Question

Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option.
{|l|l|} Column I (Harappan Artefacts) & Column II (Significance)
a. Seals & i. Indicated craftsmanship
b. Weights & ii. Used for administration
c. Beads & iii. Standardized unit for measurement
d. Faience & iv. Used for pottery-making

• A. a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv
• B. a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i
• C. a-iv, b-ii, c-iii, d-i
• D. a-i, b-iii, c-iv, d-ii

Hint:

To easily remember Harappan material characteristics:
• Seals = Clay stamp impressions $\rightarrow$ Administrative authentication.
• Weights = Chert stone cubes $\rightarrow$ Regulated trade measurements.
• Faience = Complex artificial glaze $\rightarrow$ High-status luxury craftsmanship. Match Mapping Sequence: [ii $\rightarrow$ iii $\rightarrow$ i $\rightarrow$ iv]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept: The Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Culture) exhibited a high degree of civic planning, extensive trade networks, and sophisticated specialized craftsmanship. Historians alyze distinct physical artifacts excavated across these urban sites to reconstruct their administrative structure, economic systems, and technological capabilities.

Step 1: Parsing out individual artifact functiolities.
Let us systematically match each artifact from Column I with its functiol significance in Column II:
• a. Seals $\rightarrow$ ii. Used for administration: Harappan seals, typically made of steatite and engraved with animal motifs and an undeciphered script, were vital administrative tools. They were stamped onto clay seals covering the knots of cargo bags. If a package arrived with its clay impression unbroken, it proved that the cargo had not been tampered with, validating the identity and authority of the sender.
• b. Weights $\rightarrow$ iii. Standardized unit for measurement: Trade transactions across the civilization were regulated by a highly sophisticated, uniform system of weights. These weights were generally made of a stone called chert and shaped into simple cubes. The lower denomitions of these weights followed a strict biry system ($1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32$, up to $12,800$), while higher values followed a decimal configuration, ensuring remarkable commercial accuracy.
• c. Beads $\rightarrow$ i. Indicated craftsmanship: The production of beautiful beads made from materials like carnelian, jasper, crystal, steatite, lapis lazuli, copper, bronze, and gold reflects advanced artisan specialization. Specialized industrial centers like Chanhudaro and Lothal were dedicated completely to bead-making, featuring micro-drills and specialized polishing equipment.
• d. Faience $\rightarrow$ iv. Used for pottery-making small vessels: Faience is a sophisticated, artificially manufactured material made from ground sand or quartz mixed with gum and fired to create a glassy, glazed finish. It was a luxury material used primarily to craft expensive, valuable miniature pots, cosmetic containers, and beads.

Step 2: Aligning with the choice matrix.
Combining our individual matches together yields the following coordite chain: a $\rightarrow$ ii, b $\rightarrow$ iii, c $\rightarrow$ i, d $\rightarrow$ iv Reviewing the options confirms that this exact alignment is represented exclusively by Option (A).