Question map
The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of
Explanation
The "dancing girl" from Mohenjo-Daro is made of copper[1], which is essentially bronze (an alloy of copper). This iconic figurine is one of the most important objects of art from the Harappan civilization and represents the advanced metallurgical skills of the Indus Valley people.
The Dancing Girl is a small statue (approximately 10.5 cm tall) that depicts a young female figure in a confident stance with bangles on her arm. The use of bronze/copper for creating such detailed figurines demonstrates the sophisticated bronze-casting techniques employed by Harappan craftsmen using the lost-wax method.
Among the given options, bronze (option C) is the correct answer. The figurine is not made of carnelian (a semi-precious stone used for beads), clay (used for terracotta figurines), or gold (which was used for ornaments but not this particular sculpture).
Sources- [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Arts and Amusement > p. 13
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'Sitter'—a non-negotiable question. It comes directly from the captions of images in NCERT Fine Arts Class 11 and TN History Class 11. If you miss this, you are statistically out of the race because the accuracy rate among serious candidates will be near 100%.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Explicitly names a 'dancing girl of copper' from Mohenjo-Daro.
- Contrasts this copper figurine with other materials (e.g., steatite 'priest king'), highlighting material identification.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Direct hit from NCERT Class 11 Fine Arts (Chapter 2) and TN History Class 11 (Page 13).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Harappan Material Culture & Metallurgy. Specifically, the distinction between 'Terracotta' (commoner art) and 'Bronze/Stone' (elite/specialized art).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'IVC Artifact Matrix': 1. Priest King: Steatite (Mohenjo-daro) 2. Male Torso: Red Sandstone (Harappa) 3. Mother Goddess: Terracotta (Mohenjo-daro) 4. Pashupati Seal: Steatite (Mohenjo-daro) 5. Plough Model: Terracotta (Banawali) 6. Technique used for Dancing Girl: Cire Perdue (Lost Wax).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not just read the main text of NCERTs. The captions under images (like the Dancing Girl photo in Fine Arts NCERT) are prime territory for Prelims questions. Create a table: Artifact Name | Material | Site Found.
The Indus cities produced metal figurines and ornaments, including a copper 'Dancing Girl' from Mohenjo-Daro.
High-yield for questions on Harappan technology and craft specialisation; connects to metallurgy, urban craft production, and trade. Mastery helps answer artifact-material identification and craft-technology questions.
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Arts and Amusement > p. 13
- THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > 6.2 Urban populations: Elites and craftspersons > p. 42
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Evolution of Society in South India > High tin bronzes > p. 73
Harappan finds include terracotta, steatite, faience, stone and metals, showing varied raw materials used for artefacts.
Useful for comparative questions on material culture and social elite goods; links to trade, resource distribution, and site-specific specialities. Enables elimination of wrong options in material-identification prompts.
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Arts and Amusement > p. 13
- THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones > Ü Discuss... > p. 10
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Early Dentistry in the Neolithic Mehrgarh > p. 8
Figurines like the Dancing Girl illustrate jewellery use (bangles, beads) and personal adornment practices.
Important for cultural-society questions about everyday life, gender roles, and craft production; helps answer questions on artifact function and social signalling.
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Textiles and Ornaments > p. 12
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 102
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Early India: From the Beginnings to the Indus Civilisation > Early Dentistry in the Neolithic Mehrgarh > p. 8
The 'Male Torso' found at Harappa. While everyone studies the Dancing Girl (Bronze) and Priest King (Steatite), the Male Torso is made of **Red Sandstone** and features socket holes for attaching head and arms—a detail likely to be tested next.
Apply 'Material Physics': Clay (Terracotta) is brittle; figurines made of it are usually thick and stumpy (like the Mother Goddess). The Dancing Girl has long, thin, fluid limbs and a hand on the hip—postures that would snap if made of clay or carved from brittle stone like Carnelian. Only Metal (Bronze) allows such tensile strength and fluidity.
GS-1 (Indian Heritage & Culture): The 'Dancing Girl' depicts a woman wearing bangles all the way up her left arm. This practice is still visible today in the **Rabari and Bharwad tribal communities** of Gujarat and Rajasthan, serving as a classic example of 'Cultural Continuity' for Mains answers.