SSC
The Neolithic site of Burzahom is located in:
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Answer: Option B — Jammu and Kashmir
Detailed Solution
Burzahom is a Neolithic (New Stone Age) archaeological site located about 16 km north-east of Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir.
About Burzahom:
The name means "place of birch" in Kashmiri.
It was first explored in 1935 by Helmut de Terra and T. T. Paterson.
It was excavated in detail by the Archaeological Survey of India from 1960 to 1971, under T. N. Khazanchi.
It was occupied from about 3000 BCE to about 1000 BCE, in several phases (Neolithic, Megalithic and later).
Important features:
Pit-dwellings: in the earliest phase, people lived in circular or oval pits dug into the ground, possibly to protect themselves from the cold. Steps led down into the pits, and post-holes show that they had roofs.
Burials: the dead were buried in pits, sometimes within the dwelling area. In some burials, domestic dogs and wild animals were buried along with their human masters. This practice is unusual in Indian Neolithic sites.
Tools: polished stone axes, bone tools (such as needles, awls and harpoons) and a rectangular stone knife with holes (a "harvester").
Coarse grey pottery.
A stone slab engraved with a hunting scene and objects that suggest contact with Central Asia and China.
Evidence of trepanation (drilling holes in the skull) was found on some skulls.
Gufkral, another Neolithic site in Kashmir, is similar to Burzahom; its name means "cave of the potter".
Other Neolithic sites in India:
- Mehrgarh (now in Pakistan): one of the earliest farming sites in South Asia.
- Chirand (Bihar): known for bone tools.
- Koldihwa and Mahagara (Uttar Pradesh): early evidence of rice cultivation.
- Daojali Hading (Assam).
- Brahmagiri, Maski, Piklihal and Utnur (Karnataka).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Himachal Pradesh is not known for a Neolithic site like Burzahom.
- ✗Bihar has the Neolithic site of Chirand.
- ✗Karnataka has Neolithic sites such as Brahmagiri and Utnur.
Quick tip
Remember: Burzahom = Kashmir, near Srinagar (Neolithic; pit-dwellings; dogs buried with humans; excavated by T. N. Khazanchi); Gufkral = Kashmir; Chirand = Bihar; Mehrgarh = Pakistan.
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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.