Ancient Indian History MCQs

Notes:
The silver coins issued by the Guptas were called Rupaka. The silver coin was called Rupaka based on Sakas of Ujjaini weighing 32-36 grains. The Gupta gold coins are known as Dinars.

Notes:
The Vedangas are six limbs of the Vedas. Kalpa Vedanga includes the Srauta Sutra (rituals of sacrifices), Grihya Sutra (domestic rites), Dharma Sutra (ethics and laws), and Sulba Sutra (measurements for sacrificial altars). Panini’s Vyakarana refers to grammar. Nirukta deals with etymology. Shiksha focuses on phonetics and pronunciation.

Notes:
The Saka Era was founded by Kanishka, the emperor of Kushana Empire. It started from the year 78 A.D. The national calendar is based on the Saka Era. Its first month is Chaitra. It starts from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes: Gazette of India. News broadcast by All India Radio.

Notes:
The important non-Harappan chalcolithic cultures are

1. Banas culture (2600BC–1900 BC) in south-east Rajasthan, with Ahar near Udaipur and Gilund as its key-sites
2. Kayatha culture (2100BC–2000 BC) with Kayatha in Chambal as its chief site in Madhya Pradesh;
3. Malwa Culture (1700BC–1400BC) with Navdatoli in Western Madhya Pradesh as an important site
4. Jorwe culture (1400BC– 700BC) with Inamgaon and Chandoli near Pune in Maharashtra as its chief centres

Notes:
Silver made its earliest known appearance in the region historically known as India before any other part of the ancient world according to current evidence. Ornaments, beads, vessels, and figurines of nearly pure silver have been discovered from Harappan Phase sites. Silver mines located in northwest India supplied the material that skilled metal smiths fashioned into prestigious goods signaling wealth. The technology spread beyond South Asia later.

Notes:
Seals from Indus Valley sites uncovered in Mesopotamia—modern day Iraq—have been invaluable in establishing chronological benchmarks for the civilization. Specific seals naming rulers and officials that have been found in archeologically dated Mesopotamian layers provide precise 1st millennium BCE dates. They prove extensive maritime trade links.

Notes:

Upveda refers to applied knowledge. They are traditional literatures which contain the subjects of certain technical works.
The Upveda of Samaveda is called the Gandhraveda.

Notes:
The mention of the ‘Great Flood’ is found in the Satpatha Brahamana. The Satpatha Brahamana contains detailed explanations of Vedic sacrificial rituals, symbolism and mythology.

Notes:
The first Buddhist council was conducted soon after the Mahaparinirvana of Gautam Buddha. It was conducted in the saptaparni cave situated in Rajgriha. The president of the first Buddhist council was monk Mahakassapa.

Notes:
Introduction of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states during the sixth century BCE to become
very large, and they came to be called Mahajanapadas meaning large territorial states, in North India.