Daily Current Affairs Quiz: December 25, 2025

Answer: D [Horses]
Explanation:

Option A is incorrect: Cotton was well known to the Indus Valley Civilization. Archaeological evidence such as cotton fibres, spindle whorls, and references in Mesopotamian texts indicate production and trade of cotton textiles.

Option B is incorrect: Botanical remains and external trade links suggest that spices and aromatic substances were known and exchanged, particularly through maritime trade with Mesopotamia.

Option C is incorrect: Gold and silver ornaments have been found at Harappan sites. Since these metals were not locally available, they were procured through long-distance trade networks.

Option D is correct: There is no conclusive archaeological evidence of domesticated horses or horse trade in the Indus Valley Civilization. Horses appear prominently only in the later Vedic period.

Answer: C [All four]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Indus Valley Civilization had a strong agrarian base, with agriculture as the primary occupation, supported by animal husbandry such as cattle, sheep, and goats.

Statement 2 is correct: Archaeological and textual evidence (Mesopotamian references to Meluhha) confirms trade relations between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Mesopotamian Civilization via land and maritime routes.

Statement 3 is correct: The Harappans used a highly standardized decimal system of weights and measures, essential for commercial transactions and trade regulation.

Statement 4 is correct: The Indus Valley Civilization was the earliest known civilization to cultivate cotton, as evidenced by cotton remains and spindle whorls found at sites like Mohenjo-daro.

Answer: B [Only two]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Indus Valley cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro followed a well-planned grid pattern with streets intersecting at right angles and an advanced, covered drainage system connected to individual houses.

Statement 2 is correct: The Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro is widely believed to have been used for ritualistic or ceremonial bathing, given its massive size, waterproof construction, and central location.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Houses in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were primarily built using baked and unbaked bricks, not wood. Wooden structures were rare and mainly used for doors or roofing.

Answer: A [1, 3 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Paleoclimatic studies indicate weakening monsoon patterns and shifting river courses (such as the Ghaggar-Hakra system), which adversely affected agriculture and urban sustainability.

Statement 2 is incorrect: There is no conclusive archaeological evidence of large-scale invasion or violent destruction by an external force. The earlier “Aryan invasion” theory is now largely rejected.

Statement 3 is correct: Declining trade links with Mesopotamia, possibly due to economic and political changes in West Asia, reduced urban prosperity and weakened the Harappan economy.

Statement 4 is correct: Environmental stress, including soil exhaustion, deforestation, and overuse of natural resources, likely reduced agricultural productivity and contributed to gradual decline.

Answer: D [Rakhigarhi]
Explanation:

Option A is incorrect: Harappa is one of the earliest discovered and most important sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, but its total area is smaller than Rakhigarhi.

Option B is incorrect: Mohenjo-daro was a major urban centre with advanced town planning, yet it does not surpass Rakhigarhi in terms of geographical spread.

Option C is incorrect: Dholavira is known for its unique water management system and tripartite town planning, but it is smaller in area compared to Rakhigarhi.

Option D is correct: Rakhigarhi, located in present-day Haryana, is the largest known site of the Indus Valley Civilization, covering a larger area than Harappa and Mohenjo-daro and showing evidence of all major Harappan phases.