Module: | Archaeological Discovery & Civilization Decline
Q50: Consider the following statements regarding the impact of the 1947 partition on Harappan archaeology and modern exploration:
1. The partition of the subcontinent in 1947 resulted in the vast majority of the known mature Harappan sites, including Mohenjodaro and Harappa, falling within the new borders of Pakistan.
2. This massive geographical loss spurred Indian archaeologists to conduct extensive new surveys within Indian territory, leading to the discovery of major settlements in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
3. Since the 1980s, international interest has completely vanished, and modern excavations at Harappan sites are strictly conducted by the ASI without any foreign collaboration or modern scientific techniques.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. This massive geographical loss spurred Indian archaeologists to conduct extensive new surveys within Indian territory, leading to the discovery of major settlements in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
3. Since the 1980s, international interest has completely vanished, and modern excavations at Harappan sites are strictly conducted by the ASI without any foreign collaboration or modern scientific techniques.
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 current state of international collaboration and scientific methodology.Structural Breakdown: When the borders were drawn, the core Indus Valley region went to Pakistan, depriving India of the civilization's namesake sites.
To compensate, Indian archaeologists launched aggressive surveys eastward and southward, successfully uncovering hundreds of new Late and Mature Harappan sites in places like Lothal, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, and Dholavira.
Historical/Related Context: Archaeology is a continuously evolving discipline.
While the early decades focused on discovering large urban centers, modern archaeology is increasingly focused on micro-analysis, environmental data, and understanding the lives of common people.
Causal Reasoning: Statement 3 is entirely false.
Since the 1980s, there has been a massive surge in international interest.
Specialists from all over the world routinely collaborate with Indian and Pakistani archaeologists, employing highly advanced scientific techniques such as surface exploration, paleobotany, and isotopic analysis to recover minute traces of ancient environments, diets, and trade routes.