Indus Valley Civilization MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Indus Valley Civilization - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Rakhigarhi.

Key Points

• Rakhigarhi site of Indus valley civilisation situated at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district.
• The site is located in the Sarasvati river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river.
• The Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.
•  A team of Indian and South Korean researchers carried out excavations in Rakhigarhi.
• The team unearthed a fire altar, parts of a city wall, drainage structures as well as a hoard of semi-precious beads.

Additional Information

Important Sites of Harappan Civilization:

The correct answer is 1 and 2.

Key Points

• Kalibangan is an Indus Valley civilization site, situated in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.
•  Lothal is the first man-made dockyard site, situated near the Gulf of Cambay, Gujarat.
• Alamgirpur and Hulas are Indus Valley Civilization sites from Uttar Pradesh, situated in Meerut and Saharanpur districts respectively.

Additional Information

• Indus Valley Civilization is the first urbanization, flourished around 2500 BC in contemporary Pakistan and India, also known as Harappan civilization.
• The westernmost site of Indus Valley Civilisation is - SutkaGendor (Baluchistan).
• The easternmost site of Indus Valley Civilisation is - Alamgirpur (Uttar Pradesh)
• MohenJodaro and Dholavira are World Heritage sites.

The correct answer is Shortugai.

Key Points

• Shortugai is an ancient Harappan trading port located in present-day Afghanistan.
• It served as a significant commercial center for the Indus Valley Civilization around 2000 BCE.
• Shortugai was strategically situated near lapis lazuli mines, allowing the Harappans to trade precious stones.
• The site has yielded artifacts typical of Harappan culture, including seals, beads, and pottery.

Additional Information

• Harappan Civilization
  • Also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, it flourished around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
  • It is renowned for its advanced urban planning, architecture, and social organization.
  • Key sites include Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and Dholavira.
  • The civilization is noted for its use of standardized weights and measures, and a script that remains undeciphered.
• Harappan Trade
  • Harappans engaged in extensive trade within the Indian subcontinent and with Mesopotamia and Egypt.
  • Key exports included cotton, beads, pottery, and precious stones.
  • They imported goods such as copper, tin, and luxury items.
• Archaeological Discoveries at Shortugai
  • Excavations have unearthed Harappan seals, pottery, and lapis lazuli.
  • The presence of these artifacts indicates a thriving trade network.
  • Shortugai provides evidence of the Harappan presence beyond the Indian subcontinent.
• Indus Script
  • The script consists of symbols and has been found on seals, pottery, and other artifacts.
  • Despite numerous attempts, the script has not been deciphered yet.
  • Understanding the script could provide deeper insights into the Harappan society and culture.

The correct answer is The Harappans practiced seasonal crop rotation and cultivated both rabi and kharif crops.

Key Points

• The Harappans cultivated a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, sesame, and pulses in the winter, and cotton and rice in the summer — indicating rabi and kharif systems.
• They practiced crop rotation to maintain soil fertility — evidence supported by analysis of charred grains and field layouts at sites like Kalibangan.
• Irrigation techniques included well-based water distribution, bunding, and floodplain farming — contrary to the view that their agriculture was purely rain-fed.
• No iron tools were used in the Harappan period. Tools were made of copper, bronze, stone, and bone.

Additional Information

• Sites like Kalibangan and Shortugai provide evidence of agricultural fields and canal systems.
• Harappans cultivated cotton, which was later a major crop of the Indian subcontinent — earliest known use of cotton globally.
• Ploughed field patterns at Kalibangan show furrows and irrigation trenches, indicating sophisticated field design.
• No iron metallurgy: The Harappans were a Bronze Age civilization. Iron appears only in later Vedic cultures around 1000 BCE.

The correct answer is A–2, B–3, C–1, D–4.

Key Points

• A. Pashupati Seal – 2: The seated horned figure, surrounded by animals, is widely interpreted as a proto-Shiva or Pashupati figure — suggesting early roots of Shaivism or animism.
• B. Unicorn Motif – 3: The most common symbol on Harappan seals, the unicorn's exact significance remains unclear but is often seen as a totemic or mythical representation.
• C. Terracotta female figurines – 1: These represent Mother Goddess and are associated with fertility cults — a theme common in agrarian societies.
• D. Peepal Tree Motif – 4: Appears on seals and pottery, likely worshipped as a sacred symbol linked with nature or life force.

Additional Information

• Pashupati Seal: Discovered in Mohenjodaro, shows yogic posture and animals (elephant, tiger, buffalo, rhinoceros) — often considered evidence of religious symbolism.
• Unicorn Seal: Unique to IVC, appears frequently but is not found in any other contemporary cultures — may have represented clans, trade guilds, or deities.
• Mother Goddess Figurines: Handmade and often exaggerated feminine features — associated with agricultural fertility and motherhood worship.
• Tree Worship: Peepal tree and animal symbols suggest animism or nature-based religious practices — no idols or temple architecture found.

The correct answer is Rakhigarhi.

Key Points

• Rakhigarhi site of Indus valley civilisation situated at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district.
• The site is located in the Sarasvati river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river.
• The Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.
•  A team of Indian and South Korean researchers carried out excavations in Rakhigarhi.
• The team unearthed a fire altar, parts of a city wall, drainage structures as well as a hoard of semi-precious beads.

Additional Information

Important Sites of Harappan Civilization:

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• In Lothal Dockyard was found.
• List of Important sites with their features:

Additional Information

• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India.
• The civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus.
• Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world.
• It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system.

Important facts to be remembered.

• Social features:-
  • Indus valley civilization is the first urbanization in India.
  • It has a well-planned drainage system, grid pattern, and town planning.
  • They have possessed equality in society.

