CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Society, Economy and Craft -

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CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Society, Economy and Craft

⏱️ 30 Minutes

❓ 20 Questions

📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.

CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Society, Economy and Craft

1 / 20

QUESTION 1 OF 20

Assertion (A): By analyzing burial practices, archaeologists have conclusively mapped the entire socio-economic hierarchy of the Harappan civilization.
Reason (R): Harappans generally laid their dead in pits, and the structural variations in these pits hint at possible social differences, though not definitively.

Answer Review

1 Assertion (A): By analyzing burial practices, archaeologists have conclusively mapped the entire socio-economic hierarchy of the Harappan civilization.
Reason (R): Harappans generally laid their dead in pits, and the structural variations in these pits hint at possible social differences, though not definitively.

A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

C A is false, but R is true.

D A is true, but R is false.

💡 Short Explanation

Burial evidence provides only partial social clues. Pit variations may indicate differences in status. Archaeologists cannot conclusively reconstruct the full hierarchy.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The NCERT states that Harappan burials generally consisted of pit graves and sometimes brick-lined graves. Variations in burial structures may suggest social distinctions, but the evidence is insufficient for a complete reconstruction of social hierarchy. Therefore, Assertion is false because it exaggerates archaeological certainty. Reason is true because burial differences only hint at possible social distinctions. Hence Option C is correct. Options A, B, and D misrepresent the relationship between the statements.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Incorrect because Assertion is false. Archaeologists have not conclusively mapped the entire socio-economic hierarchy.
Option B → Incorrect because Assertion itself is incorrect, making the option invalid.
Option D → Incorrect because the Reason is true; burial variations do provide limited evidence of social differentiation.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Extreme Word Filter

Application:

The word "conclusively" is an extreme claim. Archaeological interpretations are usually tentative.

Final Logic:

The extreme certainty in Assertion makes it false, while Reason reflects the NCERT position accurately.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Burials Hint, Not Prove."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Social Differences and Burials

2 Match the evidence with its corresponding analytical deduction regarding burials:

List I	List II
1. Copper mirrors in graves	a. Occasional burial of goods
2. Absence of massive gold hoards in graves	b. Non-belief in burying precious wealth
3. Shell rings and micro beads	c. Jewellery used by men
4. Pottery in graves	d. Belief in the afterlife

A 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d

B 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c

C 1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b

D 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a

💡 Short Explanation

Mirrors indicate burial goods. Lack of gold suggests wealth was not buried. Male burials contained jewellery. Pottery suggests afterlife beliefs.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Copper mirrors found in graves represent burial goods (1-a). Massive gold treasures are absent, indicating Harappans did not generally bury precious wealth (2-b). Shell rings and micro beads discovered near male skeletons show men also wore jewellery (3-c). Pottery placed in graves is often interpreted as reflecting belief in some form of afterlife or continued existence after death (4-d). Therefore Option A correctly matches all items.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Incorrect because copper mirrors are burial goods, not evidence against wealth burial. Other pairings are also mismatched.
Option C → Incorrect because shell rings and beads indicate jewellery use, not burial goods generally.
Option D → Incorrect because pottery is associated with afterlife beliefs, not occasional burial goods.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Match each archaeological find with the most direct interpretation from NCERT.

Final Logic:

Only Option A produces all correct associations.

🧠 Memory Trick

Mirror–Goods, Gold–Absent, Beads–Men, Pottery–Afterlife

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Burials and Social Differences

3 In evaluating Harappan pit burials, an analytical comparison with contemporaneous Egyptian pyramids highlights that:

A Both cultures believed equally in burying immense wealth with the dead.

B Unlike royal Egyptian burials, Harappans did not believe in burying precious things with the dead.

C Harappans adopted the structural design of pyramids for their pits.

D Harappan pits contained more gold than the pyramids.

💡 Short Explanation

Egyptian royal tombs contained great wealth. Harappan graves lacked such treasures. NCERT highlights this important contrast.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Harappan graves usually contained limited burial goods and lacked the enormous wealth found in Egyptian royal tombs. Archaeologists infer that Harappans generally did not bury large quantities of precious objects with the dead. Option B reflects this contrast accurately. Options A and D directly contradict archaeological evidence. Option C is unsupported because Harappan burials were simple pits and not pyramid-inspired structures.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Incorrect because burial practices differed significantly.
Option C → Incorrect because no evidence links Harappan pit burials to pyramid architecture.
Option D → Incorrect because Harappan graves lacked large quantities of gold.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Compare archaeological evidence from both civilizations.

