GK Questions, The Harappan Civilization: Writing essays and responding to objective questions require the ability to analyze political, social, and economic developments, which history offers as a basis. Furthermore, issues pertaining to international relations, policies, and heritage all have connections to current events. A solid understanding of historical chronology, significant personalities, and movements (such as the freedom struggle) improves exam scores and facilitates interview preparation. History is essential for candidates since it not only helps them get good grades but also helps them comprehend India’s identity and problems on a deeper level.
In this post, we’ve compiled 50 Most Important GK MCQs on The Harappan Civilization with detailed answers. These questions are ideal for aspirants preparing for UPSC, SSC, Railway, CDS, NDA, State PSC, and other government exams. Understanding these facts not only strengthens your static GK but also gives an edge in History, Art & Culture sections.
Multiple-Choice Questions
Harappan Civilization
1. The Harappan Civilization is dated approximately between:
a) 3200–1300 BCE
b) 2600–1900 BCE
c) 4500–2500 BCE
d) 1800–1000 BCE
2. The Harappan Civilization is also known as:
a) Vedic Civilization
b) Bronze Age Civilization
c) Iron Age Civilization
d) Neolithic Civilization
3. Which phase is considered the Mature Harappan phase?
a) Early Harappan
b) Mature Harappan (c. 2600–1900 BCE)
c) Late Harappan
d) Pre-Harappan
4. The Harappan Civilization was the first urban civilization in:
a) Europe
b) South Asia
c) Africa
d) Mesopotamia
5. Harappan Civilization spread over an area of about:
a) 2,000 sq km
b) 8,00,000 sq km
c) 12,000 sq km
d) 50,000 sq km
6. Which of the following was NOT a characteristic of the Mature Harappan phase?
a) Full-fledged urban civilization
b) Grid-pattern town planning
c) Use of iron tools
d) It is called the urban phase of Harappan Civilization
7. The Citadel in Harappan cities generally contained:
a) Common residential areas
b) Public buildings, granaries, and important workshops
c) Markets only
d) Agricultural fields
8. The Lower Town in Harappan cities was meant for:
a) Common citizens
b) Priests
c) Kings
d) Foreign traders
9. The streets in Harappan cities generally ran:
a) In circular pattern
b) North–South and East–West (grid pattern)
c) Diagonally
d) Randomly
10. The average width of the main streets in Harappan cities was:
a) 5 meters
b) 10 meters
c) 15 meters
d) 20 meters
11. The unique feature of brick ratio used in Harappan structures was:
a) 1:2:3
b) 1:2:4
c) 1:3:5
d) 2:3:4
12. The Great Bath was discovered at:
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
13. Houses in Harappan cities generally had:
a) Windows facing the street
b) No windows facing the street
c) Open courtyards only
d) Thatched roofs
14. Evidence of tiled bathrooms has been found in:
a) Some houses
b) Public buildings only
c) Granaries
d) None of the above
15. The Harappans were experts in:
a) Hand-made pottery
b) Potter’s wheel-made pottery
c) Stone carving only
d) Woodwork
16. The famous “Dancing Girl” statue is made of:
a) Gold
b) Bronze
c) Terracotta
d) Ivory
17. The “Pashupati Seal” depicts a figure surrounded by:
a) Plants
b) Animals (elephant, tiger, rhino, buffalo)
