SSC
A terracotta model of a plough has been found at which Harappan site in Haryana?
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Answer: Option A — Banawali
Detailed Solution
A terracotta (baked clay) model of a plough has been found at Banawali, a Harappan site in the Fatehabad district of Haryana.
About Banawali:
It is located on the dried-up bed of the Saraswati (Ghaggar) river system.
It was excavated in 1974 by R. S. Bisht of the Haryana State Department of Archaeology.
It shows three phases: pre-Harappan (early Harappan), Harappan (mature) and post-Harappan.
Its main features:
- The town was fortified and divided into parts, but unlike most Harappan cities, the citadel and the lower town were within the same fortification wall, separated by an inner wall.
- Its streets were not in the strict grid pattern of the larger cities; some roads ran diagonally ("radial" plan).
- It had no proper covered drainage system like the major cities.
- Finds include large quantities of barley, a fire altar, and seals and sealings.
- The plough model shows that the Harappans used ploughs to till the soil, probably drawn by oxen.
Agriculture of the Harappans:
- They grew wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, sesame, and in some places rice and millets.
- They grew cotton, and were among the earliest people to do so.
- They used ploughs, and in some areas canals or wells for irrigation; dams and reservoirs were used in the dry regions.
- Their surplus grain was stored in large buildings.
Other Harappan sites in Haryana:
- Bhirrana: one of the oldest sites, in Fatehabad district.
- Mitathal (Bhiwani district).
- Kunal (Fatehabad district).
About R. S. Bisht:
He also led excavations at another major Harappan site in Kachchh, Gujarat.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Rakhigarhi, Bhirrana and Mitathal are other Harappan sites in Haryana, but the plough model is associated with Banawali.
Quick tip
Remember: terracotta plough model = Banawali (Fatehabad district, Haryana; excavated by R. S. Bisht, 1974; barley; radial street plan).
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Indus Valley Civilisation — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indus Valley Civilisation, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilisation was one of the world's earliest urban civilisations, flourishing around 2500-1900 BCE. This topic covers its major sites, town planning, drainage, seals, script, trade, crafts, religious beliefs and the theories about its decline. Questions mostly link a site to its feature or its present-day location: the Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro, the dockyard at Lothal (Gujarat), the ploughed field at Kalibangan (Rajasthan) and the water reservoirs at Dholavira. Remember that Harappa was the first site excavated, by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921, and that the Harappan script has still not been deciphered. Practise the Indus Valley Civilisation questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.