Read carefully the excerpts given below and answer the questions that follow:

How artefacts are identified

Processing of food required grinding equipment as well as vessels for mixing, blending and cooking. These were made of stone, metal and terracotta. This is an excerpt from one of the earliest reports on excavations at Mohenjodaro, the best-known Harappan site:

Saddle querns ... are found in considerable numbers ... and they seem to have been the only means in use for grinding cereals. As a rule, they were roughly made of hard, gritty, igneous rock or sandstone and mostly show signs of hard usage. As their bases are usually convex, they must have been set in the earth or in mud to prevent their rocking. Two main types have been found: those on which another smaller stone was pushed or rolled to and fro, and other with which a second stone was used as a pounder, eventually making a large cavity in the neither stone. Querns of the former type possibly only for pounding herbs and spices for making curries. In fact, stones of this latter type are dubbed “curry stones” by our workmen and our cook asked for the loan of one from the museum for use in the kitchen.
A. Which type of querns have been found in Mohenjodaro?

B. Write the characteristics of the saddle querns.

C. Which two main types of querns have been found in Mohenjodaro? Write their different uses, for which those both types of querns were used.

Solution

A. Saddle querns are found in Mohenjodaro. Most probably those querns were put in use for grinding cereals.
B. (i) Saddle querns are found in considerable numbers.

(ii) They seem to have been the only mean in the use for grinding cereals.

(iii) They were roughly made of hard, gritty, igneous rock or sandstone and mostly show signs of hard usage. As their bases were usually convex, they must have been set-up in the earth or in mud to prevent them from rocking.
C. Two main types of querns have been found: those on which another smaller stone was pushed or rolled to and fro and others with which a second stone was used as a pounder, eventually making a large cavity in the neither stone. Querns of the former type were probably used solely for grain, the second type possibly only for pounding herbs and spices for making curries.

Some More Questions From Bricks, Beads And Bones Chapter

On given map, use a pencil to circle sites where evidence of agriculture has been recovered. Mark an X against sites where there is evidence of craft production and R against sites where raw materials were found.

Find out if there are any museums in your town. Visit one of them and write a report on any ten items, describing how old they are, where they were found and why you think they are on display.

Collect illustrations of ten things made of stone, metal and clay produced and used at present. Compare these with the pictures of the Harappan civilisation in this chapter, and discuss the similarities and differences that you find.

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Bricks, Beads And Bones

Some More Questions From Bricks, Beads And Bones Chapter

On given map, use a pencil to circle sites where evidence of agriculture has been recovered. Mark an X against sites where there is evidence of craft production and R against sites where raw materials were found.

Find out if there are any museums in your town. Visit one of them and write a report on any ten items, describing how old they are, where they were found and why you think they are on display.

Collect illustrations of ten things made of stone, metal and clay produced and used at present. Compare these with the pictures of the Harappan civilisation in this chapter, and discuss the similarities and differences that you find.

Mention the two sections of the Harappan settlements and give one main feature of each.

Mention two features of Harappan cities.

Give two features of the Harappan settlements.

Mention any four items found in the graves of the Harappans.

Mention two strategies adopted to identify social differences among the Harappans.

How did the Harappans obtain red colour or Carnelian?

Give a brief description of the Mohurs (Seals) of Harappa or the Indus Valley Civilisation.

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