Final Logic:

The major distinction is the absence of lavish wealth burial in Harappa.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Egypt = Treasure, Harappa = Simplicity."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Harappan Burials

4 Which of the following analytical statements about brick-lined graves is INCORRECT?

A They represent a variation in how burial pits were constructed.

B They might be an indication of social differences among the Harappans.

C Archaeologists are not absolutely sure if they definitively signify a higher social status.

D They were exclusively used for burying women adorned with copper mirrors.

💡 Short Explanation

Brick-lined graves are burial variations. They may suggest social distinctions. No evidence links them exclusively to women.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Brick-lined graves represent a structural variation in burial practices. Archaeologists suggest they may indicate social differences, but evidence remains inconclusive. NCERT never states that such graves were reserved for women with copper mirrors. Therefore Option D introduces an unsupported claim and is incorrect. Options A, B, and C accurately reflect archaeological interpretations and uncertainty.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Correct statement describing burial variation.
Option B → Correct because social differentiation is one possible interpretation.
Option C → Correct because archaeological certainty is lacking.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the option unsupported by archaeological evidence.

Final Logic:

Only Option D introduces a claim not found in NCERT.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Brick Grave ≠ Women Only."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Burial Variations

5 The analytical distinction between daily utilitarian items and luxuries breaks down when archaeologists find items like _____ made of rare materials such as faience.

A Copper mirrors

B Stone querns

C Brick-lined graves

D Spindle whorls

💡 Short Explanation

Spindle whorls are normally utilitarian. Faience is a costly material. Material can alter classification.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that utilitarian and luxury categories sometimes overlap. Spindle whorls are everyday tools used in spinning, yet examples made from faience have been found. Since faience required specialized technology and was comparatively valuable, such objects blur the distinction between utility and luxury. Options A, B, and C do not illustrate this specific NCERT example.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Copper mirrors are burial goods, not the NCERT example of category overlap.
Option B → Stone querns remained ordinary utilitarian objects.
Option C → Graves are structures, not artefacts illustrating utilitarian-luxury overlap.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Look for the NCERT example where a common object appears in a luxury material.

Final Logic:

Only spindle whorls fit the description.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Faience Whorl = Utility Meets Luxury."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Artefacts and Social Differences

6 The discovery of a specific ornament consisting of shell rings, a jasper bead, and micro beads near a male skull critically indicates that:

A Only women wore micro beads.

B Jasper was a material forbidden for women.

C Both men and women in Harappan society used jewellery.

D Bead-making was a male-only profession.

💡 Short Explanation

Ornament found beside a male skeleton. Jewellery was not limited to women. Indicates broader ornament usage.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The ornament found near a male skull included shell rings, jasper, and micro beads. This discovery demonstrates that jewellery was used by men as well as women. NCERT uses this evidence to challenge assumptions that ornaments were exclusively female possessions. Options A, B, and D are unsupported by archaeological evidence and go beyond available findings.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → No evidence suggests only women wore micro beads.
Option B → NCERT provides no gender restriction regarding jasper.
Option D → Wearing jewellery does not prove bead-making was male-only.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Interpret the evidence directly from the burial context.

Final Logic:

Male burial plus jewellery indicates ornament use by both genders.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Male Skull + Beads = Men Wore Jewellery."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Burials and Ornaments

📄 Passage

"Another strategy to identify social differences is to study artefacts, which archaeologists broadly classify as utilitarian and luxuries. The first category includes objects of daily use made fairly easily out of ordinary materials such as stone or clay. These include querns, pottery, needles, flesh-rubbers (body scrubbers), etc., and are usually found distributed throughout settlements. Archaeologists assume objects were luxuries if they are rare or made from costly, non-local materials or with complicated technologies."

According to the passage, the primary analytical criterion for classifying an object as "utilitarian" is:

A Being made fairly easily out of ordinary materials and used daily.

B Being crafted exclusively in large urban centers.

C Requiring complicated technologies like faience production.

D Being found strictly in graves rather than settlements.

📄 Passage

Based on the passage, if a needle was found made of a rare, non-local metal instead of ordinary bone or clay, archaeologists would analytically classify it as:

A Utilitarian

B A luxury object

C A rejected waste material

D An agricultural tool

9 Arrange the steps of logical deduction used by archaeologists to map the socio-economic geography of Harappa:
1. Observing that miniature faience pots are found in Harappa.
2. Identifying faience as a rare and complicated material.
3. Concluding that valuable materials concentrated in large settlements reflect wealth distribution.
4. Noting the absence of these pots in smaller sites like Kalibangan.

