Ancient Indian History MCQs
Multiple Choice Quiz Questions (MCQs) on Ancient Indian History for General Studies and GK preparation of SSC, NDA, CDS, UPSC, UPPSC and State PSC Examinations.
11. What was the name given to Ravi river by historians of Alexander?
[A] Hydasphus
[B] Hydraster
[C] Arjikiya
[D] Vipasha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Hydraster ]
Notes:
Ravi river was called as ‘Hydraster’ and ‘Rhouadis’ by the historians of Alexander.
12. Who is given the credit of the discovery of the first Palaeolith in India?
[A] De Terra and Paterson
[B] Burkitt
[C] H D Sankalia
[D] Robert Bruce Foote
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Robert Bruce Foote]
Notes:
Robert Bruce Foote was a British geologist and archaeologist who conducted geological surveys of prehistoric locations in India for the Geological Survey of India.
13. Which of the following clearly defines Lothal? (UPSC Prelims 1982)
[A] A closed water system
[B] A poisonous gas
[C] A place in Gujarat where excavations have established a link with the Indus Valley civilization
[D] Legal action taken against defectors
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [A place in Gujarat where excavations have established a link with the Indus Valley civilization]
Notes:
Lothal was one of the southernmost cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization located in the modern state of Gujarat. It was first excavated in 1957 by S R Rao. The notable structures at Lothal include a dockyard and warehouse.
14. Which one of the following was the contemporary Bengal king during the time of Harsha of Kannauj? (UPSC Prelims 1990)
[A] Bhaskaravarman
[B] Divakaramitra
[C] Devagupta
[D] Sasanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Sasanka]
Notes:
Sasanka was the contemporary Bengal king during the time of Harsha of Kannauj. He created the first separate political entity in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, called the Gauda Kingdom and is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in 7th century AD, and some historians place his rule approximately between 590 AD and 625 AD.
15. In which one of the following inscriptions is Ashoka mentioned by name? (UPSC Prelims 1990)
[A] Major Rock edict at Girnar
[B] Minor Rock inscription at Maski
[C] Bairat inscription
[D] Lamghan inscription
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Minor Rock inscription at Maski]
Notes:
The Maski inscriptions were found in Maski village in the Raichur district of Karnataka. These inscriptions are etched on a boulder and cave walls in Brahmi script. The significance of the Maski inscriptions is that they provided definitive evidence linking Ashoka to the title “Devanampriya” (Beloved of the Gods). The text includes the name “Devanampriya Ashoka”, clearly establishing the connection. Other inscriptions like the Gujarra Rock Edict from Madhya Pradesh do mention titles like “Devanampiya Piyadasi Asokaraja”.
16. Which one of the following shows the earliest evidence of silver in India? (UPSC Prelims 1994)
[A] Harappan culture
[B] Chalcolithic cultures of Western India
[C] Vedic texts
[D] Silver punch-marked coins
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Harappan culture]
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.
17. What the ‘Mrichchhakatika’ an ancient Indian book written by Shudraka deals with? (UPSC Prelims 2003)
[A] The love affair of a rich merchant with the daughter of a courtesan
[B] The victory of Chandragupta II over the Shaka Kshat-rapas of western India
[C] The military expeditions and exploits of Samudragupta
[D] The love affair between a Gupta King and a princess of Kamarupa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [The love affair of a rich merchant with the daughter of a courtesan]
Notes:
Mrichchhakatika (The Clay Court) is a Sanskrit play written by Shudraka in 2nd C BC. It is about a young man named Charudatta, and his love for Vasantasena, a rich courtesan.
18. The most common materials used for the Harappan stone sculptures are:
[A] Hard sandstone
[B] Grey stone
[C] White marble
[D] Steatite
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [White marble]
Notes:
Soft limestone and white marble were the most abundantly used raw materials for crafting the excavated stone sculptures of Harappan civilization. Artisans shaped and engraved steatite, serpentine, and terracotta as well. The statuettes portray deities, priests, dancers, mortals, animals both real and mythical like unicorns. Grey sandstone was used for the important early seals while copper smelting produced bronze images.
19. From which of the following places People of Indus valley civilization obtained Tin?
[A] Persia
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Bihar
[D] Central Asia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bihar]
Notes:
Tin was obtained by the Indus Valley people from present-day Bihar and Odisha through trading networks. Though not locally available, tin ores from these eastern regions supplemented copper in the production of bronze. The first known use of tin-bronze in the subcontinent comes from 4th millennium BCE sites like Mehrgarh showing the metal’s early significance for Indus craftspeople.
20. Who among the following archaeologists wrote “Indra is accused of causing the decline of Indus civilization”?
[A] Sir John Marshall
[B] Sir M E M Wheeler
[C] Dr S R Rao
[D] Dr Sankhalia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sir M E M Wheeler]
Notes:
It was the renowned British archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler who stated “Indra stands accused” in 1968. He lent support to the theory that Indra, the storm god of the Rig Veda, was used as a weapon by invading Aryans who ostensibly caused the collapse of cities like Mohenjo-Daro. This FIT (foreign invader theory) is no longer accepted with most scholars citing climate factors for the decline.
