Module: General Practice
Q21: Consider the following statements regarding the Mesopotamian textual references to Harappan trade networks:
1. Mesopotamian cuneiform texts from the third millennium BCE refer to copper being imported from a region called Magan, which historians widely identify as present-day Oman.
2. These same texts refer to the Harappan civilization by the name Meluhha, explicitly describing it as a land of seafarers.
3. The specific products mentioned in Mesopotamian texts as originating from Meluhha include high-value items such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold, and varieties of wood.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. These same texts refer to the Harappan civilization by the name Meluhha, explicitly describing it as a land of seafarers.
3. The specific products mentioned in Mesopotamian texts as originating from Meluhha include high-value items such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold, and varieties of wood.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: D
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option D is the correct answer, as all three statements accurately reflect the historical textual evidence of Harappan-Mesopotamian trade.Structural Breakdown: The Mesopotamian geographical worldview during this era divided their eastern trade partners into three main zones: Dilmun (the island of Bahrain), Magan (the Oman peninsula), and Meluhha (the Indus Valley). Historical/Related Context: A famous Mesopotamian myth features a blessing that mentions the "Haja-bird" of Meluhha, which many historians and archaeo-ornithologists believe refers to the Indian peacock, based on its distinct call.
Causal Reasoning: The explicit mention of Meluhha as a "land of seafarers" and the extensive list of luxury imports in Mesopotamian administrative texts prove that the Harappans possessed the advanced maritime technology and economic surplus necessary to sustain a complex, long-distance maritime export economy.