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Q7 (IAS/2019) History & Culture › Ancient India › Indus civilisation archaeology Official Key

Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C (Sohgaura) because it is not a Harappan site.

Chanhudaro, Kot Diji, and Desalpur are Harappan sites, with Chanhudaro and Kot Diji in Sindh province, Pakistan, and Desalpur in Kutchh region[3]. Additionally, Sutkagendor and Kot Diji are among the small Harappan settlements[4]. This confirms that options A, B, and D are all authentic Harappan (Indus Valley Civilization) archaeological sites.

Sohgaura, on the other hand, is not associated with the Harappan Civilization. It is actually known for a copper plate inscription from the Mauryan period (around 3rd century BCE), making it a much later historical site. Therefore, Sohgaura does not belong to the Harappan/Indus Valley Civilization period and is the correct answer to this question.

Sources
  1. [1] https://universalinstitutions.com/indus-valley-civilization/
  2. [2] https://universalinstitutions.com/indus-valley-civilization/
  3. [3] https://universalinstitutions.com/indus-valley-civilization/
  4. [4] https://ia803204.us.archive.org/26/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.532377/2015.532377.essays-in_text.pdf
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Q. Which one of the following is not a Harappan site? [A] Chanhudaro [B] Kot Diji [C] Sohgaura [D] Desalpur
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 7.5/10
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This is a classic 'Cross-Era Elimination' question. While it looks like a test of obscure Harappan sites (Desalpur), it is actually testing your knowledge of Mauryan inscriptions. If you know Sohgaura is a Mauryan site (famous for its copper plate), the question becomes a 5-second sitter.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is Chanhudaro a Harappan (Indus Valley Civilization) archaeological site?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Chanhudaro, Kot Diji, and Desalpur are Harappan sites, with Chanhudaro and Kot Diji in Sindh province, Pakistan, and Desalpur in Kutchh region, ..."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly identifies Chanhudaro as a Harappan site.
  • Places Chanhudaro in Sindh, Pakistan, consistent with Indus Valley region geography.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones > Harappan Settlements > p. 2
Strength: 5/5
“So far, more than 2000 Harappan archaeological sites have been discovered in the Indian sub-continent. Most of the sites are found located between The Indus and The Saraswati river basins. Nearly two-thirds of these settlements are in the Saraswati basin, suggesting its immense importance for the Harappan Civilisation. Among these, five major cities have been identified. These are Rakhigarhi, Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Dholavira and Ganweriwala. The remaining sites come under different categories such as Regional Centres, agricultural villages, ports and manufacturing centres. There were several archaeological cultures in the region prior to the Mature Harappan. These cultures were associated with distinctive pottery, evidence of agriculture and pastoralism, and some crafts.”
Why relevant

States that over 2000 Harappan sites exist across the Indus and Saraswati basins and lists major cities and many smaller sites.

How to extend

A student could locate Chanhudaro on a map to see if it falls within the Indus/Saraswati distribution of Harappan sites, making it likely to be Harappan if it does.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation > Town-Planning > p. 90
Strength: 4/5
“Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, now in Pakistan, were the first two cities of this civilisation to be discovered; their identification goes back to 1924, a century ago. Several sites followed in the Indus plains, which is why the civilisation was initially called 'Indus Valley civilisation'. Later on, other major cities, such as Dholavira (in Gujarat), Rakhigarhi (in Haryana), Ganweriwala (in the Cholistan desert of Pakistan), and hundreds of smaller sites (such”
Why relevant

Explains that the civilisation includes sites across modern Pakistan and India (Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi etc.), showing the geographic spread beyond just one river valley.

How to extend

Compare Chanhudaro’s modern/provincial location to those named (e.g., Sindh/Pakistan region) to assess whether it lies in the known Harappan zone.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > SARASWATI-THE MYSTERY OF A LOST RIVER > p. 25
Strength: 4/5
“Archaeological Evidence: Most of the archaeological sites of the then civilization are located on the Saraswati river basin. There are four Harappan and pre-Harappan sites in Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. These sites are located at Rupar (present Rupnagar), Nihang Khan, Bara and Sirsa valleys. Harappan culture flourished in the western part of Punjab around 2500 B.C. It is believed that the Harappans entered through the Indus Valley into Kalibagan valley on the left bank of Ghaggar (erstwhile Saraswati) and spread to Punjab along the Saraswati River. Carbon dating of the material at Kalibagan suggests that Harappan culture flourished around 2500 B.C. in India and existed for 1000 years.”
Why relevant

Notes that most Harappan sites are in the Indus/Saraswati basins and that Harappan culture flourished in the western Punjab and spread along these rivers.

How to extend

Use the river-basin pattern to check if Chanhudaro is situated in the Indus basin, which would support it being a Harappan site.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones > 10.3 New techniques and questions > p. 21
Strength: 3/5
“An extensive survey in Kutch has revealed a number of Harappan settlements and explorations in Punjab and Haryana have added to the list of Harappan sites. While Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhi Garhi and most recently Dholavira have been discovered, explored and excavated as part of these efforts, fresh explorations continue. Over the decades, new issues have assumed importance. Where some archaeologists are often keen to obtain a cultural sequence, others try to understand the logic underlying the location of specific sites. They also grapple with the wealth of artefacts, trying to figure out the functions these may have served. Since the 1980s, there has also been growing international interest in Harappan archaeology.”
Why relevant

Describes ongoing surveys and discoveries of Harappan settlements in varied regions (Kutch, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat), indicating the civilisation’s wide and still-expanding site list.

How to extend

Because new Harappan sites continue to be identified, a student should treat presence in the broader Indus region as suggestive and look for excavation reports naming Chanhudaro.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Nomenclature, Phases and Chronology > p. 10
Strength: 3/5
“As Harappan Civilisation. This civilisation did not appear all of a sudden. The beginnings of the Neolithic villages in this region go back to about 7000 BCE at the Neolithic site of Mehrgarh. Harappan culture is divided into various phases: • Early Harappan: Mature Harappan; 3000-2600 BCE: 2600-1900 BCE • Early Harappan: Late Harappan; 3000-2600 BCE: 1900-1700 BCE The urban phase was prevalent in the mature Harappan period and began to decline afterwards. The Indus valley site of Harappa was first visited by Charles Mason in 1826 CE (AD), and Amri by Alexander Burnes in 1831. The site of Harappa was destroyed for laying the railway line from Lahore to Multan.”
Why relevant

Gives the chronological phases (Early, Mature, Late Harappan) and that the urban phase corresponds to the Mature Harappan period.

How to extend

If Chanhudaro has archaeological strata or artifacts datable to the Mature Harappan period (2600–1900 BCE), that would be consistent with it being a Harappan site.

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