UPSC CDS 2016 (II)

Harappan Urbanism

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Consider the following statement(s) about Harappan cities: 1. Roads were not always absolutely straight and did not always cross one another at right angles. 2. A striking feature is the uniformity in the average size of the bricks for houses and for city walls. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Harappan urbanism is characterized by its high degree of municipal standardization and organized spatial layout.

Explanation While Mohenjo-Daro is famous for its grid, actual site surveys show slight variations where roads curve or follow older settlement patterns. NCERT also confirms that bricks across all IVC sites followed a standardized ratio of 4:2:1.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct. Though generally a grid, excavations show that topography and pre-existing structures led to deviations in road straightness.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is correct. Whether baked or sun-dried, Harappan bricks were remarkably uniform in size (Ratio 4:2:1) across thousands of square kilometers.

Active Recall

Question

What was the standardized ratio of Harappan bricks?

Answer

The ratio was 4:2:1 (Length:Breadth:Height), maintained from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea.

Core Insight

The uniformity of bricks across a massive geographical area implies a powerful centralized regulatory authority or a very strong shared cultural code.