Q. Consider the following pairs:

1. Burzahom : Rock-cut shrines
2. Chandraketugarh : Terracotta art
3. Ganeshwar : Copper artefacts

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? (UPSC Prelims 2021)
Answer: 2 and 3
Notes: The correct answer is [D] 2 and 3. These sites represent distinct phases and artistic traditions of ancient Indian history, ranging from the Neolithic to the Early Historic period.

• Burzahom (Pair 1 – Incorrect): Located in Jammu and Kashmir, Burzahom is a famous Neolithic site. It is well-known for its pit-dwellings, unique stone and bone tools, and burials featuring domestic dogs with their masters. It does not have rock-cut shrines; rock-cut architecture in India began much later, during the Mauryan period (e.g., Barabar Caves).
• Chandraketugarh (Pair 2 – Correct): Situated in West Bengal, this site was a major urban center from the Mauryan to the Gupta periods. It is world-renowned for its exquisite terracotta art, including plaques depicting various themes like social life, eroticism, and religious deities.
• Ganeshwar (Pair 3 – Correct): Located in Rajasthan, Ganeshwar is the type-site for the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture. It is a major Chalcolithic site known for a vast wealth of copper artefacts, such as arrowheads, spearheads, and bangles. It is believed that this site supplied copper objects to the Harappans.

Historically, the identification of these sites helps archaeologists map the transition from stone-tool-using communities to metal-using and eventually urban civilizations in the Indian subcontinent.