• ANS.

BANK TERM 2ND

• CLASS IX, SUBJECT HISTORY
• LS.1 HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION
SHORT_ ANSWERS QUESTIONS.
1. What is the meaning of the term Civilization?
Ans. The word Civilization comes from the Latin word ‘Civis'
meaning someone who resides in a town .
The people are taught to the Civilized when they are organised
themselves into stable and efficient groups instead of operating
separately in small tribes.
2. Name two important sites of Indus Valley?
Ans. The two important sites of Harappan civilization were:
1. Harappa
2. Mohenjo Daro
3. Why is the Indus valley sometimes called the Harappan
culture?
Ans. The first and the best example of the Indus Valley
Civilization was found at Harappa: so this Civilization is
sometimes called as Harappan Civilization or the Harappan
Culture.
4. What is the approximate extent of Harappan culture?
Ans. This Civilization extended from Ropar in the North to the
valleys of Narmada and Tapi in the South and from Meerut in
the upper Ganga Yamuna doab in the east to Suktagendor on the
Makran coast of South Baluchistan in the west.
5. What is the approximate date of the Indus valley civilization?
Ans. The Indus valley civilization belongs to the period between
2500 BCE and 1750 BCE.
 6. Give any two features of the town planning of the Indus valley
people?
Ans. The two features of Harappan Civilization are as follows:
1. Wide and well planned roads.
2. Developed system of drainage.

7. Name any one feature of the drainage system of Indus Valley

people?
Ans. Each house had its own small drain which were directly
connected with the street drain which ran under the main
streets and below many lanes.
Each house had its own soak pit from where water flowed into
the underground sewers outside.
8.How can you say that the Civic organisation of the Indus valley
people was well organised?
Ans. The Indus valley people lived in well planned town .The
town had adequate arrangements for water supply. The
sweepers kept the city neat and clean .The system of watch and
ward at night also exist.
9.Name two things which throw light on the dress of Indus
Valley people?
Ans. There is not much evidences which throw light on the dress
of Indus Valley people only one statue which is shawl clad Yogi
shows the dress style of the Indus valley people.
10. Name any two features of the Great Bath.
Ans. The two features of the great bath are as follows:
1. The Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro resembles a large swimming
pool.
 2. It was 55metres long and 35 metre wide with the swimming
pool in the centre.
3. There was flight of stairs at each end.

11.Mention any one reason why the seals found at a excavation

of the Indus valley are important?
• The seals found at the excavation of Indus valley are
important because they are the source of information
and tell us about the physical features of men and
women ,birds and animals in the Indus Valley Towns.
12.What evidence is there to establish that the people of
Mohenjo Daro had a great concern for
I. The sanitation and
Ji. Town planning?
Ans.i. The Indus valley people had a high sense of Health and
sanitation and possessed an elaborate drainage system .
Each house had the small drains , directly connected with the street
drain which were covered with bricks and stones.
ii. The Indus valley people lived in planned towns.
The towns had adequate arrangements for water supply.
Sanitation was also properly looked after and rubbish was thrown
into the dustbin.
13.State any one evidence which suggest that the Indus valley
people knew the art of painting?
Ans. The evidence which suggest that the Indus valley people
known for the art of painting as follows:
A theme based painted pot from the Lothal bears like the painting
of crow like bird sitting on branch of a tree, holding a fish in its
mouth, while a Fox like animal is sitting under the tree ,raising its
mouth up words in expectation of grabbing the falling fish.
14.Mention one piece of Art in metal which shows that sculpture
reached a high standard in the Indus valley civilization.
Ans. One piece of art in metal which shows that culture had
reached high standard in the Indus valley civilization is Statue of
Dancing Girl.
STRUCTURED ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS.
1. Give an account of the religion of the Indus valley people
with reference to:
(A)The worship of Lord Shiva which existed among the
people.
Ans. Shiva Pashupati was the most important among the
Gods.
In one of the seal he has been shown sitting on a raised
platform cross legged in meditation with site fixed at the
nose tip.
This deity has 3 faces and a Trishul on the Crown of the head.
Animals sounds him .
He was also worshipped in the Linga and Yoni form.
(B) Its two main features.
Ans. Indus Valley people believed in natural forces and
worship them like the Sun, the air and the Water .
They believed in black Magic and offering the sacrifices of goat to
please the gods and goddess. They believed in life after death.
 (C ) Animal worship
Ans. Temple have not been discovered from the Indus valley
site.
But these people did worship certain demigods or lesser
gods.
They also worshipped animal like tigers, snakes ,crocodile,
Dinosaurs, bulls and buffaloes, etc, which they could not
tame for domestic purpose.
But whether animals were worship as themselves or as
vehicles of Gods and Goddesses, is not clear.
Pipal and some other trees were also worshipped.
(D) The worship of Mother Goddess.
Ans. Shakti or mother goddess was perhaps the most
important deity of the Indus valley people.
Some of her figures are semi nude as in Tantrism.
Some Seal bearing her figure are smoke stained.
This shows that people probably burnt incense while
worshipping her.
Evidently these people believed that Female Energy which
symbolizes Mother Earth, is the source of all creations.

