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UPSC CSE Prelims 2001, Paper I

Harappan Art and Environment

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which one of the following animals was not represented on the seals and terracotta art of the Harappan culture?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Harappan art (seals and terracotta) depicts a wide range of flora and fauna, which provides clues about their environment and religious beliefs.

Explanation Standard seals like the Pashupati seal show elephant, tiger, rhino, and buffalo. However, the cow is conspicuously absent from the entire corpus of Harappan art.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The cow was the central animal of the subsequent Vedic period, but not the Harappan period art.
Logic 2: Elephants, tigers, and rhinoceros were frequently depicted, often in a ritualistic or naturalistic context on steatite seals.

Active Recall

Question

Why is the absence of the cow significant in comparing Harappan and Vedic cultures?

Answer

It suggests a fundamental shift in religious and economic focus from the bull/unicorn (Harappan) to the cow (Vedic) as the primary sacred and economic unit.

Core Insight

The 'Bull' (Zebu) was common in IVC art, representing strength or fertility, while the 'Cow' only gained prominence in the later pastoral Vedic society.

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