answer: The Aryans

The Aryans are considered to have migrated to northern India from Central Asia. For many years, this invasion is believed to be "the beginning of the end" of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Despite its advanced nature, the civilisation seems to have disappeared without leaving many clues to the reasons.