Mehergarh Civilization MCQ: Top 20 Q&A for Competitive Exams

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Mehergarh Civilization: Background and Important Brief Discussion

In the pages of ancient Indian history, the Mehergarh Civilization is a unique name. In 1974, evidence of this civilization was discovered near the Bolan Pass in Balochistan through the efforts of French archaeologists Jean-François Jarrige and Richard Meadow. It was primarily a Neolithic civilization, also known as a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization was famous for agriculture, animal husbandry, and the production of high-quality pottery.

Currently, many questions from this topic appear in various competitive exams such as SSC (CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD), Railways (RRB), Police (Constable & SI), WBCS, PSC Clerkship, Teaching Exams (Primary, Upper Primary, SLST, CTET), or Banking. Keeping the convenience of candidates in mind, in today’s special episode, we have discussed Mehergarh Civilization MCQs and important facts. If you are looking for Mehergarh Civilization MCQ, this post will serve as a complete guide for your preparation. Below are the top 20 questions and answers based on this civilization.

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Mehergarh Civilization MCQ: 20 Important Questions and Answers for Competitive Exams

1. Who discovered the Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Rakhal Das Banerji
(B) John Marshall
(C) Jean-François Jarrige
(D) Dayaram Sahni
Correct Answer: (C) Jean-François Jarrige Extra Info: French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige discovered this civilization in 1974. Richard Meadow also played a significant role in this research. It is the oldest evidence of an agrarian civilization in the Indian subcontinent.
2. On the banks of which river is the Mehergarh Civilization located?
(A) Indus River
(B) Bolan River
(C) Jhelum River
(D) Saraswati River
Correct Answer: (B) Bolan River Extra Info: It is located on the banks of the Bolan River in the Balochistan province of present-day Pakistan. This area is situated about 150 km away from Quetta city. Being adjacent to a mountain pass, this place was important for trade in ancient times.
3. Mehergarh Civilization primarily belongs to which era?
(A) Palaeolithic Age
(B) Mesolithic Age
(C) Neolithic Age
(D) Iron Age
Correct Answer: (C) Neolithic Age Extra Info: Mehergarh is an important Neolithic agrarian civilization. During this era, humans first began to live permanently in one place. Lighting fires by rubbing stones and making advanced tools were the main features of this age.
4. In which year was the Mehergarh Civilization discovered?
(A) 1922
(B) 1974
(C) 1921
(D) 1980
Correct Answer: (B) 1974 Extra Info: Jean-François Jarrige first discovered this civilization in 1974. Extensive excavations have revealed signs of the pre-Harappan era here. This discovery pushed the antiquity of Indian civilization back by several thousand years.
5. What did the people of Mehergarh Civilization use to build their houses?
(A) Stones
(B) Mud
(C) Sun-dried Bricks
(D) Burnt Bricks
Correct Answer: (C) Sun-dried Bricks Extra Info: The people here built houses using sun-dried mud bricks. The rooms were usually square or rectangular in shape. They also used granaries made of mud to store food grains.
6. What was the main occupation of the Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Hunting
(B) Agriculture
(C) Trade and Commerce
(D) Fishing
Correct Answer: (B) Agriculture Extra Info: Agriculture and animal husbandry were the main occupations of the inhabitants of Mehergarh. They were the first to start rearing cattle, sheep, and goats. For their livelihood, they used stone sickles and mortars.
7. Which crops did the people of Mehergarh cultivate?
(A) Rice
(B) Wheat and Barley
(C) Maize
(D) Millet
Correct Answer: (B) Wheat and Barley Extra Info: The people of Mehergarh primarily cultivated three types of wheat and two types of barley. They developed advanced storage systems to preserve food grains. This civilization was the original center of the agricultural revolution in the Indian subcontinent.
8. Bones of which animal were found in the Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Horse
(B) Elephant
(C) Humped Bull or Cow
(D) Camel
Correct Answer: (C) Humped Bull or Cow Extra Info: Evidence of bones from domesticated animals like humped bulls and sheep has been found. Bones of wild animals like deer and nilgai were also discovered here. They met their needs for milk and meat through animal husbandry.
9. In which country is Mehergarh located?
(A) India
(B) Pakistan
(C) Afghanistan
(D) Bangladesh
Correct Answer: (B) Pakistan Extra Info: Mehergarh is an important archaeological site in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is located at the mouth of the Bolan Pass in the Kacchi plain region. Today, it is recognized as a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization.
10. How did the people of Mehergarh bury their dead?
(A) Cremation
(B) Buried underground
(C) Floating in the river
(D) Left in the forest
Correct Answer: (B) Buried underground Extra Info: There was a tradition of burying the dead along with ornaments and daily use items. Evidence of burying livestock with the deceased has even been found. They believed in the existence of life after death.
11. Is there any evidence of a script in the Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Yes
(B) No
(C) Partially
(D) Unknown
Correct Answer: (B) No Extra Info: This is a prehistoric civilization, so no written script has been found here. The history of this civilization is primarily written based on archaeological findings. They likely communicated through gestures or oral language.
12. Tools made of what material were found in Mehergarh?
(A) Iron
(B) Copper
(C) Stone and Bone
(D) Gold
Correct Answer: (C) Stone and Bone Extra Info: They primarily used knives and spears made of stone and fine tools made of bone. In later stages, they made small copper ornaments and learned to melt copper. Stone weapons were their main support for hunting and defense.
13. What were the houses like in the first stage of Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Large and permanent
(B) Small and huts
(C) Pit houses
(D) Made of stone
Correct Answer: (B) Small and huts Extra Info: At the beginning of the civilization, people lived in small and temporary huts. Later, they learned to live in groups and build permanent houses with sun-dried bricks. Signs of many small rooms within a large settlement have been found.
14. Which crop of Mehergarh is called the ‘Original Crop of Ancient India’?
(A) Wheat
(B) Barley
(C) Rice
(D) Cotton
Correct Answer: (A) Wheat Extra Info: Wheat is considered the primary and original crop of this civilization. Samples of wheat grown here are an important document of global agricultural history. Barley was also an integral part of their diet.
15. Did the people of Mehergarh know about cotton cultivation?
(A) No
(B) Yes
(C) Uncertain
(D) Only in later periods
Correct Answer: (B) Yes Extra Info: The earliest evidence of cotton cultivation in the Indian subcontinent was first found in Mehergarh. Cotton seeds found here prove that they were aware of thread making and the textile industry. This was highly advanced technical knowledge for that time.
16. What is the primary time period of the Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) 2500-1500 BC
(B) 7000-2500 BC
(C) 3000-1000 BC
(D) 5000-3000 BC
Correct Answer: (B) 7000-2500 BC Extra Info: Archaeological research places the beginning of this civilization around 7000 BC. It is an ancient culture that predates the development of the Indus Valley Civilization by several thousand years. Its span was mainly from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic age.
17. Did the people of Mehergarh know how to use wheels?
(A) Yes
(B) No
(C) In later stages
(D) Only for decoration
Correct Answer: (C) In later stages Extra Info: The use of wheels was not present in the very early stages; it began in the later stages. They learned to make beautiful pottery with the help of the potter’s wheel. The invention of the wheel brought radical changes to their transport and craftsmanship.
18. Was the Potter’s Wheel used in Mehergarh?
(A) Yes
(B) No
(C) Only for stone
(D) Unknown
Correct Answer: (A) Yes Extra Info: They used the potter’s wheel to create advanced pottery. This made the clay pots much smoother and more attractive. Geometric patterns and pictures of animals can be seen on many vessels.
19. Mehergarh is a stone civilization of which era?
(A) Neolithic Age
(B) Chalcolithic Age
(C) Both
(D) None
Correct Answer: (C) Both Extra Info: It is one of the best examples of transition from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic age. Along with stone tools, the use of copper gradually began here. This evolution paved the way for advanced urban civilizations later on.
20. What is the cause of the destruction of Mehergarh Civilization?
(A) Flood
(B) Earthquake
(C) Climate Change
(D) Unknown
Correct Answer: (D) Unknown Extra Info: Why the Mehergarh civilization was abandoned remains an unsolved mystery to historians. Some believe climate change caused agricultural problems, leading people to move elsewhere. Others think its importance declined with the rise of the Indus Valley Civilization.