A 1, 2, 3, 4

B 4, 3, 2, 1

C 3, 1, 4, 2

D 2, 1, 4, 3

💡 Short Explanation

First identify valuable material. Observe its distribution. Compare large and small sites. Draw socio-economic conclusions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Archaeologists first recognize faience as a rare and technologically sophisticated material (2). They then observe its presence at Harappa (1) and absence at smaller settlements such as Kalibangan (4). Based on this unequal distribution, they infer concentration of wealth and luxury goods in larger urban centres (3). Thus, the correct sequence is 2–1–4–3.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Conclusion is reached too early without comparative evidence.
Option B → Begins with observation rather than material identification.
Option C → Starts with conclusion instead of evidence gathering.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Arrange evidence collection before interpretation.

Final Logic:

Identification → Observation → Comparison → Conclusion.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Identify → Find → Compare → Conclude."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Distribution of Luxury Goods

10 Assertion (A): Miniature pots of faience, likely used as perfume bottles, are completely absent from small settlements like Kalibangan.
Reason (R): The inhabitants of Kalibangan did not know how to extract ordinary clay.

A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

C A is true, but R is false.

D A is false, but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

Faience pots are absent in smaller settlements. Kalibangan residents certainly used clay pottery. Reason contradicts archaeological evidence.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that miniature faience pots occur in major centres such as Harappa and are absent from smaller settlements like Kalibangan. This supports Assertion. However, Kalibangan inhabitants extensively used ordinary clay pottery and therefore clearly knew how to obtain and work clay. The absence of faience relates to luxury production and distribution, not ignorance of clay extraction. Hence Option C is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Incorrect because Reason is false.
Option B → Incorrect because both statements are not true.
Option D → Incorrect because Assertion is supported by archaeological evidence.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Check factual correctness of both statements separately.

Final Logic:

Assertion is supported by NCERT, but Reason is clearly incorrect.

🧠 Memory Trick

"No Faience ≠ No Clay."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Luxury Goods Distribution

11 Match the Following

List I	List II
1. Geometrical forms	a. Numerous shapes achieved
2. Steatite paste beads	b. Yellowish raw material fired
3. Segmented/barrel shapes	c. Hard stones
4. Carnelian beads	d. Moulded into a variety of shapes

A 1–c, 2–d, 3–a, 4–b

B 1–d, 2–c, 3–b, 4–a

C 1–a, 2–b, 3–c, 4–d

D 1–b, 2–a, 3–d, 4–c

💡 Short Explanation

Hard stones were limited to geometrical forms. Steatite paste could be moulded easily. Barrel and segmented beads showed varied shapes. Carnelian obtained red colour through firing.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Hard stones were generally fashioned into geometrical forms (1-c). Steatite paste was moulded into many shapes before firing (2-d). Segmented and barrel-shaped beads demonstrate the variety of shapes achieved (3-a). Carnelian beads were produced by firing yellowish raw material to obtain a red colour (4-b). Thus Option A correctly matches all archaeological observations regarding Harappan bead-making techniques.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Incorrect because geometrical forms relate to hard stones, not moulding.
Option C → Incorrect because steatite paste was moulded rather than merely fired as a shape category.
Option D → Incorrect because carnelian is associated with firing yellowish material, not hard-stone geometrical forms.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Match each material and bead type with its manufacturing characteristic.

Final Logic:

Only Option A aligns with all NCERT descriptions.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Hard–Geo, Steatite–Mould, Barrel–Many, Carnelian–Fire."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Bead Making Techniques

12 Inland settlements procured shell objects like bangles, ladles, and inlay from specialised coastal settlements such as Nageshwar and _____.

A Shortughai

B Balakot

C Kalibangan

D Banawali

💡 Short Explanation

Shell was obtained from coastal regions. Nageshwar and Balakot were shell-working centres. Inland settlements depended on them.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT identifies Nageshwar and Balakot as specialised coastal settlements involved in shell working. Shell objects such as bangles, ladles, and decorative inlays were manufactured there and supplied to inland settlements. Shortughai was associated with lapis lazuli procurement, while Kalibangan and Banawali were inland Harappan settlements. Therefore Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Shortughai was linked with lapis lazuli procurement in Afghanistan.
Option C → Kalibangan was not a coastal shell-production centre.
Option D → Banawali was a Harappan settlement but not a major shell-working coastal centre.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify which settlement was coastal and associated with shell craft.

