Read the passage and answer the questions:
The End of the Civilization
There is evidence that by c.1800 BCE most of the Mature Harappan sites in regions such as Cholistan had been abandoned. Simultaneously, there was an expansion of the population into new settlements in Gujarat, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. In the few Harappan sites that continued to be occupied after 1900 BCE there appears to have been a transformation of material culture, marked by the disappearance of distinctive artefacts of the civilization-weights, seals, special beads. Writing, long- distance trade and craft specialization also disappeared. In general, far fewer materials were used to make far fewer things. Overall, artifacts and settlements indicate a rural way of life in what are called “Late Harappan’ or “successor cultures”.
What brought about these changes? Several explanations have been put forward. These range from climate change, deforestation, excessive floods, the shifting and /or drying up of rivers, to overuse of the landscape. Some of these ‘causes’ may hold for certain settlements, but they do not explain the collapse of the entire civilization. It appears that a strong unifying element, perhaps the Harappan state, came to an end. This is evidenced by the disappearance of seals, the script, distinctive beads and pottery, the shift from a standardized weight system to the use of local weights, the decline and abandonment of cities. The subcontinent would have to wait for over a millennium for new cities to develop in a completely different region.
Identify the strong unifying element of the Harappa, whose ending indicates the decline of the Harappan civilization:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Harappan State
Climate change, floods or the drying up of rivers may explain the decline of some settlements, but not the collapse of the whole civilisation. It appears that a strong unifying element, perhaps the Harappan state, came to an end. The disappearance of seals and the script, and the shift from a standardised weight system to local weights, are the evidence of that end, not the unifying element itself.
NCERT (2026-27): “9. The End of the Civilisation … What brought about these changes? Several explanations have been put forward. These range from climatic change, deforestation, excessive floods, the shifting and/or drying up of rivers, to overuse of the landscape. Some of these “causes” may hold for certain settlements, but they do not explain the collapse of the entire civilisation. It appears that a strong unifying element, perhaps the Harappan state, came to an end. This is evidenced by the disappearance of seals, the script, distinctive beads and pottery, the shift from a standardised weight system to the use of local weights; and the decline and abandonment of cities. The subcontinent would have to wait for over a millennium for new cities to develop in a completely different region.” |