Question

Which of the following animals was not domesticated by the Harappans?
A. Goat
B. Oxen
C. Buffalo
D. Horse

Answer 1

Hint: The Indus Valley civilisation had proliferated on the basis of trade and commerce through agriculture and other activities but no evidence of standing military is found there. This indicates a general debate on what kind of animals must have been used for the purpose of day to day lives of people and could have been domesticated.

Complete answer: A plethora of animals were domesticated by the Harappan people and most of them were related to the agricultural activities. Animals which can be petted like cats and dogs also find mention in the archaeological findings. In the grave of a female skeleton, another skeleton of a dog was found buried next to it. Pigs and other animals which could be also used for meat purposes find evidence here.

Let’s analyse the given options;
Option A and Option C- Evidence of the presence of large cattle-like buffalo and other shorthorn cattle, presumably goats have also been found.
Option B- The oxen is an animal used even today in rural parts of India for agricultural purposes. They were used for ploughing of the agricultural fields in the Harappan Civilisation too whose evidence has been found.
Option D- There have been terracotta figurines found of elephants and something similar to a horse. But there exists much debate on it. Also, due to the absence of any kind of mention of a standing army, the chances of horses being domesticated become more contestable. There can be many theories regarding these things in archaeology and history because until unquestionable evidence is found, there can be no certainty.
Thus, the debatable option is the domestication of horses in the Harappan Civilisation.
So, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: Throughout the history of medieval India, the trade of horses for the purposes of army and defence. These horses were bought from Iran and other places in Central Asia which were of a better breed. Since trade relations had existed with Iran even during the times of Indus Valley Civilisation, it is highly plausible that the Harappan people must have been familiar with the animal but the domestication of the same remains contested.