c) Birds
d) Fish
18. The Harappan script was:
a) Pictographic
b) Alphabetic
c) Syllabic
d) Hieroglyphic
19. The Harappan script is generally written from:
a) Left to right
b) Right to left
c) Top to bottom
d) In circles
20. Which metal was NOT used by the Harappans?
a) Copper
b) Bronze
c) Iron
d) Gold
21. The Harappans grew which of the following crops?
a) Rice, Wheat, Barley
b) Maize
c) Sugarcane
d) All of the above
22. The first civilization to cultivate cotton was:
a) Egyptian
b) Mesopotamian
c) Harappan
d) Chinese
23. The Harappans used which method of trade?
a) Currency
b) Barter system
c) Coins
d) Paper money
24. The dockyard in the Harappan Civilization was located at:
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
25. Standardized weights followed a system based on:
a) 5, 10, 15
b) 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 up to 12,800
c) 10, 20, 30
d) 100, 200, 300
26. The standard Harappan seal was:
a) Circular
b) Square / oblong
c) Triangular
d) Hexagonal
27. The famous unicorn seal has been found abundantly at:
a) Mohenjo-Daro
b) Harappa
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
28. Evidence of fire altars has been found at:
a) Mohenjo-Daro
b) Kalibangan and Lothal
c) Harappa
d) Banawali
29. The “Great Bath” is associated with:
a) Recreation
b) Ritual bathing
c) Water storage
d) Swimming competition
30. The Harappan religion is generally considered:
a) Monotheistic
b) Secular with no temple structures
c) Polytheistic with grand temples
d) Animistic only
31. The figure on the Pashupati seal is interpreted as:
a) A king
b) Proto-Shiva (Pashupati Mahadeva)
c) A priest
d) A warrior
32. Lingam and Yoni worship is associated with:
a) Mother Goddess
b) Cult of fertility
c) Animal worship
d) Fire worship
33. Dead bodies in Harappan civilization were generally placed in:
a) East–West direction
b) North–South direction
c) Sitting position
d) Standing position
34. The most common method of burial among Harappans was:
a) Cremation
b) Complete burial
c) Exposure to birds
d) Burial in water
35. The Harappans imported Lapis Lazuli from:
a) Afghanistan
b) Iran
c) Mesopotamia
d) Egypt
36. Copper was mainly obtained from:
a) Rajasthan
b) Khetri (Rajasthan), Baluchistan
c) South India
d) Gujarat
37. The Harappans exported goods to:
a) Rome
b) Greece
c) Mesopotamia
d) China
38. The famous “Bearded Man” statue is from:
a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-Daro
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
39. The Harappan Civilization declined around:
a) 2600 BCE
b) 1900 BCE
c) 1500 BCE
d) 1000 BCE
40. The Late Harappan phase is also known as:
a) Urban phase
b) Post-urban / Localization phase
c) Mature phase
d) Early phase
41. The Harappan seals were primarily made of:
a) Terracotta
b) Steatite
c) Ivory
d) Bronze
42. The “Priest-King” statue is made of:
a) Steatite
b) Limestone
c) Terracotta
d) Marble
43. The Harappan drainage system was:
a) Open drains
b) Covered with bricks
c) Made of wood
d) Absent
44. The largest Harappan site in India is:
a) Mohenjo-Daro
b) Rakhigarhi
c) Dholavira
d) Lothal
45. The only Harappan site with a dockyard is:
a) Kalibangan
b) Banawali
c) Lothal
d) Surkotada
46. Evidence of ploughing fields has been found at:
a) Harappa
b) Kalibangan
c) Lothal
d) Mohenjo-Daro
47. The Harappan civilization had trade relations with:
a) Egypt
b) Mesopotamia (Dilmun, Makan, Meluha)
c) China
d) Greece
48. The Harappans used burnt bricks of ratio:
a) 1:2:3
b) 1:2:4
c) 2:3:4
d) 1:3:5
49. The Harappan civilization is a part of:
a) Iron Age
b) Bronze Age
c) Chalcolithic Age
d) Neolithic Age
50. The Harappan script remains:
a) Fully deciphered
b) Undeciphered
c) Deciphered in Sanskrit
d) Written in Brahmi
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Answer Key
| Sl No | Answer Key | Sl No | Answer Key |
| 1 | B . 2600–1900 BCE | 26 | B . Square / oblong |
| 2 | B . Bronze Age Civilization | 27 | A . Mohenjo |
| 3 | B . Mature Harappan (c. 2600-1900 BCE) | 28 | B . Kalibangan and Lothal |
| 4 | B . South Asia | 29 | B . Ritual bathing |
| 5 | B . 8,00,000 sq km | 30 | B . Secular with no temple structures |
| 6 | C . Use of iron tools | 31 | B . Proto |
| 7 | B . Public buildings, granaries, and important workshops | 32 | B . Cult of fertility |
| 8 | A . Common citizens | 33 | B . North |
| 9 | B . North | 34 | B . Complete burial |
| 10 | B . 10 meters | 35 | A . Afghanistan |
| 11 | B . 1:2:4 | 36 | B . Khetri mines (Rajasthan) and Baluchistan |
| 12 | B . Mohenjo | 37 | C . Mesopotamia |
| 13 | B . No windows facing the street | 38 | B . Mohenjo |
| 14 | A . Some houses | 39 | B . 1900 BCE |
| 15 | B . Potter’s wheel | 40 | B . Post |
| 16 | B . Bronze | 41 | B . Steatite |
| 17 | B . Animals (elephant, tiger, rhino, buffalo) | 42 | A . Steatite |
| 18 | A . Pictographic | 43 | B . Covered with bricks |
| 19 | B . Right to left | 44 | B . Rakhigarhi |
| 20 | C . Iron | 45 | C . Lothal |
| 21 | A . Rice, Wheat, Barley, Peas, Lentils, Sesame, Mustard | 46 | B . Kalibangan |
| 22 | C . Harappan | 47 | B . Dilmun, Makan, Meluha |
| 23 | B . Barter system | 48 | B . 1:2:4 |
| 24 | C . Lothal | 49 | B . Bronze Age |
| 25 | B . 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 up to 12,800 | 50 | B . Undeciphered |
Tips for Aspirants – Why These GK Questions Matter
If you’re aiming for exams like UPSC, SSC, Railways, or other State Public Service Commissions, mastering History GK is a must. Questions from “The Pre-history Phase of India” are frequently repeated in exams because they establish a logical foundation for understanding the Historical Evolution of India.
🟢 These GK questions with answers help in:
- Strengthening your static GK base
- Quick revision of conceptual theories
- Differentiating between similar-sounding options
- Retaining chronological facts like geological periods and major events (Cambrian Explosion, Great Oxygenation, etc.)
Pro Tip: Revise these questions multiple times, focus on keywords and try linking each theory to a scientist’s name—it really helps in elimination strategy!
Conclusion
We hope you found this collection of 50 MCQs on The Harappan Civilization helpful in your exam preparation. Geography isn’t just about memorizing names and dates—it’s about understanding how our planet came to be and how it continues to change.
Don’t forget to bookmark this page and share the PDF with your study group. Keep practicing, and in Part 3, we’ll cover more questions on ancient history.
👉 Stay tuned for Ancient History GK Part-3: The Vedic Civilization MCQs
✍️ For more GK questions with answers, visit our dedicated 👉 GK Section.
