With reference to the Harappan Civilisation, consider the following statements:
- 1. The Harappan script was an exact replica of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian scripts, indicating their cultural links.
- 2. The use of standard weights and measures throughout the civilisation represented the uniformity of the Harappan culture.
- 3. Harappan pottery was mostly handmade, as they were unaware of the potter's wheel.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
- AAll three
- BOnly two
- COnly one
- DNone of the above
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (c) Only one
Explanation
Only statement 2 is correct.
- Statement 1 is wrong: the Harappan script is a script of its own, made of pictographic signs, and it is still undeciphered. It is not a copy of Egyptian hieroglyphs or Mesopotamian cuneiform.
- Statement 2 is correct: the same system of weights and measures was used across the civilisation. The weights, mostly cubes of chert, followed a binary series (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 …) and then decimal multiples, which helped trade and control.
- Statement 3 is wrong: most Harappan pottery was wheel-made. The Harappans used a fast potter's wheel and made large amounts of red pottery painted in black.