trade

Lothal, in present-day Gujarat, is associated with a large brick-lined basin traditionally identified in school history as a dockyard. Its location and associated artefacts indicate links with water transport and long-distance exchange. Hence option D is correct. Banawali and Rakhigarhi are important Harappan settlements, and Kalibangan is especially known for agricultural evidence, but none is the standard answer for the dockyard.

Harappan seals were probably used to mark packages, goods or containers and to indicate the identity of a merchant, household or owner. Their carved animal motifs and script signs could function as identifying marks in exchange and administration. They were not tools for ploughing, construction materials or weapons. Because the evidence connects seals with identification and transactions, option B is correct.

A major feature of Harappan weights was standardisation. Many were made according to a regular system of masses, allowing merchants and administrators to measure goods consistently across settlements. They were not all round, were certainly not made only of gold, and their connection with exchange is precisely why standard measures mattered. Therefore, option B is correct.

Evidence indicates trade relations between the Harappan region and Mesopotamia. Mesopotamian texts refer to a land called Meluhha, and archaeological finds such as seals and distinctive materials show long-distance exchange networks. The evidence does not establish only warfare or only religious contact, and it clearly contradicts the claim of no contact. Hence, option D is correct.

Mesopotamian records mention Meluhha, a name widely associated by historians with the Harappan region. This association is supported by the combination of textual references and archaeological evidence for exchange between Mesopotamia and the Indus region. Magadha, Aryavarta and Jambudvipa belong to different Indian historical contexts and do not identify the Harappan region in Mesopotamian records. Therefore, option A is correct.

Harappan communities obtained copper from more than one source, especially the Khetri region of Rajasthan and areas associated with Oman. Copper was essential for tools, weapons and ornaments, so locating these sources helps historians reconstruct exchange networks. The other pairs are not the principal sources identified for Harappan copper in this context. Thus option A is correct.

The Badakhshan region of present-day Afghanistan was a major ancient source of lapis lazuli, a deep-blue semi-precious stone valued for ornaments and beads. Its presence in Harappan contexts indicates long-distance movement of raw materials or finished goods. The Deccan, Ganga Valley and Sri Lanka were not the principal source identified here. Therefore option B is correct.

A seal impression is made by pressing an engraved seal into a soft material, especially wet clay attached to a package, container or clay sealing. Once the clay dried, the design could preserve information about identity, ownership or control of goods. Option A is correct. Iron swords, marble and paper are not the characteristic materials associated with the surviving Harappan sealings described by archaeologists.

Standardised weights and measures made it possible to calculate the quantity of goods consistently during exchange. Buyers and sellers could compare amounts, assess prices and reduce disputes, especially when goods moved between different settlements or over long distances. Thus option D, trade, is correct. Story writing, dance and religious songs do not require a common system for measuring commodities.

Harappan maritime contacts with coastal regions and West Asia most plausibly used the Arabian Sea. Settlements and coastal centres in Gujarat, together with routes along the Makran coast, connected the civilisation with overseas exchange networks. Lothal is often discussed as an important coastal trading centre. Therefore option A is correct; the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific routes do not fit the known geographical evidence.

The discovery of objects identified as Harappan, especially seals and beads, in Mesopotamian contexts provides archaeological evidence of contact and exchange. Mesopotamian references to Meluhha are also relevant, although the objects themselves are the clearest evidence among these choices. Option B is therefore correct. Folktales and modern maps are not direct ancient evidence, and iron coins do not represent the characteristic evidence here.

The governing concept is archaeological evidence for long-distance exchange. If goods made in or associated with the Harappan region are identified in Mesopotamia, their presence indicates movement of objects, people or commercial connections across a substantial distance. It does not prove that all goods were imported or local, nor does it establish anything about writing or urban agriculture. Thus, option D is the valid conclusion.

The governing concept is the relationship between geography and trade networks. Lothal, in present-day Gujarat, occupied a position connected with coastal and maritime routes, helping goods and craft products move between inland settlements and overseas or coastal contacts. Thus option C is correct. A Himalayan peak, a desert interior and the Ganga’s source do not describe Lothal’s advantageous trading setting.