People also ask (FAQs)

What was the Mehergarh Civilization?

Mehergarh Civilization was the precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization and the oldest Neolithic agrarian civilization in the Indian subcontinent.

Who discovered Mehergarh and when?

French archaeologists Jean-François Jarrige and Richard Meadow discovered this ancient civilization in 1974 in Balochistan, Pakistan.

On the banks of which river did Mehergarh develop?

Mehergarh Civilization developed on the banks of the Bolan River near the Bolan Pass in the Balochistan province of present-day Pakistan.

What are the main features of Mehergarh Civilization?

The main features of this civilization were advanced agricultural methods, animal husbandry, mud houses, and the oldest evidence of cotton cultivation.

Where is Mehergarh currently located?

Currently, it is an important archaeological site located in the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan province, Pakistan.

What are the different phases of Mehergarh Civilization?

Mehergarh civilization is mainly divided into seven phases. The first three phases (7000-3000 BC) belong to the Neolithic period, and the next four phases (3000-2500 BC) show evidence of the Chalcolithic period.

📌 Smart Study Tips: Mehergarh Civilization

To remember Mehergarh Civilization MCQs or similar history topics, you can follow these tips:

  • Year & Discoverer: Revise the year of discovery (1974) and the name of French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige repeatedly, as it often appears in exams.
  • Geographical Location: Keep in mind the Bolan Pass and Kacchi Plain in Balochistan. It’s easier to remember when studied with a map.
  • Features: Make a special note that it was a Neolithic civilization and contains the oldest evidence of cotton cultivation. For a deeper understanding of archaeological research and geographical spread, you can refer to historical records.
  • Mock Test: If you want to become more proficient in your Mehergarh Civilization MCQ preparation, practice these questions repeatedly on our site and take regular mock tests.

🌟 Message for Success: Remember, hard work is the only key to success. Today’s small preparations will lead you to great success tomorrow. Regularly practice other important history MCQs and mock tests like these on our Exam Prep Zone website. Keep your goal fixed and continue studying regularly—success will surely be yours one day!

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