Ancient Civilizations (Indus Valley Civilization) of Pakistan MCQs

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: July 20, 2024

1. What is the alternative name for the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Harappan Civilization
c) Roman Civilization
d) Egyptian Civilization
Answer: b) Harappan Civilization

2. Which river was central to the geography of the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Ganges River
b) Tigris River
c) Nile River
d) Indus River
Answer: d) Indus River

3. The majority of Indus Valley Civilization sites are located in present-day:

a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Afghanistan
Answer: b) Pakistan

4. Which of the following was a prominent city of the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Athens
b) Harappa
c) Rome
d) Cairo
Answer: b) Harappa

5. What is the primary evidence of the Indus Valley Civilization’s sophisticated urban planning?

a) Pyramids
b) Ziggurats
c) Citadel and granaries
d) Colosseum
Answer: c) Citadel and granaries

6. The Indus Valley Civilization is known for its advanced knowledge of:

a) Astronomy
b) Metallurgy
c) Medicine
d) Agriculture
Answer: b) Metallurgy

7. Which script was used by the Indus Valley Civilization, but remains undeciphered?

a) Sanskrit
b) Hieroglyphics
c) Cuneiform
d) Indus script
Answer: d) Indus script

8. What animal is frequently represented in the art of the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Lion
b) Elephant
c) Bull
d) Camel
Answer: c) Bull

9. The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have traded with which ancient civilization?

a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Roman Civilization
c) Chinese Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
Answer: a) Mesopotamian Civilization

10. The “Great Bath” found in Mohenjo-daro is indicative of the significance of:

a) Religious practices
b) Medical treatments
c) Education
d) Civic planning
Answer: a) Religious practices

11. What evidence suggests that the Indus Valley Civilization had a well-established system of weights and measures?

a) Standardized pottery
b) Uniform brick sizes
c) Inscribed seals with symbols
d) Coinage
Answer: c) Inscribed seals with symbols

12. The Indus Valley Civilization declined around:

a) 2000 BCE
b) 1500 BCE
c) 1000 BCE
d) 500 BCE
Answer: b) 1500 BCE

13. Which neighboring civilization had significant interactions with the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Egyptian Civilization
c) Greek Civilization
d) Chinese Civilization
Answer: a) Mesopotamian Civilization

14. What agricultural practice was essential to the prosperity of the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Terraced farming
b) Crop rotation
c) Irrigation
d) Slash-and-burn cultivation
Answer: c) Irrigation

15. The discovery of the “Dancing Girl” figurine is associated with which Indus Valley Civilization site?

a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-daro
c) Lothal
d) Kalibangan
Answer: b) Mohenjo-daro

16. What material was commonly used for the construction of buildings in the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Marble
b) Limestone
c) Mud-brick
d) Granite
Answer: c) Mud-brick

17. The Indus Valley Civilization had a well-developed system of:

a) Monarchy
b) Democracy
c) Trade guilds
d) Feudalism
Answer: c) Trade guilds

18. Which artifact indicates the possible presence of a written language in the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Pottery
b) Statues
c) Seals with inscriptions
d) Tools
Answer: c) Seals with inscriptions

19. The Indus Valley Civilization is known for its advanced:

a) Nomadic lifestyle
b) Maritime technology
c) Urban planning
d) Cave paintings
Answer: c) Urban planning

20. What is the likely reason for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Invasion by nomadic tribes
b) Climate change
c) Economic collapse
d) Internal conflicts
Answer: b) Climate change

21. The Harappan city of Mohenjo-daro had a complex drainage system, indicating a focus on:

a) Hygiene
b) Agriculture
c) Recreation
d) Religious practices
Answer: a) Hygiene

22. The Indus Valley Civilization had trade links with regions as far as:

a) Africa
b) Europe
c) Mesopotamia
d) Southeast Asia
Answer: c) Mesopotamia

23. The citadel and lower town were distinctive features of Indus Valley Civilization:

a) Houses
b) Tombs
c) Temples
d) Markets
Answer: c) Temples

24. The “Priest King” sculpture is believed to represent a:

a) Ruler
b) Religious leader
c) Merchant
d) Warrior
Answer: b) Religious leader

25. Which modern river shares its course with the ancient Sarasvati River, mentioned in Vedic texts?

a) Ganges River
b) Yamuna River
c) Sutlej River
d) Ghaggar-Hakra River
Answer: d) Ghaggar-Hakra River

