Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (History (Ancient & Medieval)) | November 9,2020

Koldihwa, in Belan valley (unique in terms of the presence of a three-fold Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Iron Age settlements), Koldihwa and Mahagara, south of Allahabad (many strata of circular huts along with crude hand-made pottery; earliest evidence of rice cultivation in the world).
Source: Poonam Dahiya (Ancient & Medieval India)

The Harappan civilisation was the earliest known civilisation to produce cotton. Known as Sindon by the Greeks as from Sindh.
•In the Indus plain, people sowed seeds in the flood plains in November, when the flood water receded and reaped their harvests of wheat and barley in April, before the advent of the next flood.
•They produced sufficient food grains to feed themselves and the surplus food grains were stored in granaries.
The characteristic features pertaining to the agricultural practices of the Harappans are mentioned below:
•The Harappans grew wheat (especially in Mehrgarh), barley, horse gram, peas, melon, watermelon, sesame, dates, millets, grapes, henna (mehndi), garlic, mustard, rice (Lothal).
•They also exploited riverine and marine resources wherever possible. For example, molluscs were an important protein-rich food element in the coastal sites of Gujarat people.
Source: NCERT

Harappan civilisation is considered as a secular society as not a single structure qualifying as temple has been found.
•Sacred ritual spots included the Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro, where the elite in all likelihood undertook ritual activity that included ceremonial bathing.
•Idolatry was practiced.
Source: NCERT

Indo-Aryans are believed to be the composers of Vedic texts.
The term Indo-Aryans is basically a linguistic term and refers to speakers of a sub group of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo- European family of languages.
Rig Veda composers describe themselves as Arya (a cultural/ethnic term etymologically derived from ar meaning to cultivate, literally meaning kinsmen or companion, in Sanskrit it means favourably disposed new comers and later it implied men of good family noble).
There is still no consensus on the original home of Aryans and different theories are postulated which further continue the debate.
European theory was propounded by Sir William Zones.
Source: Poonam Dahiya

The Yajur Veda deals with the procedure for the performance of sacrifices. The texts are further divided into:
•Shukla Yajur Veda/White Yajur Veda/Vajasaneya (contains only the Mantras) It contains the Madhyandina and Kanva recensions.
•Krishna Yajur Veda/Black Yajur Veda (contains mantras and prose explanations/ commentary). It contains the Kathaka, Maitrayani, Taittiriya, and Kapishthala recensions.
•The Upveda of the Yajur Veda is the Dhanur Veda.
Source: Poonam Dahiya

Haryanka Dynasty, Shishunga Dynasty, Nanda Dynasty followed by Mauryan Dynasty.
Source: Poonam Dahiya

Milindapanho (written in Pali, it consists of a dialogue on various philosophical issues between the Indo- Greek king Milinda/Menander and the monk Nagasena).
Source: Poonam Dahiya

There are many subdivisions of nagara temples depending on the shape of the shikhara.
•The most common name for the simple shikhara which is square at the base and whose walls curve or slope inward to a point on top is called the ‘latina’ or the rekha-prasada type of shikara.
•The second major type of architectural form in the nagara order is the phamsana. Phamsana buildings tend to be broader and shorter than latina ones.
•The third main sub-type of the nagara building is what is generally called the valabhi type. These are rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber. The edge of this vaulted chamber is rounded, like the bamboo or wooden wagons that would have been drawn by bullocks in ancient times. They are usually called ‘wagon vaulted buildings’.
Source: NCERT

Tasvir Khana.
•Akbar was responsible for establishment of an entire department devoted to the paintings and scribing of his documents.
•He established a formal artistic studio called Tasvir Khana where the artists were hired on salary and they developed their own styles.
•Akbar looked upon paintings as a means of study and amusement. He believed that a painting could show the demeanor of the subject and regularly gave awards to those painters who created lifelike images.
Source: NCERT

Craft products like textile goods, ivory products, pots, etc., were exported over long distances by merchants. All the major cities were situated on river banks and trade routes, and were connected with each other.
•The two major trans-regional routes of the time were known as Uttarapatha (of northern India, stretching from the north-west across the Indo-Gangetic plains to the port city of Tamralipti on the Bay of Bengal).
•Dakshinapatha (of southern India, stretching from Pataliputra in Magadha to Pratishthana on the Godavari, and connected to ports on the western coast).
Source: NCERT