Match List-I with List-II
| List-I | List-II | ||
| (A) | Meluhha | (I) | Oman |
| (B) | Dilmun | (II) | Haja-bird |
| (C) | Magan | (III) | Bahrain |
| (D) | Shortughai | (IV) | Afghanistan |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A)-(II), (B)-(III), (C)-(I), (D)-(IV)
(A) Meluhha — this matches (II) Haja-bird. A Mesopotamian myth says of Meluhha, possibly the Harappan region: “May your bird be the haja-bird”; some archaeologists think it was the peacock.
(B) Dilmun — this matches (III) Bahrain. Mesopotamian texts mention Dilmun, probably the island of Bahrain.
(C) Magan — this matches (I) Oman. Copper came to Mesopotamia from Magan, which was probably Oman.
(D) Shortughai — this matches (IV) Afghanistan. The Harappans settled at Shortughai, in far-off Afghanistan, near the best source of lapis lazuli.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.2 Contact with distant lands … Recent archaeological finds suggest that copper was also probably brought from Oman, on the south-eastern tip of the Arabian peninsula. Chemical analyses have shown that both the Omani copper and Harappan artefacts have traces of nickel, suggesting a common origin. There are other traces of contact as well. A distinctive type of vessel, a large Harappan jar coated with a thick layer of black clay has been found at Omani sites. Such thick coatings prevent the percolation of liquids. We do not know what was carried in these vessels, but it is possible that the Harappans exchanged the contents of these vessels for Omani copper. Mesopotamian texts datable to the third millennium BCE refer to copper coming from a region called Magan, perhaps a name for Oman,… 6.2 Contact with distant lands … In this context, it is worth noting that Mesopotamian texts mention contact with regions named Dilmun (probably the island of Bahrain), Magan and Meluhha, possibly the Harappan region. They mention the products from Meluhha: carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold, and varieties of wood. A Mesopotamian myth says of Meluhha: ‘May your bird be the haja-bird, may its call be heard in the royal palace.’ Some archaeologists think the haja-bird was the peacock. Did it get this name from its call?… 6.1 Materials from the subcontinent and beyond … The Harappans procured materials for craft production in various ways. For instance, they established settlements such as Nageshwar and Balakot in areas where shell was available. Other such sites were Shortughai, in far-off Afghanistan, near the best source of lapis lazuli, a blue stone that was apparently very highly valued,…” |