Question

Economy of Vedic period was based on?
A. Pastoralism
B. Agriculture
C. Mining
D. Cotton Cultivation

Answer 1

Hint:
 During that time, cattles and cows in particular was the main medium of exchange. Also in that period mining was not developed enough to be the main source of economy.

Complete step by step solution:
Though there are references which say that Vedic period was sustained by a combination of both, agriculture and pastoralism. But at that time, leveling of fields, storage of grains and seed processing dominated more than pastoralism. Pointing to this, we can conclude that Agriculture was the economy of Vedic Period.
The Vedic or Rigvedic period corresponds to 1500 – 1000 BC. It is the period of the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age. It comprised the Northern Indian Subcontinent between Indus Valley and an urbanization which began in 600 BC in Indo central Gangetic plain.
The Vedic people are commonly known as the Aryans.The term Aryan may also refer to this language group. As a band of nomadic people the Rigvedic Aryans were primarily pastoralists. In fact the Rigveda emphasizes cattle as the chief property.
The Vedic settlements were favourable for agriculture with presence of a number of rivers in the Indus valley and the Punjab.
Reference in Rig-Veda shows that agriculture was the principal occupation of the people in that period. They ploughed the field with oxen. It even mentions that twenty four oxen were attached to a ploughshare at a time for ploughing the land. The cultivated land was known as Urvara or Kshetra. Water was supplied by means of an irrigation canal. Manure use was known to them.

Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note:
 At the Vedic Period Wheat and Barley were mainly cultivated and rice was not an extensive cultivation crop which made agriculture the main source of income and therefore the economy.