• Religious Facts:-
  • Matridevi or Shakti is the Mother goddess.
  • Yoni worship and Nature worship existed.
  • They worshipped trees like Peepal.
  • They also worshipped Fire worship called Havan Kund.
  • Pashupati Mahadeva is known as the lord of Animals.
  • The people of the Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Animal worship like unicorns and ox.
• Economic facts:-
  • Indus valley civilization is based on agriculture.
  • Trade and commerce flourished in this period.
  • A dockyard has been found at Lothal.
  • There were export and import.
  • Production of cotton was there.
  • At Lothal, weights and measures of truth existed in Harappan culture was seen.
  • The weights and were usually cubical in shape and were made of limestone, steatite, etc

The correct answer is Mehrgarh

Key Points:

• Mehrgarh is a neolithic site located near the Bolan pass on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan, Pakistan, to the west of the Indus River Valley.
• It is the earliest known neolithic site in the Northwest Indian sub-continent, with early evidence of farming (wheat and barley), herding (cattle, sheep, and goats), and metallurgy.
• The oldest known example of the wax-lost techniques comes from a 6000-year-old wheel-shaped copper amulet found at Mehrgarh.

Additional Information

The Correct Answer is 1921.
Key Points

• Harappa was an Indus civilization urban centre.
• It lies in Punjab Province, Pakistan, on an old bank/bed of the River Ravi.
• Harappa was the first site of the civilization to be excavated in 1921.
• The excavation team was led by Daya Ram Sahni.

 Important Points

• Mohenjo-Daro was discovered in 1922 by R. D. Banerji.

The correct answer is Ropar.

Key Points

Given below is the list of Important Indus Valley civilization sites, year of excavation and River associated-

• John Marshall was the first scholar who used the term 'Indus Civilization' for the Harappa Civilization. 
• The time period of this civilization was 2500 BC - 1750 BC. 
• This civilization was mainly known for its great urban planning and sewage system. 
• Rakhaldas Bandopadhyay was known for discovering the site of Mohenjodaro whereas Dayaram Sahni was known for his discovery of Harappa. 
• RS Bisht discovered the Indus Valley Civilization site Banawali in 1973. 

The correct answer is Chanhudaro.

Key Points

• The Harappan site of Chanhudaro was excavated by N.G. Mazumdar in 1931.
• Chanhudaro is located near the banks of the river Indus.
• Chanhudaro is located near Mohenjodaro in present-day Sindh, Pakistan.
• Chanhudaro was the only Harappan city without a citadel.
• Beads factory was found.
• Evidence of human sacrifice was found here.
• Chanhudaro didn't have any fortified structure.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• Couple burial was found from Lothal at the Harappan sites.
• Lothal was one of the southernmost city of the ancient Indus valley civilisation located in the Bhal region of Gujarat.
• Burial or interment is the ritual act of placing a dead person or animals, sometimes with objects, into the ground.

The correct answer is 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A.

Key Points

• Kalibangan:
  • Kalibangan is an archaeological site at Hanumangarh in Rajasthan near the Ghaggar river. 
  • Plough field, fire altars, bones of camel, burial in the circular and rectangular grave is found here. 
• Chahundaro:
  • Chahundaro is an archaeological site at Sindh in Pakistan near the Indus river.
  • we can find a bead factory and ornaments here which points towards good craftsmen in this area. 
  • No fortified structure in this place. 
  • It is the only Harappan city without a Citadel and evidence of human sacrifice is available here.
• Surkotda:
  • Surkotada is an Indus Valley Civilisation archaeological site located in Rapar Taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat. 
  • It is a smaller fortified Indus Valley Civilisation site with 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres) in area.
  • Bones of horse and graveyard are found at Surkotda in Gujarat. 
• Mohenjodaro:
  • It is a planned settlement that is divided into two sections, one smaller but higher (Citadel) and the other much larger but lower (Lower Town).
  • The Citadel owes its height to the fact that buildings were constructed on mud-brick platforms.
    • It was walled, which meant that it was physically separated from the Lower Town.
    • It had structures that were probably used for special public purposes.
  • The Lower Town was also walled. Several buildings were built on platforms, which served as foundations

The correct answer is Ravi.

Key Points

Ravi river's Banks were situated on Harappa.

• The Indus Valley civilization was discovered first in 1921 at the modern site of Harappa situated in the province of West Punjab in Pakistan.
• The city lies on the banks of the river Ravi, a left-bank tributary of the river Indus.
• Harappan civilization is also known as Indus Valley Civilization for being situated on and around the banks of the Indus river.
• It flourished around 2,500 BCE in the western part of South Asia, in contemporary Pakistan, western India, and parts of Afghanistan.
• Hence, option 4 is correct.

Additional InformationIndus River :

• The Indus River is one of the main rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the Indian subcontinent.
• It flows through the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir and along the length of Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.
• Originating in the Tibetan Plateau in the vicinity of Lake Manasarovar, the river runs a course through the Ladakh region of India towards Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Then flows in a southerly direction along the entire length of Pakistan to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi in Sindh.

Luni River :

• Luni is the largest river in the Thar desert in northwest India.
  • It originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer.
  • It passes through the southeastern portion of the Thar Desert.
  • It ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, after traveling a distance of 495 km.
  • It serves as an essential source of irrigation water.
• Luni is a major west-flowing river that originates from the western slopes of Naga hills, at an elevation of 772 m in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan.

Bhogwa River :

• Bhogwa River is a river in Gujarat, India.
  • It is a major right tributary of the Sabarmati River.
• The city of Surendranagar is on the banks of the Bhogavo.
• Dholidhaja Dam is located on the river.