Question

‘Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan archaeological site of Shortughai in Afghanistan but not in Punjab or Sindh.’ Identify the explanation provided by archaeologists from the following :

• A. Agricultural tools in Afghanistan were more advanced than in Punjab.
• B. Archaeologists have not excavated Punjab and Sindh thoroughly.
• C. Punjab and Sindh had higher rainfall than Shortughai.
• D. Shortughai had access to the perennial rivers of the Himalayas.

Hint:

Water management was a hallmark of Harappan engineering, seen in the reservoirs of Dholavira and the wells of Mohenjodaro. The presence of the Oxus river near Shortughai was the primary source for its canal network.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept:

• Most Harappan sites were located in semi-arid lands, making irrigation a necessity for agriculture.
• Archaeological evidence suggests that different regions employed different water-management strategies based on their specific environment.

Step 1: Analyzing the geographical context of Shortughai
Shortughai was a Harappan outpost in a region that was significantly more arid than the heartland of the Indus Valley.
To sustain agriculture in such a dry climate, the Harappans constructed elaborate canal systems to divert river water to their fields, traces of which are still visible today.

Step 2: Evaluating the absence of canals in Punjab and Sindh
Archaeologists suggest two main reasons for the lack of canal traces in Punjab and Sindh.
First, these regions generally received higher rainfall compared to the extremely arid Shortughai, potentially reducing the reliance on massive canal networks.
Second, it is highly probable that ancient canals in the alluvial plains of the Indus silted up over thousands of years, making them invisible to modern surface surveys.