Question

Match Column A with Column B regarding the important archaeological contributions and choose the correct option :

• A. a-ii, b-i, c-iv, d-iii
• B. a-iii, b-ii, c-i, d-iv
• C. a-iv, b-iii, c-ii, d-i
• D. a-i, b-iv, c-iii, d-ii

Hint:

• Remember 'S' for Sahni and 'H' for Harappa; 'B' for Banerji and 'M' for Mohenjodaro.
• Wheeler is synonymous with "Stratigraphy" and "Military precision" in Indian Archaeology.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept:

• The discovery and study of the Indus Valley Civilization involved several key archaeologists working under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Each archaeologist contributed differently, ranging from specific site excavations to administrative documentation and the introduction of new scientific methodologies.

Step 1: Matching the pioneers of Harappa and Mohenjodaro
Daya Ram Sahni was an Indian archaeologist who led the excavations at Harappa in the Punjab province in 1921. His discovery of seals there was the first evidence of this ancient civilization.
Rakhal Das Banerji (R. D. Banerji) discovered similar seals at Mohenjodaro in Sindh in 1922, leading to the realization that these two sites belonged to the same single archaeological culture.

Step 2: Identifying contributions to methodology and history
R.E.M. Wheeler, as the Director-General of the ASI in the 1940s, introduced the use of stratigraphy in excavations instead of digging in arbitrary horizontal units. He famously noted that he brought military precision to the field.
S.N. Roy was a historian and archaeologist known for chronicling the development of the field in India. He authored the significant book, ‘The Story of Indian Archaeology’.
Matching these pairs gives: a-ii, b-i, c-iv, d-iii.