Ancient Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Lumbini Pillar Edict in Nepal is known as the Rummindei Pillar Inscription .The Lumbini Pillar Edict recorded that sometime after the twentieth year of his reign, Ashoka travelled to the Buddha’s birthplace and personally made offerings. He then had a stone pillar set up and reduced the taxes of the people in that area. It talks about the taxation of ashoka.

Notes:
The term Yuehzhi refers to nomadic people originally living in northwest China who moved to Central Asia in circa second century BC. The Kushana were a branch of these people, who reached the subcontinent in circa first century BCE.

Notes:
The language of this question may be ambiguous. If we talk about the Archaeological evidence of deity worship, then we find traces of Puja rituals and worship of idols in temples from Gupta Empire era (i.e. 4th century AD). The Gupta Period was marked by great transformation in Hinduism and Buddhism. This period is known for wide prevalence of worship of ‘Shakti’ and specification of images of different gods and goddesses that were incorporated from Puranas. The cult of Kartikeya and Ganesha was also very prominent during that period.

Notes:
Variety of metals such as copper, gold, silver was extensively used by the Harappan metal workers. Minor metals like tin, arsenic, lead, antimony etc. were used for alloying. They had also perfected the intricate cireperdue or lost wax technique of metal casting as early as the third millennium BCE.

Notes:
Tamralipta or Tamralipti was the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal corresponding with Tamluk in modern-day India. Tamralipta may have been one of the most important urban centres of trade and commerce of early historic India, trading along the Silk Road with China, by Uttarapatha, the northern high road, the main trade route into the Middle East and Europe; and by seafaring routes to Bali, Java and the Far East.

Notes:
At its peak extent during the Mature Harappan phase from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE, the territorial spread of the Indus Valley civilization represented a triangular shape or region. Its apex was near the current city of Delhi, with the base spanning between southern Afghanistan and western India along Indus tributaries like Hakra Ghaggar, while the coast of the Arabian sea marked the hypotenuse. This triangulation enclosed the area hosting the densest concentration of Indus settlements. Trade networks extended influences beyond.

Notes:
The Brahuis are an ethnic tribe community currently found residing in Balochistan region located in western Pakistan. Genetic evidence and oral history suggests they are possibly descendants of or have intermingled ancestry with the original Harappan people after their civilization declined.

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Excavations at Kalibangan settlement in Rajasthan revealed unique flooring in several houses made of thick baked bricks arranged in geometric patterns showing intersecting circles and squares. These designs proved the Harappan mastery over brick technology and aesthetics for home decoration.

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During the Rig Vedic period the unit of currency was niskha. It was made of gold. During the Rig Vedic Age barter system was the model of exchange and the cow was an important unit of value.

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The Rig Veda was recently included by the UNESCO in the list of literature signifying World Human Heritage. The Rig Vedic hymns are dedicated to various deities like Indra, Agni, Soma etc.