Module: | Archaeological Discovery & Civilization Decline
Q41: Consider the following statements regarding the chronology and geographical shifting of the Late Harappan phase:
1. By approximately 1900 BCE, archaeological evidence indicates that most mature Harappan sites in regions such as Cholistan had been completely abandoned.
2. Coinciding with this abandonment, there was a noticeable expansion of population and new settlements eastward and southward into Gujarat, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
3. The material culture of this newly settled post-urban phase remained identical to the mature phase, retaining the widespread use of standardized weights, seals, and specialized beads.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. Coinciding with this abandonment, there was a noticeable expansion of population and new settlements eastward and southward into Gujarat, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
3. The material culture of this newly settled post-urban phase remained identical to the mature phase, retaining the widespread use of standardized weights, seals, and specialized beads.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option A is the correct answer because statement 3 is factually incorrect regarding the material culture of the Late Harappan phase.Structural Breakdown: The timeline is clear: around 1900 BCE, the core mature regions began to empty out.
The population did not vanish; they migrated, causing an expansion of rural settlements in peripheral zones like Gujarat and western UP.
Historical/Related Context: This transitional period is sometimes referred to as the Localization Era.
The massive, interconnected trade networks collapsed, forcing people to rely on localized, rural subsistence farming rather than urban craft production.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 3 is entirely false.
The defining characteristic of the Late Harappan phase is the "disappearance of the distinctive artifacts of the civilization." Standardized chert weights, steatite seals, specialized lapis lazuli beads, and even writing completely vanished, reflecting the total collapse of the complex urban economy that previously demanded these administrative and luxury tools.