UPSC CDS 2020 (I)

Harappan Economic Organization

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

From which one of the following factory sites were limestone and chert blades mass produced and sent to various Harappan settlements in Sindh?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept The Harappans established specialized factory sites near raw material sources to mass-produce standardized tools for the entire civilization.

Explanation The Sukkur and Rohri Hills in Sindh (Pakistan) were massive production centers where millions of high-quality chert blades were manufactured and distributed to cities like Mohenjo-Daro.

Logical Breakup
Sukkur and Rohri (A): Provided the unique, light-grey chert used for standardized Harappan stone tools.
Khetri (B): Was the primary source for Copper, not stone blades.
Baluchistan: Source for semi-precious stones and lead.

Active Recall

Question

What does the mass production of blades at a single site suggest?

Answer

It suggests a highly organized internal trade network and a centralized system of labor and resource allocation.

Core Insight

The Sukkur-Rohri factory system highlights that Harappan society was not just self-sufficient villages but a complex, interdependent industrial economy.