Module: | Society, Religion & Burial Practices
Q33: Consider the following statements regarding the archaeological classification of utilitarian and luxury artifacts:
1. Archaeologists classify everyday objects made of ordinary materials like stone or clay, such as saddle querns, pottery, and flesh rubbers, as utilitarian goods.
2. Luxury goods are identified as rare objects that are made either from non-local materials or produced through highly complicated technologies.
3. Utilitarian goods were strictly confined to the massive Citadel of Mohenjodaro, while luxury goods were scattered exclusively throughout the Lower Town.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. Luxury goods are identified as rare objects that are made either from non-local materials or produced through highly complicated technologies.
3. Utilitarian goods were strictly confined to the massive Citadel of Mohenjodaro, while luxury goods were scattered exclusively throughout the Lower Town.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option A is the correct answer because statement 3 presents a complete reversal and factual error regarding the spatial distribution of artifacts.In contrast, luxury items include little pots of faience.
Faience was considered a luxury because the technology to make it—grinding sand or silica, mixing it with color and gum, and firing it—was difficult and resource-intensive.
Historical/Related Context: The spatial distribution of these items helps identify centers of wealth.
Unlike utilitarian items, which are ubiquitous, luxury items are generally concentrated in larger urban centers.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 3 is false.
Utilitarian goods, being everyday necessities for survival and daily chores, were distributed uniformly throughout all areas, including the Lower Town where the majority of the population lived.
Conversely, rare luxury goods were usually concentrated in the larger cities and often associated with the wealthier or administrative classes, not isolated in the Lower Town.