Module: General Practice
Q17: Consider the following statements regarding the engineering of massive sewers and the use of the corbelled arch in Harappan cities:
1. To cover the exceptionally wide main sewers at major junctions, Harappan engineers utilized a roofing technique known as the corbelled arch.
2. The corbelled arch was constructed by staggering outward projecting layers of bricks from both sides of the drain until the gap could be closed by a single spanning brick.
3. Despite the advanced nature of this architectural technique, archaeological evidence confirms that such elaborate drainage systems were exclusively limited to the capital city of Mohenjodaro.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. The corbelled arch was constructed by staggering outward projecting layers of bricks from both sides of the drain until the gap could be closed by a single spanning brick.
3. Despite the advanced nature of this architectural technique, archaeological evidence confirms that such elaborate drainage systems were exclusively limited to the capital city of Mohenjodaro.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option A is correct because statement 3 is factually false regarding the geographical limitation of the drainage systems.Structural Breakdown: True arches (using wedge-shaped voussoirs and a keystone) were not common in the Harappan civilization.
Instead, to cover wide drains where a single limestone block or brick would break under the weight of the street above, they used corbelling.
Bricks were stepped gradually inward from the vertical walls until the span was narrow enough to be capped.
Historical/Related Context: While Mohenjodaro features some of the most spectacular examples of corbelled main drains, this civic amenity was not exclusive to it.
Advanced drainage has been found across the civilization, including at smaller sites like Kalibangan and Lothal.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 3 is incorrect because the Harappan civilization was characterized by an astonishing degree of standardization.
The implementation of public sanitation infrastructure was a universal civic mandate across both large metropolises and smaller provincial towns, rather than a luxury reserved only for the capital.