Module: General Practice
Q25: Consider the following statements regarding the presence and adaptation of Harappan artifacts in foreign lands:
1. Distinctive Harappan artifacts, including classic square steatite seals, dice, and standardized chert weights, have been excavated from various urban sites across Mesopotamia.
2. In Mesopotamia, archaeologists have discovered locally made cylinder seals that feature quintessential Harappan motifs, such as the humped bull.
3. The discovery of Harappan seals in Mesopotamia confirms that the Harappan script was eventually deciphered and adopted as the primary administrative language by the Mesopotamian kings.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. In Mesopotamia, archaeologists have discovered locally made cylinder seals that feature quintessential Harappan motifs, such as the humped bull.
3. The discovery of Harappan seals in Mesopotamia confirms that the Harappan script was eventually deciphered and adopted as the primary administrative language by the Mesopotamian kings.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option A is the correct answer because statement 3 is a complete historical fabrication regarding the decipherment and adoption of the Harappan script.Structural Breakdown: Finding classic Harappan square seals and chert weights in cities like Ur demonstrates direct merchant activity.
However, the discovery of cylinder seals (the standard Mesopotamian shape) carved with Harappan motifs (like the humped bull) indicates a deeper level of cultural syncretism, where foreign artisans adapted Harappan imagery for local use.
Historical/Related Context: Harappan merchants likely lived in Mesopotamian cities, requiring their own seals and weights to guarantee the authenticity and exact quantity of the goods they were trading in the local markets.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 3 is false.
The Harappan script remains completely undeciphered to this day.
There is absolutely no textual or archaeological evidence that Mesopotamian kings ever adopted it.
The Mesopotamians maintained their own complex cuneiform writing system for all administrative, legal, and royal documents.