Module: | Archaeological Discovery & Civilization Decline
Q43: Consider the following statements regarding the role of tectonic disturbances and floods in the decline of specific Harappan cities:
1. Geological surveys suggest that major tectonic disturbances or earthquakes occurred in the region, which may have severely altered the floodplain or changed the course of the Indus River.
2. Excavations at Mohenjodaro reveal that the city was completely abandoned and never re-occupied after suffering its very first catastrophic flood event.
3. The tectonic uplift is theorized to have caused a massive pooling or damming of river water, which effectively drowned several mature Harappan settlements over extended periods.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. Excavations at Mohenjodaro reveal that the city was completely abandoned and never re-occupied after suffering its very first catastrophic flood event.
3. The tectonic uplift is theorized to have caused a massive pooling or damming of river water, which effectively drowned several mature Harappan settlements over extended periods.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: B
🎯 Quick Answer:
Option B is the correct answer because statement 2 is factually incorrect regarding the resilience of Mohenjodaro to flooding.Structural Breakdown: The Indus Valley sits near an active fault line.
Evidence suggests that tectonic uplift created natural dams across the Indus River.
This prevented the river from flowing to the sea, causing massive lakes to form which flooded the surrounding cities.
Historical/Related Context: When the natural dams eventually broke, the catastrophic release of water would have scoured the landscape, further destroying agricultural fields and infrastructure.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 2 is entirely false because the Harappans were master engineers who demonstrated incredible resilience.
Stratigraphic excavations at Mohenjodaro reveal multiple, distinct layers of silt, proving that the city was flooded and painstakingly rebuilt by its inhabitants at least seven different times before it was finally abandoned during the ultimate decline of the civilization.