The Indus Valley Civilization was one of the world’s earliest urban societies. This MCQ set examines its major cities, technological advancements, and its contributions to modern civilizations. Discover the ancient wonders of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Which river was central to the development of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Ganges River
b) Indus River
c) Yamuna River
d) Saraswati River
What was the most significant urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
The Indus Valley Civilization was primarily located in which present-day country?
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Afghanistan
What is the estimated period of the Indus Valley Civilization’s existence?
a) 5000 BC – 3000 BC
b) 4500 BC – 2500 BC
c) 3300 BC – 1300 BC
d) 2800 BC – 1800 BC
What is the name of the script used by the Indus Valley Civilization that has not yet been fully deciphered?
a) Brahmi Script
b) Kharosthi Script
c) Indus Script
d) Devanagari Script
The Great Bath, an extraordinary structure from the Indus Valley Civilization, was found in which city?
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
Which material was predominantly used for the construction of houses in the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Wood
b) Stone
c) Mud bricks
d) Marble
The Indus Valley Civilization had well-planned cities with streets laid out in which pattern?
a) Circular
b) Radial
c) Grid
d) Irregular
What was the primary occupation of the people of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Agriculture
b) Trading
c) Weaving
d) Pottery making
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had trade relations with the Mesopotamian civilization?
a) Artefacts found in Mesopotamia
b) Trade agreements
c) Written records
d) Hieroglyphs
Which animal was commonly represented in the art of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Elephant
b) Cow
c) Lion
d) Bull
What is the name of the system of weights used by the Indus Valley Civilization, which indicates a well-developed trade system?
a) Metric System
b) Indus Weight System
c) Mohenjo-Daro Weight System
d) Harappan Weight System
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have been a ________ society.
a) Matriarchal
b) Patriarchal
c) Egalitarian
d) Theocratic
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization practiced dentistry?
a) Artefacts of dental tools
b) Carvings on pottery
c) Ancient texts
d) Skeletons with dental work
The Indus Valley Civilization had a sophisticated drainage system primarily found in which of the following cities?
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
What type of seals were used by the people of the Indus Valley Civilization, often depicting animals and inscriptions?
a) Stone seals
b) Clay seals
c) Metal seals
d) Wooden seals
Which of the following was a possible reason for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Natural disasters
b) Invasion
c) Climate change
d) All of the above
The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in the 1920s in which region?
a) Punjab region
b) Sindh region
c) Balochistan region
d) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a well-developed maritime trade?
a) Ancient texts
b) Artefacts of ships
c) Seals depicting ships
d) Navigational maps
The figurine of a dancing girl found in the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization is made of which material?
a) Bronze
b) Copper
c) Terracotta
d) Ivory
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a form of script or writing?
a) Seals and tablets with inscriptions
b) Wall paintings
c) Oral traditions
d) Pictorial representations
What was the probable cause for the uniformity of Indus Valley Civilization’s town planning and architecture?
a) Centralized authority
b) Religious beliefs
c) Cultural exchange
d) Foreign influence
The Harrapan Civilization is another name for the:
a) Indus Valley Civilization
b) Mesopotamian Civilization
c) Vedic Civilization
d) Mauryan Civilization
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization were proficient in metallurgy?
a) Ancient texts
b) Artefacts of metal tools
c) Seals depicting metalwork
d) Hieroglyphs
The Indus Valley Civilization’s trade relations extended as far as which ancient civilization?
a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Egyptian Civilization
c) Chinese Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
What was the primary mode of transportation used by the people of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Chariots
b) Boats
c) Horses
d) Camels
The Citadel, a raised platform in the center of the city, was a prominent feature in which of the following cities of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
Which metal was commonly used for making tools and weapons in the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Gold
b) Silver
c) Copper
d) Iron
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a well-developed trade network?
a) Ancient texts
b) Seals and tablets
c) Artistic representations
d) Oral traditions
The art of the Indus Valley Civilization primarily depicted scenes of which of the following?
a) Warfare
b) Trade
c) Religious rituals
d) Daily life
The Indus Valley Civilization’s city planning and architecture reveal a focus on which aspect of urban life?
a) Religious activities
b) Administrative functions
c) Defense mechanisms
d) Civic amenities
What was the probable reason behind the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization, as suggested by some researchers?
a) Invasion by Aryans
b) Climate change and drying up of rivers
c) Internal conflicts
d) All of the above
The Indus Valley Civilization was contemporaneous with which other ancient civilization?
a) Egyptian Civilization
b) Mesopotamian Civilization
c) Chinese Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had knowledge of sophisticated water management techniques?
a) Artefacts of irrigation tools
b) Inscriptions on seals
c) Hieroglyphs
d) Wall paintings
The Indus Valley Civilization’s economy was primarily based on which of the following activities?
a) Agriculture and trade
b) Hunting and gathering
c) Fishing and aquaculture
d) Livestock rearing
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a complex social hierarchy?
a) Artefacts of clothing
b) Inscriptions on seals
c) Hieroglyphs
d) Varied housing structures
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have had a rich culture and arts based on the:
a) Artefacts found
b) Hieroglyphs deciphered
c) Ancient texts
d) Oral traditions
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had an advanced knowledge of town planning and architecture?
a) Artefacts of tools
b) Inscriptions on seals
c) Hieroglyphs
d) Ruins of cities
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a well-structured government and administrative system?
a) Hieroglyphs deciphered
b) Artefacts of administrative tools
c) Ancient texts
d) Oral traditions
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have been a major contributor to the development of which ancient civilization?
a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Chinese Civilization
c) Egyptian Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
Which river was the most important to the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Ganges
b) Yamuna
c) Saraswati
d) Indus
What is the approximate time period of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) 3000–1500 BCE
b) 1000–500 BCE
c) 500–200 BCE
d) 200 BCE–200 CE
What is the modern-day country where most of the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization are found?
