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Question 48 of 63 · Indus Valley Civilisation
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The skull of an early human (Homo erectus or archaic Homo), known as 'Narmada Man', was found at which site?

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Answer: Option D — Hathnora

Detailed Solution

The fossil skull known as the "Narmada Man" (or "Narmada Human") was found at Hathnora, on the banks of the Narmada river, in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh.

About the discovery:

  • It was discovered on 5 December 1982 by Arun Sonakia, a geologist of the Geological Survey of India.
  • It is the only fossil skull of an early human found so far in India.
  • It was found in gravel deposits of the Narmada, along with Acheulian stone tools (handaxes and cleavers) and fossils of animals.

How it is classified:

  • It was first described as "Homo erectus narmadensis".
  • Later studies suggested that it may belong to an "archaic Homo sapiens" or a related species, with features of both Homo erectus and later humans.
  • Its age is uncertain; estimates range from about 2.5 lakh to 7 lakh years ago or more.

Other fossils found at Hathnora:

  • Parts of a clavicle (collar bone) and a rib, probably of a different individual.
  • Fossils of elephants, hippopotamus, horses, cattle and deer.

About the Narmada valley:

  • The Narmada valley is very rich in Palaeolithic sites and animal fossils.
  • It is one of the most important regions for the study of early humans in India.

Early humans in India:

  • Stone tools in India go back to well over a million years.
  • Early humans were hunter-gatherers who used fire and made tools of stone, bone and wood.
  • Modern humans (Homo sapiens) probably reached India about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, or perhaps earlier.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Bhimbetka is famous for rock shelters and paintings.
  • ✗Attirampakkam is an Acheulian site near Chennai.
  • ✗Didwana is a Palaeolithic site in Rajasthan.

Quick tip

Remember: "Narmada Man" = Hathnora (Sehore district, MP; found by Arun Sonakia in 1982); India's only early human fossil skull.

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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.

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