Question

Which of the following evidence shows that the Harappans believed in the afterlife?

• A. Metal Figurines and Vessels
• B. Great Bath and Docks
• C. Pottery and Ornaments
• D. Massive Pyramids

Hint:

Unlike contemporary Egypt, where enormous wealth was buried in monumental pyramids, Harappan burials were relatively modest.
Grave goods in the Indus Valley were mainly pottery, beads, and mirrors, indicating belief in an afterlife without hoarding monumental wealth in graves.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept:
Mortuary practices and burial customs in ancient civilizations provide significant insights into religious beliefs and cosmological worldviews.
The placement of grave goods alongside the deceased indicates whether a society conceived of an afterlife in which worldly goods remained necessary.

Step 1: Examining Harappan Burial Practices:
At Harappan sites, the dead were generally interred in oval or rectangular burial pits.
In many of these graves, excavators have unearthed substantial assemblages of grave offerings.
These offerings typically consisted of utilitarian and decorated pottery jars, bowls, and personal adornments like shell bangles, beads, and copper mirrors.
Both male and female burials contained beads, necklaces, and ear ornaments.
Archaeologists conclude that the provision of pottery and ornaments reflects a prevailing belief that these possessions would serve the departed soul in the afterlife.

Step 2: Evaluating Other Options:
Option (A) denotes general craft goods that were used in daily life or trade rather than specifically indicative of mortuary beliefs.
Option (B) relates to civic and commercial architecture (ritual ablution at Mohenjodaro and naval dockyard at Lothal).
Option (D) refers to Egyptian civilization; Harappans did not build massive royal pyramids or bury massive hoards of precious metal with their rulers.
Final Answer:
The presence of pottery and ornaments in burials demonstrates that Harappans believed in the afterlife.