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Nepal
d) Bangladesh
What is the alternative name for the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Vedic Civilization
b) Aryan Civilization
c) Harappan Civilization
d) Mauryan Civilization
What was the largest city of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Mohenjo-daro
b) Harappa
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
Which site of the Indus Valley Civilization is located in present-day India?
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-daro
c) Dholavira
d) Chanhudaro
The Indus Valley Civilization had a script that is considered to be:
a) Logographic
b) Alphabetic
c) Hieroglyphic
d) Syllabic
The main occupation of the people of the Indus Valley Civilization was:
a) Agriculture
b) Trade and Commerce
c) War and Conquest
d) Fishing
What material was primarily used for construction in the cities of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Stone
b) Wood
c) Brick
d) Mud
The Indus Valley Civilization had a drainage system that demonstrates their knowledge of:
a) Astronomy
b) Mathematics
c) Engineering
d) Medicine
What is the approximate number of characters in the Indus Valley Civilization script?
a) 100
b) 400
c) 600
d) 1000
Which of the following was a major crop grown by the Indus Valley Civilization people?
a) Wheat
b) Maize
c) Barley
d) Rice
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization engaged in trade with Mesopotamia?
a) Seals and artifacts
b) Written records
c) Art and sculptures
d) Architecture
What is the name of the civilization that likely influenced the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Egyptian Civilization
c) Chinese Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
What animal was prominently featured in the art and seals of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Elephant
b) Tiger
c) Lion
d) Bull
The decline of the Indus Valley Civilization is attributed to:
a) Natural disasters
b) Aryan invasion
c) Climate change
d) Internal conflicts
The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in the 1920s by archaeologists in which country?
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Nepal
d) Bangladesh
The Indus Valley Civilization is also associated with the ancient city of:
a) Babylon
b) Uruk
c) Mohenjo-daro
d) Thebes
The city of Mohenjo-daro had a large structure believed to be a:
a) Temple
b) Palace
c) Assembly hall
d) Market
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization practiced a form of early medicine?
a) Herbal remains
b) Surgical instruments
c) Written medical texts
d) Inscriptions on pottery
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have traded with regions as far as:
a) Africa
b) Europe
c) Mesopotamia
d) China
The Indus Valley Civilization was organized in which form of governance?
a) Monarchy
b) Oligarchy
c) Democracy
d) Theocracy
What is the name of the ancient city in the Indus Valley Civilization that is associated with advanced water management systems?
a) Harappa
b) Lothal
c) Mohenjo-daro
d) Dholavira
The Indus Valley Civilization was characterized by planned urban settlements, exemplified by:
a) Grid-like street patterns
b) Circular city layouts
c) Randomly placed houses
d) Pyramid-shaped structures
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a form of social hierarchy?
a) Artifacts with inscriptions
b) Distinctive housing patterns
c) Burial practices
d) Trade activities
The Indus Valley Civilization had a standardized system of weights and measures indicated by:
a) Artifacts found at excavation sites
b) Ancient texts and inscriptions
c) Seals and stamps
d) Pottery and ceramics
The city of Harappa is located in present-day:
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Afghanistan
d) Nepal
The Indus Valley Civilization is noted for its well-developed:
a) Bronze casting
b) Iron smelting
c) Stone carving
d) Pottery making
What is the name of the site where the famous Great Bath is found, reflecting the advanced engineering skills of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Mohenjo-daro
b) Harappa
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
The script of the Indus Valley Civilization is yet to be fully deciphered, leading to debates about:
a) Religion
b) Politics
c) Trade
d) Language
What material was used for making seals by the people of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Copper
b) Iron
c) Gold
d) Clay
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a sophisticated understanding of geometry?
a) Artifacts with geometric patterns
b) Clay tablets with mathematical inscriptions
c) Bronze tools for measuring
d) Seal impressions with linear designs
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization engaged in long-distance trade?
a) Pottery with intricate designs
b) Seals with inscriptions
c) Jewelry and ornaments
d) Weapons and tools
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have had a form of government that:
a) Supported a priestly class
b) Was centralized
c) Practiced direct democracy
d) Functioned as a confederation
The Indus Valley Civilization is credited with the earliest known use of which domesticated animal?
a) Cow
b) Horse
c) Dog
d) Goat
What is the name of the region where most of the settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization are found?
a) Ganges Basin
b) Himalayan Foothills
c) Indus Valley
d) Thar Desert
The pottery of the Indus Valley Civilization is known for its distinctive:
a) Red color
b) Black color
c) Terracotta texture
d) Painted designs
What evidence suggests that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a complex trade network?
a) Trade agreements with neighboring civilizations
b) Records of trading activities
c) Port cities and docks
d) Foreign goods found at excavation sites
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization worshipped various deities, as evidenced by the discovery of:
a) Temples and shrines
b) Religious texts and scriptures
c) Burial practices
d) Artifacts and seals
The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have had a form of early urban planning, indicated by the presence of:
a) Residential buildings
b) Public parks and gardens
c) Public baths and wells
d) Markets and trading posts