Question

The people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro culture belonged to the ______________.
a. New Stone Age
b. Copper Age
c. Iron Age
d. Chalcolithic Age

Answer 1

Hint: This was the momentary period between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. It is taken to start around the mid-fifth thousand years BC, and closes with the start of the Bronze Age appropriate, in the late fourth to third thousand years BC, contingent upon the locale.

Complete answer:
Several civilizations began using metal at the end of the Neolithic Period, mainly copper and low-quality bronze. The culture based on the use of copper and stone was referred to as the Stone-Copper Period of Chalcolithic significance. It stretched from about 2000 BC to 700 BC in India.

This culture was seen primarily in the Pre-Harappan era, but it also spread to the Post-Harappan phase in several areas. Most of the inhabitants were rural and they lived near hills and rivers. The term Chalcolithic is a combination of two terms, originating from the Greek words "khalkos" + "líthos," meaning "copper" and "stone" or Copper Period, Chalco + Lithic.

The Civilization of the Indus River Valley, also known as the Harappan Civilization, established the first detailed system of standardised weights and scales, some as precise as 1.6 mm. Sculpture, seals, pottery, and jewellery were made by Harappans from materials such as terracotta, metal, and stone. Evidence suggests that the Harappans were involved in a large maritime trading network stretching from Central Asia to modern-day Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and Syria.

Without any equivalent symbols, the Indus Script remains indecipherable and is believed to have developed independently of the writing in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.In metallurgy, Harappans also developed new techniques-the science of working with copper, bronze, lead, and tin. They also performed intricate crafts using semi-precious gemstone materials called Carnelian.

Hence, the correct answer is option D.

Note:
- Both places are in present-day Pakistan, in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh, respectively. The Mohenjo-Daro ruins were designated in 1980 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

- A variety of distinct examples of cultural art, including statues, seals, pottery, gold jewellery, and anatomically detailed figurines in terracotta, bronze, and steatite, which is commonly known as Soapstone, have been discovered at the Indus Valley excavation sites.