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Evidence of the cultivation of coarse cereals (millets) and early iron in south India has been found at:
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Answer: Option B — Hallur
Detailed Solution
Hallur, on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in the Haveri district of Karnataka, has given evidence of the cultivation of coarse cereals (millets) and of early iron.
About Hallur:
It was excavated in the 1960s by M. S. Nagaraja Rao of the Karnataka Department of Archaeology.
It shows two main phases: a Neolithic-Chalcolithic phase and an Iron Age (megalithic) phase.
Coarse cereals at Hallur:
- Remains of millets, such as finger millet (ragi) and others, have been reported from the site.
- This is among the early evidence of millet cultivation in south India.
- Millets, which grow well in dry areas with little water, were important crops for early farmers of the Deccan.
Early iron at Hallur:
- Iron objects, such as arrowheads and spearheads, were found in the early Iron Age levels.
- Radiocarbon dates suggested that iron may have been used there by about 1000 BCE or earlier, which made it one of the early iron-using sites in south India.
About millets:
- Millets include jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), ragi (finger millet) and several minor millets.
- They are called "coarse cereals" or "nutri-cereals" because they are rich in fibre, minerals and vitamins.
- India proposed, and the United Nations declared, 2023 as the "International Year of Millets".
- India is the world's largest producer of millets.
Other important Neolithic sites of south India:
- Brahmagiri, Maski, Piklihal, Sanganakallu, Tekkalakota (Karnataka).
- Utnur (Andhra Pradesh): ash mounds, probably formed by burning cattle dung.
- Paiyampalli (Tamil Nadu).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Brahmagiri is a Neolithic and megalithic site.
- ✗Paiyampalli is a Neolithic site in Tamil Nadu.
- ✗Utnur is known for its ash mounds.
Quick tip
Remember: Hallur = Karnataka (Haveri district, on the Tungabhadra; early millets and early iron); 2023 = International Year of Millets.
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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.