Final Logic:

Balakot is the only shell-working coastal centre listed.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Nageshwar + Balakot = Shell Spots."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Shell Craft Production

13 Which of the following analytical statements about Harappan craft materials is INCORRECT?

A Steatite was easily worked because it is a very soft stone.

B Harder stones were primarily restricted to geometrical forms.

C Some beads featured combinations like stone with gold caps.

D Copper and bronze were considered waste materials and never used for beads.

💡 Short Explanation

Steatite is soft and workable. Hard stones limited bead shapes. Composite beads existed. Copper and bronze were used in ornaments.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT records the use of copper, bronze, gold, shell, stone, faience, and other materials in Harappan ornaments and beads. Therefore the statement that copper and bronze were waste materials never used for beads is incorrect. Options A, B, and C accurately describe Harappan craft production and material usage. Hence Option D is the incorrect statement.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Correct because steatite is a soft stone that is easy to shape.
Option B → Correct as harder stones were usually fashioned into geometrical forms.
Option C → Correct because composite beads with gold caps are archaeologically attested.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Extreme Word Filter

Application:

Watch for words such as "never," which often indicate incorrect statements.

Final Logic:

The word "never" makes Option D inconsistent with evidence.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Never = Danger."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Materials Used in Bead Making

14 In analyzing Harappan craft production, the puzzle surrounding steatite micro beads is primarily related to:

A Where the raw material was quarried.

B Why they were only worn by priests.

C How ancient technology achieved their production, which remains unsolved.

D Why they were used to decorate agricultural tools.

💡 Short Explanation

Steatite micro beads were extremely tiny. Production required advanced techniques. Exact manufacturing method remains uncertain.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that steatite micro beads are among the most remarkable Harappan craft products. Their extremely small size raises questions about how ancient craftsmen manufactured them with available technology. Archaeologists continue to study this achievement. Options A, B, and D are not supported by evidence. Thus Option C correctly identifies the unresolved technological puzzle.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Quarry location is not the major puzzle highlighted by NCERT.
Option B → No evidence links these beads exclusively to priests.
Option D → They were ornaments, not agricultural decorations.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Focus on the archaeological issue emphasized in NCERT.

Final Logic:

The mystery concerns production technology, not usage.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Micro Beads = Micro Mystery."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Steatite Micro Beads

15 Assertion (A): The discovery of specialised drills at Chanhudaro, Lothal, and Dholavira indicates advanced craft production techniques.
Reason (R): Finished products from Chanhudaro and Lothal were taken to large urban centres.

A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

B Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

C A is true, but R is false.

D A is false, but R is true.

💡 Short Explanation

Specialised drills show technological skill. Finished goods moved to urban centres. Transportation does not explain drill discovery.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Specialised drills discovered at Chanhudaro, Lothal, and Dholavira demonstrate sophisticated bead-making technology and advanced craft production. It is also true that finished products from smaller manufacturing centres were transported to larger urban settlements. However, transportation of finished goods does not explain the existence of specialised drills. Therefore both statements are true, but Reason is not the explanation of Assertion.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Incorrect because Reason does not explain technological advancement.
Option C → Incorrect because Reason is also true.
Option D → Incorrect because Assertion is supported by archaeological evidence.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Evaluate truth of each statement separately and then examine causation.

Final Logic:

Both statements are true, but no explanatory link exists.

🧠 Memory Trick

"True + True ≠ Explanation."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Specialised Craft Production

16 Archaeologists' experiments revealed that the red colour of carnelian was obtained by firing the yellowish raw material and beads at _____ of production.

A Various stages

B The final stage only

C The beginning stage only

D Room temperature

💡 Short Explanation

Carnelian was originally yellowish. Firing produced red colour. Heating occurred at different stages.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Experimental archaeology shows that carnelian acquired its characteristic red colour through controlled firing. Heating was carried out at various stages of production rather than only at the beginning or end. Such evidence highlights the technological sophistication of Harappan bead makers. Therefore Option A is correct, while Options B, C, and D contradict archaeological findings.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Firing was not restricted to the final stage.
Option C → Firing was not limited to the initial stage.
Option D → Room temperature cannot produce the required colour transformation.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Remove scientifically implausible and overly restrictive options.