2. With reference to the seals explain the following:

(A) One of the seal found among the ruins of the Harappan
settlement.
Ans. More than 2000 seals have so far been discovered from the
ruins of various Harappan sites. The main points about them are
described below:
1. One of these seal shows a nude female figure turned upside
down. Her legs outspread and plant issues from her belly. The
reverse side shows a man who holds a Sickle shaped knife
and a women seated on the ground with her hands raised in
supplication. This depicts human sacrifice to the Mother
Goddess.

(B) Significance of Pashupati seal.

Ans. Shiva Pashupati was the most important among the gods. In
one of the seal, he has been shown sitting on a raised platform,
crossed legs, in meditation ,with sight fixed at the nose tip.
This deity has three faces and Trishul on the Crown of the head.
Animals surround him. He was also worshipped in the Linga and
yoni form.
(C ) State one reason why the sales of the Indus Valley
Civilization are considered important.
Ans. More than 2000 seals made of various materials, have been
found so far.
They tell us about the physical features of men and women, birds
and animals in the Indus valley towns.
They also give information about their dress, ornaments ,hairstyle,
religion, commercial activities of the Indus valley people.
This is why they are held as highly important.
 3.Give an account of the Indus valley civilization with
reference to:
(A) Two major areas in which it flourished.
Ans. The two major areas in which Indus Valley flourished are
as follows:
1. Harappa and
2. Mohenjo Daro.
(B) An important feature of the Indus valley sites.
Ans. The Indus valley people live in well planned towns.
The towns had adequate arrangements for water supply.
Sanitation was also looked properly.
Rubbish was thrown into the dustbin.
Sweepers kept the cities neat and clean.
Buildings were not allowed to encroach upon the public
roads.
There were inns for travellers.
The system of watch and ward at night also existed.
(C ) One country with which they had commercial relations.
Ans. Evidence shows that Indus people had trade relations
with Egypt, Sumer and Crete.
4. The Harappan civilization is characterized by the uniformity
of its culture on this important aspect comment on the following
points:
(A)The sites selected for settlements.
Ans. The site selected for settlements were Harappa and Mohenjo
Daro.
(B)The layout of the towns.
Ans. The Indus valley people lived in a well-planned town.
The town had adequate arrangements for water supply.
 (C )The use of the Seal.
Ans. More than 2000 seals made of various materials have been
found so far.
They tell us about the physical feature of men and women birds
and animals in the Indus town.
They also give information about their dress, ornaments, hairstyle
religion , commercial activities of Indus Valley people.
5. Knowledge of the Harappan civilization is based on
something carried out in North Western India explain the evidence
discovered with regard to the following points:
(A) the extent of this civilization.
Ans. The Indus valley civilization has been discovered to have
existed in Punjab ,Sindh ,Baluchistan, Gujrat, Rajasthan and some
area of U.P.
This Civilization extended from Ropar in the North to the Valley of
Narmada and Tapi in the South and Merrut in the Upper Ganga
Yamuna Doab in the East to the Suktagendor on the Makran Coast
of the South Baluchistan in the West.

(B) Commercial relations.

Ans. The people of Indus valley maintained close commercial
relation with the outside world.
For the import of precious stones different metals and other
articles they had established commercial relations with Southern
India East India and Kashmir as well as with certain Central Asian
and western Asian countries.
 (C ) Buildings
Ans. Besides dwelling houses we find a huge and large buildings
such as Pillared Hall and Graineries.
It was an Assembly Hall which was used to carry on the business of
the state.
6. The Indus valley people made great progress in the field of
architecture describe briefly their:
(A) Dwelling Houses.
Ans. Indus Valley people constructed their houses according to
their plans.
There were various types of houses but all were solid,
brick_made,plain and far from artificial decoration.
Houses were made on raised platforms and generally had an upper
storey.
(B) Assembly Hall.
Ans. A high pillared Assembly hall has been excavated at Mohenjo
Daro it was 24.5 m by 24.5 m and was used for conducting the
business. of the state
(C ) Granary.
Ans. Granary was a huge building at Harappa and was 61.5 metres
by 15.5 metre in dimension. It was used to store grains.
(D) Great Bath.
Ans. Great Bath of Mohenjo Daro resembles a large swimming
pool.
It was 55 metre long and 35 metre wide with a swimming pool in
the centre.
The pool was 12 m × 7 m × 3.5 m with rooms and galleries all
around.
There were flight of stairs at each end.
It was fed by a nearby well and dirty water has been out through a
huge drain.
7. Use the following points and write the layout of the
Township of the Indus valley civilization:
(A) Their towns were well planned.
The Indus valley people lived in planned towns.
The towns had adequate arrangements for water supply.
Sanitation was also properly looked after.
Rubbish was thrown into dustbin.
(B) They had a perfect drainage system.
Ans. The Indus valley town had a well developed system of
drainage .
Each house had Soak pit soak pit from where water flowed into to
the underground Sewers outside.
Each house had a drain connected to the street drain that run
underground
They were covered with bricks and stones on the outside.

(C ) Among the buildings the Great Bath was a remarkable

construction.
Ans. The Great Bath of Mohenjo Daro resembles a large swimming
pool.
It was 55 metre long and 33m wide with swimming pool in the
Centre.
Rooms and galleries all around the pool.
There was flight of stairs at each end.
It was fed by a nearby well and dirty water was taken out through a
huge drain.