Which of the following pairs from Bernier's description of agriculture and craft production is correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Gold and silver - Swallowed up, lost in some measure, in Hindustan
Option (1) Kingdom of Bengal - Surpassed Persia in producing rice and corn — Incorrect. Bernier compared Bengal with Egypt. He said Bengal surpassed Egypt itself in rice, corn and other necessaries of life.
Option (2) Silks, cotton and indigo - Articles of commerce also grown in Egypt — Incorrect. Silks, cotton and indigo were the articles of commerce Bengal grew that were not cultivated in Egypt. They showed Bengal's edge over Egypt.
Option (3) Gold and silver - Swallowed up, lost in some measure, in Hindustan — Correct. Bernier saw that gold and silver, after moving round the whole world, finally came to Hindustan and stayed there. This was because Indian manufactures were exported in exchange for these metals.
Option (4) Gold and silver cloths - Goods brought into Hindustan from Europe — Incorrect. Gold and silver cloths were made by Indian artisans themselves, along with carpets, brocades and embroideries. They were used in the country or exported abroad.
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