The governing concept is interpreting structures through archaeological context and comparison. The large brick-built basin at Lothal is generally identified as a dockyard because its form and location are consistent with water-based transport and maritime activity. Therefore option D is correct. A palace, school or cemetery would require different architectural and burial evidence, which does not explain this basin’s likely connection with trade.

The governing concept is standardisation in exchange. Weights allowed traders to measure the quantity or mass of goods in a consistent way, making transactions more reliable and comparable between settlements. Therefore option A is correct. Decorating streets, growing grain and erasing script are unrelated to the function of a balance weight and do not explain its presence in trading contexts.

The governing concept is the archaeological identification of materials used in standardised systems. Harappan cubical weights were commonly made from hard chert, a stone that could be shaped accurately and withstand repeated handling. Their standardised masses supported reliable measurement. Option B is correct; marble, coal and lime are not the characteristic material identified for these weights.

The governing concept is the production and use of clay sealings. A seal was pressed into wet clay, which was soft enough to receive the design; after drying, the impression could help secure a package or identify its sender. Therefore option C is correct. Dry rock, an iron sword and a cotton plant would not provide the necessary surface for a clear clay impression.

The governing concept is the security function of sealings in the movement of goods. A clay sealing closed or marked a package; if it was broken, the package may have been opened or tampered with before reaching its destination. Thus option D is correct. Rain, crop readiness and script decipherment have no logical connection with a damaged package sealing.

The governing concept is long-distance exchange of valuable raw materials in the Harappan world. Lapis lazuli is strongly associated with the Badakhshan region of present-day Afghanistan, from where it could move through exchange networks to urban centres. Therefore option A is correct. Malwa, Kutch and Sindh were important regions in other contexts but are not the principal source named for lapis lazuli.

The governing concept is the relationship between settlement infrastructure and maritime exchange. Lothal is especially famous for its large brick basin or dockyard structure, traditionally interpreted as evidence of organised water transport and overseas trade. Therefore option B is correct. The Great Bath belongs to Mohenjo-daro, while a great stupa and rock-cut cave represent different architectural traditions.

The governing concept is standardisation in an organised exchange economy. Harappan weights allowed merchants and producers to measure goods consistently, making transactions and the movement of commodities more reliable. Therefore, option B is correct. Religious songs, house decoration, and measuring rivers do not explain the shape, distribution, or practical use of these weights. Their standard forms are evidence of regular commercial and craft activity across settlements.

The governing concept is the relationship between trade, craft production, and urban growth. Harappan exchange networks brought raw materials such as stones and metals to production centres and distributed finished beads, ornaments, and other goods over considerable distances. Therefore, option D is correct. Trade was not absent, purely religious, or restricted to pastoralism. It supported specialised crafts, linked settlements, and helped sustain the economic life of cities.

The governing concept is long-distance Harappan trade. Archaeological finds and Mesopotamian records indicate contacts between the Harappan world and Mesopotamia, a major civilisation of West Asia. Thus option A is correct. Japan, Siberia, and South Africa do not fit the documented West Asian trade connection discussed in this context. Mesopotamian references to Meluhha, along with imported objects and shared commercial evidence, support the conclusion that these regions were linked through exchange networks.

The governing concept is the identification of ancient regions through comparative historical evidence. Many historians associate Meluhha, mentioned in Mesopotamian records, with the Harappan region. Therefore, option B is correct. Egypt, China, and Greece were important ancient societies, but they are not the standard identification of Meluhha in this lesson. The reference is significant because it provides written evidence for long-distance commercial contact involving the Harappan world.

Lothal, located in present-day Gujarat, is associated with maritime trade and a large brick-built basin commonly interpreted as a dockyard. This evidence, along with its location and trade connections, makes option D correct. Kalibangan and Banawali were mainly inland settlements, and Harappa was also not a coastal port. The question therefore tests the link between Lothal, the dockyard, and overseas or coastal exchange.