26. The wheel-made pottery of the Indus Valley Civilization demonstrates advanced:

a) Metallurgy
b) Pottery techniques
c) Textile production
d) Architectural skills
Answer: b) Pottery techniques

27. What form of government is believed to have existed in the Indus Valley Civilization?

a) Monarchy
b) Republic
c) Theocracy
d) Oligarchy
Answer: c) Theocracy

28. The dockyard discovered in the archaeological site of Lothal suggests expertise in:

a) Agriculture
b) Maritime activities
c) Pottery
d) Metallurgy
Answer: b) Maritime activities

29. The Indus Valley Civilization had trade connections with the city of Ur in:

a) Mesopotamia
b) Egypt
c) Greece
d) Rome
Answer: a) Mesopotamia

30. The “Fire Altar” discovered at Kalibangan indicates the practice of:

a) Agriculture
b) Rituals or ceremonies
c) Metal casting
d) Writing
Answer: b) Rituals or ceremonies

31. The discovery of a grid pattern in the layout of Harappan cities suggests:

a) Random planning
b) Advanced urban planning
c) Nomadic settlement
d) Lack of architectural knowledge
Answer: b) Advanced urban planning

32. The Indus Valley Civilization had a standardized system of:

a) Currency
b) Weights and measures
c) Language
d) Social classes
Answer: b) Weights and measures

33. The famous “Pashupati Seal” is associated with the worship of:

a) A bull
b) A tiger
c) A deity with horns
d) A serpent
Answer: c) A deity with horns

34. The Harappan script is written from:

a) Left to right
b) Right to left
c) Top to bottom
d) Bottom to top
Answer: a) Left to right

35. The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro is thought to have been used for:

a) Religious rituals
b) Daily bathing
c) Water storage
d) Cooking
Answer: a) Religious rituals

36. The “Harrapan Culture” is named after the archaeological site of:

a) Harappa
b) Mohenjo-daro
c) Kalibangan
d) Lothal
Answer: a) Harappa

37. The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the world’s earliest civilizations, along with Mesopotamia, Egypt, and:

a) Greece
b) Rome
c) China
d) Persia
Answer: c) China

38. The Indus Valley Civilization was primarily an:

a) Agricultural society
b) Nomadic society
c) Industrial society
d) Maritime society
Answer: a) Agricultural society

39. The ancient city of Mohenjo-daro was rediscovered in the:

a) 17th century
b) 18th century
c) 19th century
d) 20th century
Answer: c) 19th century

40. The drainage system in the Indus Valley Civilization is evidence of advanced:

a) Engineering skills
b) Agricultural practices
c) Medical knowledge
d) Urban planning
Answer: d) Urban planning

41. The Harappan city of Dholavira is known for its:

a) Citadel
b) Great Bath
c) Complex water conservation system
d) Dancing Girl figurine
Answer: c) Complex water conservation system

42. The trade routes of the Indus Valley Civilization extended to regions such as:

a) Central Asia
b) South America
c) Australia
d) Antarctica
Answer: a) Central Asia

43. The Indus Valley Civilization’s advanced drainage system included:

a) Sewerage pipes
b) Open drains
c) Underground canals
d) Wells
Answer: a) Sewerage pipes

44. The artifact known as the “Rani of Mohenjo-daro” is a representation of a:

a) Queen
b) Goddess
c) Warrior
d) Merchant
Answer: a) Queen

45. The Harappan people engaged in trade with civilizations in the:

a) Americas
b) Middle East
c) Southeast Asia
d) Europe
Answer: b) Middle East

46. The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have worshiped a mother goddess symbolized by:

a) A bull
b) A snake
c) A fertility symbol
d) A tree
Answer: c) A fertility symbol

47. The Harappan people’s knowledge of astronomy is suggested by their:

a) Solar calendars
b) Observatories
c) Lunar calendars
d) Celestial maps
Answer: c) Lunar calendars

48. The Indus Valley Civilization is contemporaneous with which ancient Egyptian civilization?

a) Old Kingdom
b) Middle Kingdom
c) New Kingdom
d) Ptolemaic Kingdom
Answer: c) New Kingdom

49. The Indus Valley Civilization’s intricate jewelry and artifacts showcase their proficiency in:

a) Pottery
b) Metalworking
c) Carpentry
d) Glassblowing
Answer: b) Metalworking

50. The figurine known as the “Priest King” is believed to depict a:

a) Religious leader
b) King or ruler
c) Merchant
d) Warrior
Answer: a) Religious leader