Final Logic:

NCERT specifically mentions firing at various stages.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Carnelian = Fire Again and Again."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Carnelian Bead Production

17 An analytical comparison of Mohenjodaro and Chanhudaro reveals that:

A Both were exactly the same size.

B Chanhudaro was primarily an administrative capital.

C Mohenjodaro relied completely on Chanhudaro for ordinary querns.

D Despite its tiny 7-hectare size, Chanhudaro was a nearly exclusive hub for diverse craft production unlike the 125-hectare Mohenjodaro.

💡 Short Explanation

Chanhudaro was small in area. It specialized heavily in crafts. Mohenjodaro was a much larger city.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Chanhudaro covered roughly 7 hectares yet functioned as a major craft-production centre. Mohenjodaro, at about 125 hectares, was a large urban settlement with multiple functions. Archaeological evidence suggests extensive specialised manufacturing at Chanhudaro. Option D accurately captures this contrast. Options A, B, and C are unsupported by NCERT evidence and misrepresent the relationship between the two settlements.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Their sizes differed dramatically.
Option B → Chanhudaro is known mainly for crafts, not administration.
Option C → Mohenjodaro produced many items locally and did not rely completely on Chanhudaro.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Compare settlement size with economic specialization.

Final Logic:

Small size but intensive craft production identifies Chanhudaro.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Tiny Chanhudaro, Giant Craft Centre."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Chanhudaro as a Craft Centre

18 Coastal settlements like Nageshwar were strategically established near sources of raw material to function as specialised centres for making _____ objects.

A Shell

B Lapis Lazuli

C Gold

D Carnelian

💡 Short Explanation

Nageshwar was a coastal settlement. Shell resources were abundant nearby. Specialized shell industries developed there.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Nageshwar was located close to coastal shell resources and became an important centre for manufacturing shell objects such as bangles and decorative items. This reflects the Harappan strategy of locating craft centres near raw-material sources. Lapis lazuli was linked with Afghanistan, while gold and carnelian had different procurement networks. Therefore Option A is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option B → Lapis lazuli is associated with Shortughai and Afghanistan.
Option C → Nageshwar was not established as a gold-working centre.
Option D → Carnelian production is associated with bead-making centres rather than shell settlements.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the resource naturally available at coastal settlements.

Final Logic:

Coastal location directly points to shell craft.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Nageshwar Near Shells."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Shell-working Centres

19 Assertion (A): Harappans established settlements like Shortughai in far-off Afghanistan.
Reason (R): To procure lapis lazuli, a highly valued blue stone.

A A is false, but R is true.

B Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

C Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

D A is true, but R is false.

💡 Short Explanation

Shortughai was located in Afghanistan. Lapis lazuli was highly valued. Settlement aided procurement of the resource.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that Harappans established Shortughai in Afghanistan to access lapis lazuli, a prized blue semi-precious stone. The location offered proximity to important raw-material sources used in Harappan craft industries. Therefore both Assertion and Reason are true, and the Reason directly explains why the settlement was established. Hence Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Assertion is historically correct.
Option C → Reason directly explains the settlement's purpose.
Option D → Reason is supported by archaeological evidence.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link settlement location with resource procurement.

Final Logic:

Shortughai existed because of lapis lazuli access.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Shortughai = Blue Stone Base."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Raw Material Procurement

20 Analytically, the presence of larger waste pieces and minuscule bits in the work areas of Mohenjodaro and Harappa suggests that:

A The cities were primarily garbage dumps for Chanhudaro.

B All craft production was outsourced to smaller settlements.

C Apart from small specialised centres, craft production was also undertaken in large cities.

D The craftsmen deliberately destroyed finished goods.

💡 Short Explanation

Waste pieces indicate manufacturing activity. Evidence occurs in major cities. Production was not limited to specialised centres.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Archaeologists discovered manufacturing debris, including larger waste fragments and tiny production remnants, within Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Such evidence indicates that craft activities occurred in these major urban centres as well. Therefore production was not confined to smaller specialised settlements like Chanhudaro. Options A, B, and D are unsupported interpretations. Hence Option C is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A → Manufacturing debris is not evidence of garbage dumping.
Option B → Archaeological remains prove production also occurred in large cities.
Option D → Waste material reflects production processes, not deliberate destruction.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Interpret archaeological waste according to production evidence.

Final Logic:

Production debris directly indicates local craft activity.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Waste = Workshop."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Bricks, Beads and Bones – Topic: Craft Production in Urban Centres

CUET UG History Booster Test 3 - Society, Economy and Craft

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