Identify the name of Harappan region as mentioned in the Mesopotamian texts?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Meluhha
Mesopotamian texts mention contact with three regions: Dilmun (probably the island of Bahrain), Magan (perhaps Oman) and Meluhha, possibly the Harappan region. They list the products that came from Meluhha – carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold and kinds of wood – and call it a land of seafarers.
NCERT (2025-26): “6.2 Contact with distant lands … Other archaeological finds suggestive of long-distance contacts include Harappan seals, weights, dice and beads. 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? It is likely that communication with Oman, Bahrain or Mesopotamia was by sea. Mesopotamian texts refer to Meluhha as a land of seafarers.… Map 3 The Harappan Civilisation and West Asia…”
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