U.P.P.C.S. Mains 2010

Neolithic Revolution

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

The earliest evidence of agriculture in the Indian Subcontinent has been obtained from-

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept The shift from hunting-gathering to food production (Neolithic Revolution) happened earliest in the fertile Bolan Pass area.

Explanation Mehrgarh (Balochistan, Pakistan) dates back to 7000 BCE and shows the cultivation of wheat and barley alongside the domestication of cattle and sheep.

Logical Breakup
Mehrgarh (D): Recognized as the oldest Neolithic farming village in South Asia.
Koldihwa (C): Important for early rice, but dates are slightly later or contemporaneous to Mehrgarh's established wheat culture.

Active Recall

Question

Why was the Bolan Pass significant for early agriculture?

Answer

It served as a natural gateway between the Iranian plateau and the Indus plains, offering a diversity of ecological zones for early plant and animal experiments.

Core Insight

Mehrgarh proves that the foundations of the Indus Valley Civilization were laid by indigenous Neolithic farmers thousands of years before the first cities rose.